Work permits in Canada: employer-specific, open, post-graduation, spousal permits and extensions
The difference between an employer-specific permit and an open permit, the current post-graduation work permit (PGWP) rules, which spouses still qualify for an open permit, and how to extend your permit without losing the right to work.
Canada has two types of work permit: an employer-specific permit, which usually requires a job offer and may require the employer to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), and an open permit, which lets you work for most eligible employers without a job offer but is only issued in specific situations. The work permit fee, including for an extension, is $155 per person, plus a $100 open work permit holder fee. The most important rule in this guide: apply to extend at least 30 days before your permit expires.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Temporary immigration rules change often, so check the official page before you apply.
Employer-specific versus open permits at a glance
| Item | Employer-specific permit | Open permit |
|---|---|---|
| Job offer | Required | Not required |
| LMIA | The employer may need one; some jobs are exempt | Not applicable |
| Changing employers | Requires a new permit or a change to your permit conditions | Possible with most eligible employers |
| Who gets it | Most foreign workers | Specific groups, including post-graduation workers and some spouses |
| Government fees | $155 | $155 + $100 |
With an employer-specific permit, you work under the conditions printed on your permit: the employer, the job and the location. Working for anyone else without a new permit is a violation that can affect any later application, including for permanent residence.
The post-graduation work permit (PGWP): current rules
The PGWP is an open permit issued once in a lifetime to graduates of eligible institutions. If you already got one after an earlier program, you won't get another. The core requirements:
- Deadline: apply within 180 days of getting confirmation that you completed your program, and have held a valid study permit at some point during that period.
- Program length: at least 8 months, or 900 hours for programs in Quebec.
- Full-time status: you must have kept full-time student status throughout your studies.
- Language: CLB 7 or NCLC 7 in all four abilities for university graduates, and CLB 5 or NCLC 5 for graduates of colleges and other non-university programs. The language requirement doesn't apply if you applied for your PGWP before 1 November 2024.
- Public-private college partnerships: these programs are generally not eligible, with exceptions tied to when the partnership started.
The field-of-study requirement: who it applies to
The field-of-study requirement applies to graduates of college and institute programs, and of university programs that don't lead to a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, if they applied for their study permit on or after 1 November 2024. For these graduates, the program must be on IRCC's list of eligible fields, identified by CIP codes.
Bachelor's, master's and doctoral graduates are not subject to this requirement. According to the official page, IRCC will not add or remove any fields from the list during 2026. If your field is removed later, what usually counts is its status on the day you applied for your study permit, so keep proof of that.
How long is the permit?
- A program of 8 months to less than two years: a permit of up to the length of the program.
- A program of two years or more: a permit of up to 3 years.
- A master's degree: you may get 3 years even if the program was shorter than two years, as long as it was at least 8 months.
- The permit won't run past your passport's expiry date, so renew your passport before you apply if it expires soon.
Can you work while you wait for a decision?
Yes, full-time, if you met four conditions on the day you applied: you held a valid study permit, you had completed your program, you were eligible to work off campus without a permit, and you had not worked more than 24 hours a week off campus during academic sessions. If your application is refused, you must stop working as soon as you are told. To prove your right to work to an employer, keep your program completion letter, a copy of your study permit and your application acknowledgement. See our Social Insurance Number (SIN) guide to find out when to update its expiry date.
Open work permits for spouses: who still qualifies
IRCC has narrowed this permit considerably since 21 January 2025. It's no longer enough for your spouse to be studying or working in Canada. The current picture:
| Principal partner's situation | Can the spouse get an open permit? |
|---|---|
| A master's program of 16 months or longer, or a doctoral program | Yes |
| Certain professional programs, including medicine, law, dentistry, nursing, engineering, education and pharmacy | Yes |
| A regular bachelor's degree or college diploma | No |
| A worker in any TEER 0 or 1 job | Yes, if at least 16 months remain on their permit when the spouse's application is received |
| A worker in a TEER 2 or 3 job | Only in selected occupations, including practical nursing, electricians, plumbers, welders and construction supervisors |
| Waiting for a PGWP decision | No, unless a positive decision is issued before the spouse's application is decided |
Two rules many people miss: a worker's dependent children are no longer eligible for an open permit under this measure since 21 January 2025. And a permit for a student's spouse usually won't run past the expiry date of the student's study permit.
In Quebec: there are newer exceptions, including an exemption from the 16-month requirement for spouses of certain health professionals since 25 May 2026, and a new pathway since 5 June 2026 for spouses of people applying for permanent residence through the PSTQ selection program. Check the official page if you are in Quebec, and see our Quebec page.
If your spouse is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsoring you from inside Canada, there is a different route: you can apply for an open permit once you receive the acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) for your permanent residence application, provided you live at the same address and your temporary status is valid.
Extending your permit and maintained status
If you apply to extend or change your conditions before your permit expires, and it then expires while the application is still being processed, you have "maintained status". This means you stay in Canada legally and keep working until a decision is made, on three conditions:
- The application must be received before your permit expires. An online application must be submitted before midnight UTC on the expiry date, which in eastern Canada is in the evening, not local midnight. Don't wait until the last day.
- You keep working under the same conditions. If you applied to move to a new employer, stay with the employer named on your original permit until the decision comes.
- You stay in Canada. Travel is allowed, but if you come back before a decision you may be admitted as a visitor, and then you are not allowed to work until the extension is issued.
Watch out for a practical side effect: on maintained status you can't renew provincial documents such as your driver's licence and health card, and you can't apply for a SIN or update its expiry date. So renew whatever you can before your permit expires, and read our guide to health coverage by province.
If you missed the deadline
If your permit expired without an extension application, you have 90 days to apply to restore your status. The restoration fee for a worker is $401.25: $246.25 for restoration and $155 for the work permit. You usually can't work until your status is restored and the new permit is issued. After 90 days you must leave Canada and apply from outside, except in limited cases.
What to do now, depending on your situation
- A student about to graduate: check your field of study and your language result before your final term, not after it.
- A PGWP holder: the permit generally can't be extended. Plan for permanent residence early. One year of skilled work in Canada is enough to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class, so work out your score with the CRS calculator.
- A worker on an employer-specific permit: set a reminder three months before it expires, and ask your employer for their documents early.
- Want to know your take-home pay? Use the net salary calculator, and check the minimum wage in your province.
If your file includes a previous refusal or work outside your permit conditions, don't apply on your own. Speak to an immigration lawyer or a licensed immigration consultant.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a second PGWP after a new program?
No. IRCC states that you can't get a PGWP if you have already had one after an earlier program of study.
My spouse is doing a bachelor's degree. Can I get an open work permit?
No, under the rules in force since 21 January 2025. Open permits for students' spouses are limited to master's programs of 16 months or longer, doctoral programs, and certain professional programs.
I applied for an extension and travelled. Can I go straight back to work when I return?
Not necessarily. If no decision has been issued before you come back, you may be admitted as a visitor and can't work until the extension is issued.
When should I apply to extend my work permit?
IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before your permit expires. The legal requirement for maintained status is that the application is received before the permit expires.
My children are with me in Canada. Can they get an open work permit?
A worker's dependent children have not been eligible for this permit since 21 January 2025. Minor children can attend school without a study permit if one parent is authorized to work or study in Canada.