Change Visitor Visa to Work Permit

You can apply for work permit through study pathway in Canada if you:

– Are enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI)

-If you’re coming from outside Canada to study as an international student, your DLI will have to be on the list of DLIs with an approved COVID-19 readiness plan

-Prove you have enough money to pay for your:
+ tuition fees
+ living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada, and
return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada-Obey the law, have no criminal record and get a police certificate (if required)

– Are in good health and get a medical exam (if required), and

– Prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your study permit expires

No, You have to take a language course to transfer from a visitor visa to a study permit and get PGWP from a DLI that provides PGWP eligible programs. According to the law of June 1, 2014, applicants must first complete a language course and obtain a graduation certificate. This is one of the necessary conditions for submitting a study permit, even if you already have an IELTS score that meets the admission requirements of the institution.

If you choose route 2 by changing your visitor visa through the study pathway in Canada then you will get a study permit before you get your work permit. A study permit is usually valid for the length of your study program (range from 1-3 years), plus an extra 90 days. The 90 days let you prepare to leave Canada or apply to extend your stay. however, in this case, you can finish at least 8 months in a DLI in order to be eligible for PGWP – which lasts up to 3 years.

You will need following documents:

• Legal travel certificate – passport with 6 months or additional validity from the scheduled date of entrance in Canada
• Latest passport-sized photos
• Educational certificates and proof of work experience
• Proof of financial capitals to cover the incomes in Canada
• Submission fee
• Police verification documents
• Medical documents

To extend the work permit, the applicant must apply at least 30 days before the present permit expires. Afterward, the work permit is submitted, the candidate can live in Canada and encounter the circumstances of the innovative work permit. If the permit perishes after the submission for the delay is succumbed, the candidate can stay in Canada below the status – called implicit status.

If the permit ends fewer than 90 days ago, the candidate can apply to reestablish the temporary resident position and spread the work permit. But the candidate cannot work while the request is in development. When applying, the candidate must also pay the fees for both the renovation of status and a new work permit.

Usually the same as the validity period of your study permit. This means if you study for 1-3 years, your children and spouse visa also valid from 1-3 years

A PGWP can take anywhere from 80 to 180 days to process. While waiting for your PGWP, you are free to work in Canada provided you applied prior to the expiry date of your student permit.

You have 180 days to apply for your PGWP from the date you completed all the requirements of your program of study.

No, because once you submit your application, you have an implied status, which is valid until you get the visa result. If the approval is passed, the student visa will take effect from the approval date. If the approval fails, the refusal letter will be written to leave immediately.

There is nothing about a PGWP that prevents you from applying for another work permit later. You are free to apply for both an LMIA or LMIA exempt permit if you are eligible but it might be worth considering applying for Canadian permanent residence given you already have Canadian work experience.

No, it won’t. 

Entering Canada as a visitor then applies for a Study Permit then get your Work Permit in Canada. Once you become an international student and apply for a PGWP before the expiry of your study permit, you are able to begin legally working in Canada. These candidates do not need to hold a Canadian work permit while they await a decision on their application for a PGWP. If your student permit has expired, you may be eligible to restore your status and apply, provided you have only been out of status for less than 90 days. 

You can only apply for a PGWP once. If you are planning on taking another program of study that is a continuation of your first program, or you are considering taking a longer degree program in Canada, you might want to apply for your PGWP strategically. Applying after the longest period of study will grant you a PGWP with longer validity, to a maximum of three years.

Absolutely yes.

Canada’s Post Graduate Work Program is designed to provide an efficient path for international students in Canada to gain permanent residence status in the country. By bridging Canadian education into meaningful full-time work experience in the country, a candidate is in a great position to apply under the Canadian Express Entry immigration system. Having a Canadian educational credential and work experience ensures that an Express Entry applicant will gain valuable extra points towards their comprehensive ranking system (CRS) score, making them more competitive amongst other applicants for gaining permanent resident status!

Provincial nominee programs (PNPs), or if you studied in Quebec, the Quebec Experience Class program, are also immigration categories that favour candidates with a Canadian educational credential and work experience.