PGWP expiring? Here are all your options to continue working in Canada

If your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is expiring soon, there are other ways to legally stay and work in Canada.

This article will walk you through all your work permit options available, depending on your situation.

Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm

Summary:

Situation	Work Permit Type	Key Eligibility Criteria
Any foreign national	Temporary Foreign Worker Program work permit	- Employer must have a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) with a positive or neutral result. - Your employer must meet various other criteria, depending on the stream.
	Innovation stream, employer specific work permit	- Job offer from an employer participating in the Global Hypergrowth Project.
Work permit exemptions	These are situations where work permits are not needed	Varies.
Foreign nationals of certain countries	Free Trade Agreement	- Must be a foreign national from a country with a free trade agreement with Canada. - Eligibility varies depending on the agreement.
	International Experience Canada	- Must be foreign national from a country with a bilateral youth mobility agreement with Canada. - Must be under the age of 35 (30 for some countries).
	Special work permit for Iranians	Must have arrived in Canada on or before February 28, 2025.
	Special work permit for Ukrainians	Must have arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024.
Foreign nationals who have applied for permanent residency	Bridging open work permit	Must have a PR application in process.
	Atlantic Immigration Program	- Must have a job offer from an employer on the designated employer list in the Atlantic provinces -The province must endorse the job offer.
Foreign nationals with spousal support	Post secondary studies	Have a spouse enrolled in a qualifying program at a Canadian post-secondary institution. -Spouse must have at least 16 months remaining on their study permit.
	Family sponsorship	Have a spouse who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and must have sponsored you for a submitted permanent residence application.
	Work permit	- Have a spouse working in an eligible occupation. - The spouse must have at least 16 months remaining on their work permit.

Work permits for any foreign national

Temporary Foreign Worker Program work permit

A Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) work permit is an employer-specific or closed work permit, meaning it allows candidates to work only for the employer listed on the permit.

TFWP work permits require more effort to obtain, but they have relatively broad eligibility criteria. They can be issued for most occupations and industries and are available to foreign nationals of any nationality.

To get a TFWP work permit, the employer must secure a positive or neutral Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

You can find details here.

Innovation stream, employer-specific work permit

If you’ve been offered a job by an employer participating in the Global Hypergrowth Project (GHP), you may qualify for an employer-specific work permit under the Innovation Stream.

GHP includes eight Canadian companies that the government has identified as industry leaders and innovators. The eight companies can be seen here.

Eligible workers with a job offer from any of these eight companies do not need an LMIA to work.

Work Permit Exemptions

You may not need a work permit to work in Canada or are work permit exempt, depending on the type and length of your work.

There are some instances where foreign workers do not need a work permit. Some examples are those on maintained status, business visitors, and public speakers (speaking at an event less than five days in duration).

Foreign nationals also do not need a work permit if they’re working for employers outside the country. For example, a foreign national could get a visitor visa (valid for up to six months at a time), and work in Canada remotely as a digital nomad as long as their employer is outside Canada.

However, it’s worth noting that working within Canada for an employer that is outside the country will not count as Canadian work experience for the purpose of building eligibility for permanent residence (PR) pathways.

Foreign nationals of certain countries

Free Trade Agreements

If you’re from a country that has a free trade agreement with Canada, you might qualify for a work permit under the International Mobility Program (IMP).

Canada has several free trade agreements that allow citizens of partner countries to apply for special work permits. One example would be the Canada-US-Mexico agreement (CUSMA).

If you’re from a country with a free trade agreement with Canada, it’s worth checking if you qualify for a work permit under the terms of that agreement.

International Experience Canada (IEC)

International Experience Canada (IEC) allows young adults from specific countries to work for a limited period of time, usually up to two years.

Eligibility for IEC depends on age, typically between 18 and 35, though some countries have an age restriction of up to 30. There are three main categories under IEC:

• Working Holiday: An open work permit that doesn’t require a job offer, allowing participants to work for any employer in Canada.
• Young Professionals: An employer-specific work permit for those with a job offer in Canada, meaning participants are tied to that employer.
• International Co-op (internship): An employer-specific work permit for students at a post-secondary institution who have a job offer for a placement or internship in Canada.

It may be worth checking if your country has a bilateral youth mobility agreement with Canada to explore your options of a work permit through IEC.

For Iranians

The Canadian government also grants citizens from some countries access to special work permits, based on geopolitical factors.

For example, some Iranian nationals can apply for a special work permit under a temporary public policy, even if they don’t meet requirements needed for a Canadian work permit.

This policy applies to Iranians with valid temporary resident status who are applying for a work permit, work permit extension, or an initial study permit, and have arrived in Canada on or before February 28, 2025.

The temporary public policy has been extended until February 28, 2026.

For Ukrainians

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Canada announced Canadia-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) measures allowing Ukrainians to come to Canada.

Ukrainian nationals currently in Canada who have arrived on or before March 31, 2024, can apply for an extension of their work permit, student permit, or visitor permit until March 31, 2026, through CUAET.

Foreign nationals with spousal support

Foreign nationals may also be eligible for spousal open work permits, depending on their spouse’s situation.

There are different situations where this this can happen:

• If the spouse is on a study permit, enrolled at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Currently, a spousal open work permit is only available for spouses of master's and doctoral students, or students in select list of in-demand programs. You can find details here. This open work permit will normally be valid for the same duration as your spouse’s study permit.
• If the spouse is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. In this case, they can sponsor you for PR, and you can apply for an open work permit while you await processing. In order to be eligible for this, you must have submitted your application for processing and must be living in Canada with a valid temporary resident status.
• If the spouse is a foreign worker. To be eligible under this, the spouse would have to work in a TEER 0 occupation, TEER 1 occupation, or select TEER 2 or 3 occupations. Moreover your spouse's work permit must be valid for at least 16 months of application.

Foreign nationals on the route to PR

Bridging Open Work Permit

Foreign nationals awaiting a decision on their permanent residence (PR) application can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) which allows them to continue working in the country while their application is being processed.

BOWPs are usually issued for up to 24 months, although they can be extended. They are not tied to a specific employer.

Applicants must meet certain criteria including

• Be residing in Canada, under temporary resident status;
• Hold valid status in Canada;
• Have submitted a PR application under an eligible economic immigration programs; and
• Have an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) letter for their PR application.

You can find the full eligibility criteria here.

Atlantic Immigration Program

The Atlantic Immigration Program is an employer specific pathway to permanent residence for eligible foreign workers and international graduates who want to work in Canada’s Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador).

In order to be eligible, candidates must have a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada (as well as meet other eligibility criteria).

Those who have applied to the program can apply for a work permit allowing them to work in Canada while their application is being processed. To be eligible for this work permit, they need:

• A job offer from a designated employer that meets requirements of the program; and
• A referral letter from the Atlantic province where the employee will be working.

Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm