Canada is extending expired or expiring post-graduation work permits of foreign nationals, the Government of Canada announced on March 17.

Starting April 6, through an 18-month measure, Canada will allow post-graduation work permit holders to extend their stay in the country.

“We need to use every tool in our toolbox to support employers who continue to face challenges in hiring the workers they need to grow,” said Sean Fraser, the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship. “At the same time, we’re providing international graduates whose work permit is expiring or has expired with some additional time to stay in Canada to gain valuable work experience and potentially qualify to become a permanent resident.”

According to the minister, foreign nationals whose post-graduation work permits have expired in 2023 and those who were eligible for the 2022 facilitative measure will also have the opportunity to apply for an additional 18-month work permit. In addition, those with expired work permits will be able to restore their status — even if they are beyond the 90-day restoration period — and will receive an interim work authorization while awaiting the processing of their new work permit application.

Before the announcement, post-graduation work permits were not extendable; holders who want to extend their stay in Canada were usually expected to apply for another type of work permit as their PGWPs expired. Public policies previously adopted in 2021 and 2022 provided the opportunity for an additional work permit for those with expiring PGWPs.

At the end of 2022, more than 286,000 international graduates were in Canada with valid post-graduation work permits. About 127,000 PGWPs expire in 2023, while about 67,000 holders have already applied for permanent residence and will not need to extend their work permit through the current initiative.