There are certain ways to keep working in Canada after your PGWP ends. Read on to know all the work permit options available as per your situation.
So, without further ado, let us begin!
Summary:
| Situation | Work Permit Type | Key Eligibility Criteria |
| Any Foreign National | Temporary Foreign Worker Program work permit | – Employers 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 | 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 |
| Bridging open work permit | Must have a PR application in process | |
| 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
One of the ways to keep working in Canada after your PGWP ends is work permits for any foreign national.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program Work Permit
A Temporary Foreign Worker Program work permit is an employer-specific or closed work permit, implying it will allow applicants to work only for the employer listed on the permit.
TFWP work permits require more effort to obtain, but if they have relatively broad eligibility criteria. They can be issued for most professions and industries and are available to foreign nationals of any nationality.
In order to get a TFWP work permit, the employer must secure a positive/ neutral Labor Market Impact Assessment (LIMA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
Innovation Stream, Employer-Specific Work Permit
If you have been offered a job by an employer participating in the GHP, i.e., Global Hypergrowth Project, you might 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.
Eligible workers with a job offer from any of these eight companies do not need an LMIA to work.
Work Permit Exemptions
Another one of the ways to keep working in Canada after your PGWP ends is to know about work permit exemptions.
You might not require a work permit to work in Canada or are work permit exempt, depending on the type and length of your work.
There are certain instances where foreign workers do not need a work permit. Some examples are those on maintained status, business visitors, and public speakers.
Foreign nationals also do not require a work permit if they are working for employers outside the country. For instance, a foreign national could get a visitor visa and work in Canada remotely as a digital nomad as long as their employer is outside Canada.
However, it’s worth noting that working in 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 pathways.
Foreign Nationals Of Certain Countries
Free Trade Agreements
If you are from a country that has a free trade agreement within Canada, you might qualify for a work permit under the IMP, i.e., International Mobility Program.
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 are 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
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 does not 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, implying participants are tied to that employer.
- International Co-op (Internship)
It is an employer-specific work permit for students at post-secondary institutions who have a job offer for a placement or internship in Canada.
It might be worth checking if your nation 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, depending on geopolitical factors.
For instance, some Iranian nationals can apply 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, 2025.
For Ukrainians
In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Canada declared Canadian-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) measures allowing Ukrainians to come to Canada.
Ukrainian nationals presently in Canada who have arrived on/ 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
Another one of the significant ways to keep working in Canada after your PGWP ends is to know about foreign nationals with spousal support.
Well, foreign nationals might also be eligible for spousal open work permits, depending on their spouse’s situation.
There are different situations where this can happen:
- If the spouse is on a study permit, enrolled at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Presently, a spousal open work permit is only available for spouses of master’s and doctoral students or students in a selected list of in-demand programs. This open work permit will normally be valid for the same duration as your spouse’s study permit.
- If the spouse is a permanent resident or Canadian citizen. In this case, they can sponsor you for PR, and you can apply for an open work permit while awaiting 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 occupations, 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 application can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), which enables 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
- Have an Acknowledgement of Receipt letter for their PR application
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.
In order to be eligible, applicants must have an employment offer from a designated/ recognized employer in Atlantic Canada.
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:
- An employment offer from a designated employer that meets the requirements of the programs
- A referral letter from the Atlantic province where the employee will be working
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