PGWP Application Step by Step: Fees, Documents, 180 Days

To make a PGWP application, you apply online through your IRCC account within 180 days of getting official confirmation that you finished your program, upload proof of completion, a transcript and an approved language test result, and pay CAD 255 (a CAD 155 work permit fee plus the CAD 100 open work permit holder fee). If your study permit is still valid when you apply and you meet a few conditions, you can work full-time while IRCC decides. At the NRB selling rate, 17 Oct 2026 (CAD 1 = Rs 107.55), CAD 255 is about Rs 27,425.

Last checked: 20 October 2026, against IRCC pages on canada.ca.

This guide is about the application itself: timing, documents, fees and what happens while you wait. Whether your program qualifies in the first place (especially for college diplomas) is covered in our separate guide to the PGWP field of study rules for 2026.

PGWP application: key facts

The 180-day window: when to apply

The clock starts on the date your school officially confirms you have completed your program, usually by a completion letter, final transcript or diploma. It does not start on your last exam. You then have 180 days to apply, and your study permit must have been valid at some point in those 180 days.

Two timing problems catch students out:

• Your study permit expires before your marks are out. IRCC says that if your permit will expire before your marks are available, you can apply for a visitor record to stay longer, or leave Canada and apply from outside. But to keep working while your PGWP is processed, your study permit must still be valid when you apply. If you are close to expiry, also read our guide to a study permit extension.
• Your study permit has already expired. You then have up to 90 days after expiry to apply for the PGWP and restore your status at the same time. You pay the CAD 255 PGWP fee plus the CAD 246.25 restoration fee (about Rs 26,484) and attach the restoration receipt to your PGWP application. You cannot work until the restoration and PGWP are approved. If you miss the 90 days, IRCC says you must leave Canada.

You can apply from inside Canada, or from outside Canada if you completed your program in Canada and then left (or meet IRCC’s distance-learning rules). Most graduates apply from inside Canada because of the right to keep working, explained below.

Documents you need

Your IRCC account builds a personalised checklist after you answer its questions. According to IRCC’s “Get the right documents” page, expect to upload:

• Proof you completed your program: your degree, diploma or certificate, an official letter from your school, or an official transcript (or a copy from the school’s website). It must be from a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI) and program.
• Official transcript: showing you were enrolled full-time in a program of 8 months or longer.
• Language test result: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core for English, or TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. The test must be taken in person, cover all four skills, and be less than 2 years old when you apply. IELTS Academic and PTE Academic are not on this list.
• Proof of an eligible field of study (only if your program needs it): IRCC asks you to upload this in the “Client information” section because the checklist does not request it.
• Passport: IRCC issues the PGWP only for the period your passport is valid, so upload a passport that covers the full length you expect.
• Upfront medical results (only if needed): if you plan to work in a job that requires a medical exam, such as health care, valid results stop IRCC putting a job restriction on your PGWP.

The language test requirement

Since 1 November 2024, every PGWP applicant (except flight school graduates) must show a language test result. The level depends on what you studied, and you must meet it in all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

The IELTS score you used for admission in Nepal will usually not work here: it was probably IELTS Academic, and it may be more than 2 years old by graduation. Book a General Training, CELPIP or PTE Core test a few months before your program ends. The same tests are used for Express Entry, so a strong score now can also help your permanent residence plans later. Note that PTE Core, not PTE Academic, is the PTE test IRCC accepts.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check you are eligible. Program at least 8 months at a PGWP-eligible DLI, full-time study, the right language score, and (for most non-degree college programs started on study permits applied for on or after 1 November 2024) an eligible field of study.
2. Get your completion documents. Ask your registrar for the official completion letter and final transcript as soon as grades are posted.
3. Take your language test if you do not already have a valid result.
4. Check your passport expiry. Renew it first if it will expire before the end of the PGWP you expect (see the length rules below).
5. Log in to your IRCC account and answer the questionnaire to generate your checklist. Read Guide 5580 if you are applying from inside Canada, or Guide 5487 from outside.
6. Upload documents. Use clear scans. Put your field-of-study proof and any explanation letter in “Client information”.
7. Pay CAD 255 online at the end of the application (the work permit fee and the open work permit holder fee), plus CAD 85 for biometrics if your account asks for it.
8. Submit while your study permit is still valid if you want to keep working. Save the submission confirmation.
9. Give biometrics within 30 days of the instruction letter, if you get one.

