Good News for PGWP & TR to PR Applicants
Hello World! Today we would like to talk about new measures for former international students with expired or expiring Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) and for Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway (TR to PR Pathway) applicants.
On August 2, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) started the following measures for the applicants mentioned above.
Open Work Permit for Persons with Expired PGWP
Foreign nationals whose PGWP expired or will expire from September 20, 2021, to December 31, 2022, are eligible to extend their Open Work Permit or apply for a new one to work in Canada for an additional 18 months. Those who are currently in Canada can work and wait for their application to be finalized.
The process for obtaining an Open Work Permit differs on the applicant’s situation.
- Your PGWP expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, your address is up to date, and your passport is valid through April 2024: You do not need to do anything. An updated Work Permit will be sent to your mailing address by mid-October.
- Your PGWP expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but if you need to update your address and/or passport validity: When you receive an email from IRCC to confirm your mailing address, follow the instructions to let them know that your mailing address needs to be updated. If your current passport is valid for less than 18 months, you will not receive this email. If you need to update your mailing address or passport information, you will receive instructions by email in September on how to update your information. If you update this information, you can obtain an updated Work Permit.
- Your PGWP expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but you won’t be able to update your address or passport validity: You will need to apply online to extend your Work Permit. You could receive a Work Permit extended to your passport expiration date or you could wait to apply until you have renewed your passport.
- Your PGWP expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but you didn’t receive any contact from IRCC: If you do not receive an email from IRCC by mid-September, you may have been excluded from this special measure for some reason, such as the need for additional inspection of your admissibility to Canada. You may still apply online to extend your Work Permit.
- Your PGWP expired or will expire from September 20, 2021, to October 1, 2022: You will need to apply for a Work Permit online. If you are in Canada and your temporary status has also expired, you must apply to restore your status at the same time.
Temporary work is available while waiting for applications to be finalized.
Starting August 8, 2022, individuals with PGWP that have expired or will expire from September 20, 2021, to December 31, 2022, will receive an email from IRCC indicating that they are allowed to work during the time. This will be in effect until May 31, 2023.
Open Work Permit for TR to PR Pathway Applicants
As we announced in our previous article prior to this implementation, applicants to the TR to PR Pathway whose application has not yet been finalized are eligible to apply for an Open Work Permit. This will allow applicants to work and wait in Canada until their applications are finalized. Since this program is expected to take a while to proceed, applicants can now receive an Open Work Permit with an end date of December 31, 2024.
If your mailing address is up to date and your passport is valid through December 31, 2024: You will receive an email from the IRCC regarding your Open Work Permit. If your mailing address is up to date and you are still in Canada, you do not have to do anything. An updated visa with an expiration date of December 31, 2024, will be mailed to you by mid-October.
If your passport expires before December 31, 2024: You will not receive an email from IRCC. Your Work Permit will not be renewed automatically. You will need to apply on your own. If you need to update your mailing address or opt-out of receiving an Open Work Permit, you will need to apply online.
For more information on this new measure, please refer to the following government Web site.
===
As mentioned above, the process for obtaining an Open Work Permit differs by the applicant’s situation. It is important to follow the applicable process and complete the submission within the given time frame.
If you need our assistance or advice in applying for your Open Work Permit, please feel free to send your inquiry from here.
“You are one step closer to Canada!”
Follow me!
