There are several options available to you if you want to continue in Canada after your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) expires, depending on your goals and personal circumstances.

There are no renewals to the PGWP because it is a one-time contract. It usually lasts as long as your course of study. So, if you completed a one-year certificate, you will receive a one-year PGWP. It has a three-year maximum validity period.

A PGWP, often known as an open work permit, allows you to work for any business in Canada. If you wish to file for Canadian immigration, however, it will help if you find a job in a “skilled” occupation.

On the National Occupational Classification, the term “skilled” currently refers to occupations that Canada categorizes into skill levels 0, A, and B. (NOC). When the new occupation classification system takes effect in 2022, these skill levels will change. On the government website, you can check your occupation’s skill level.

Although persons who work in other occupations have immigration alternatives, having work experience in a skilled occupation qualifies you for Canada’s most popular immigration channel, Express Entry.

Immigration as a Clear-cut Option

If you apply to certain immigration programs, you may be eligible for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), which permits you to continue working in Canada if your PGWP expires before your permanent residence application is accepted.

Express Entry as an Option

Many people mistakenly believe that Express Entry is an immigration program, however, it is essentially an application management system for three federal immigration programs as well as a few provincial nominee programs (PNPs). The following are the three Express Entry-managed programs:

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program are all federally funded programs (FSTP).

To apply for one of the three Express Entry programs, you must first be eligible for one of the three programs. Once you’ve been accepted into the candidate pool, you’ll receive a score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

Only after receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from Canada’s immigration agency, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada may you apply for immigration (IRCC).

To be eligible for an ITA, you must have at least the appropriate number of CRS points in each Express Entry draw. Every two weeks, the IRCC holds a draw in which the highest scorers are invited to apply for Canadian immigration.

Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs)

With the exception of Nunavut and Quebec, most Canadian provinces and territories run Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

PNPs are divided into two groups. Enhanced PNPs look through the Express Entry pool to find applicants who could be interested in applying for a provincial nomination. Express Entry candidates who are nominated by a province receive an automatic 600 points toward their overall score. This award propels them to the top of the Express Entry applicant pool, putting them in a position to receive an ITA in a subsequent draw.

People who may not qualify for Express Entry may be able to come to Canada using a standard PNP. These programs enable you to apply directly to the province for a provincial nomination, which will subsequently support your application for permanent residency with the federal government. Some of these basic PNPs are also available to those who have no prior job experience in a “skilled” occupation.

PNPs do not require you to have any prior experience in the province or a job offer, though both are beneficial. Choosing a PNP is a combination of determining your eligibility and deciding the province you actually want to live in.

Quebec Immigration Programs

Quebec has its own system of immigration. A Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ), which validates your immigration application to the federal government, is required to immigrate to Quebec. Despite the fact that Quebec is the most self-sufficient jurisdiction in terms of immigration, permanent residency status may only be granted by the federal government.

You may be eligible for the Quebec Experience Program if you speak French and have studied and worked in Quebec (PEQ). As an international student or as a temporary foreign worker, you can apply. International students must complete particular educational requirements, demonstrate their French language ability, and show that they intend to stay in the country.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot

Employers in Atlantic Canada can now hire foreign workers more easily thanks to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. If you are employed in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, or Nova Scotia, you may be eligible. This program has three streams: one for skilled workers, one for intermediate skilled workers, which includes occupations with a skill level of “C,” and one for Atlantic region graduates.

Family Sponsorship Programs

Spousal sponsorship may be right for you if your spouse or common-law partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Through immigration, you may be able to take advantage of an open work permit designed expressly for Canadian spouses and common-law partners.

Temporary Residency as an Option: Work Permits

Your employer may be required to do a Labour Market Impact Assessment in order to obtain a work permit in Canada (LMIA). This procedure is frequently lengthy and costs money.

Other work permit possibilities under the International Mobility Program, on the other hand, make the process easier. These work permits are in place to help Canada achieve its wide economic, social, and cultural policy goals. Workers whose presence would provide a “substantial social or cultural benefit” to Canada are eligible for these work visa programs. Workers in the film and television industries, as well as entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals, are some examples.

There are also some trade agreements in place in Canada that allow nationals of specific nations to work in the country without the need for an LMIA. Citizens of the United States and Mexico, for example, may be eligible for a CUSMA Professionals work permit provided they have secured employment in one of the 60 qualifying occupations. CETA is a trade deal between Canada and the European Union, and CUKTCA is a trade agreement between Canada and the United Kingdom.

You may also be permitted to stay on an International Experience Canada (IEC) program if you are from a country with whom Canada has a bilateral agreement.