Working while you wait (maintained status)

Students often call this “maintained status”. IRCC’s wording is simpler: you can work full-time while your PGWP application is processed if, when you applied, all of these were true:

• your study permit was valid;
• you had completed your program;
• you were eligible to work off campus without a work permit; and
• you did not work more than 24 hours a week off campus during academic sessions.

Some applicants receive a “WP-EXT for PGWP” letter (IMM 0127 E). IRCC says that with this letter you can keep working until a decision is made, even after the letter’s validity date passes. If the PGWP is refused, you must stop working on the day you are told.

If your study permit had already expired when you applied, these rules do not help you: you must wait for the permit before starting work. You can travel outside Canada while waiting and come back to keep working full-time, but you need a valid visitor visa or eTA (whichever applies to your passport) to re-enter. Check your visa counterfoil before booking a trip home to Nepal.

How long your PGWP will be

The master’s rule does not apply to certificate or diploma programs, including graduate certificates at colleges. If you combine programs and one has a higher language requirement, you must meet the higher one.

Nepal-specific tips

• Passport first. IRCC issues the PGWP only up to your passport’s expiry. If your Nepali passport has less than about three years left, renew it before you apply. Our Nepal passport guide for students explains the options. If you do get a short PGWP, you can extend it on paper after renewing, but that adds cost and paperwork.
• Budget in rupees. The PGWP fee is about Rs 27,425; add Rs 9,142 if biometrics are needed and the cost of a language test.
• Think about permanent residence now. PGWP work in a TEER 0-3 job can count towards the Canadian Experience Class. See our guide to Canadian Experience Class for international graduates.
• One chance only. Because you can hold only one PGWP in your life, a 1-year college certificate gives you at most a 1-year PGWP. Plan your program choice with that in mind.

Common mistakes

• Uploading an IELTS Academic or PTE Academic result. Neither is on IRCC’s list for the PGWP.
• Letting the study permit expire while waiting for marks, then losing the right to work during processing.
• Forgetting the CAD 100 open work permit holder fee, so the total paid is short.
• Not uploading field-of-study proof in “Client information” when your program needs it.
• Working more than 24 hours a week off campus during term before applying; this can affect the right to work while waiting (see our off-campus work hours guide).
• Applying with a passport close to expiry and receiving a PGWP much shorter than expected.

What to do next

• Three to four months before your last term ends, check your passport and book your language test.
• Confirm with your school when the official completion letter will be issued.
• Apply as soon as you have the completion document, while your study permit is valid.
• Start looking for TEER 0-3 work: our jobs guide for international students in Canada is a good start.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the PGWP fee in 2026?
CAD 255: a CAD 155 work permit fee plus a CAD 100 open work permit holder fee. Biometrics, if required, are CAD 85 more. IRCC’s fee list was last updated on 21 September 2026 and showed no upcoming changes.

Can I work after graduation while waiting for my PGWP?
Yes, full-time, if your study permit was valid when you applied, you had finished your program, you were allowed to work off campus, and you stayed within 24 hours a week off campus during term.

Is IELTS Academic accepted for the PGWP?
No. IRCC lists CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. Results must be less than 2 years old when you apply.

When does the 180-day PGWP deadline start?
From the date your school officially confirms you completed your program, for example by a completion letter or final transcript, not from your last class.

Can I apply for a PGWP from Nepal?
Yes, if you completed your program in Canada and then left, you can apply from outside Canada within the 180 days. You will not be able to work in Canada until the permit is approved.

How long is a PGWP after a 1-year master’s?
Up to 3 years, as long as the master’s program was at least 8 months and you meet the other rules. Your passport expiry can still cut it shorter.

Related guides

• Canada Health Insurance for International Students by Province
• Off-Campus Work Hours in Canada for Students: 24-Hour Rule (2026)
• Canada College vs University for Nepali Students (2026)
• Canada Study Permit Application from Nepal: 2026 Steps

Sources

• Post-graduation work permit: How to apply – IRCC
• Post-graduation work permit: Who can apply – IRCC
• Post-graduation work permit: Get the right documents – IRCC
• About the post-graduation work permit (length rules) – IRCC
• Post-graduation work permit: After you apply – IRCC
• Work off campus as an international student (24-hour rule) – IRCC
• IRCC fee list
• Guide 5580: Applying for a work permit, student guide – IRCC

Last checked: 20 October 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.