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The Government of Canada recognizes the tremendous social, cultural and economic benefits that international students bring to Canada. Canada’s diverse and inclusive society, high-quality educational institutions, and opportunities to get work or immigrate after graduation have made Canada a leading destination of choice for students from around the world.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is implementing measures for former international students with expired or expiring post-graduation work permits, and for the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway applicants. These measures are building off the announcement made earlier this year.

Open work permits for individuals with expired or expiring post-graduation work permits

These measures will affect individual applicants in different ways.

1. My post-graduation work permit expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, my address is up to date, and my passport is valid through April 2024. You don’t need to do anything. When you receive an email from IRCC to confirm your mailing address, don’t respond. An updated work permit will be sent to your mailing address by mid-October.
2. My post-graduation work permit expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but I need to update my address and/or passport validity. When you receive an email from IRCC to confirm your mailing address, follow the instructions in the email to let us know that your mailing address needs to be updated.If your passport validity doesn’t allow us to extend your work permit by 18 months, you will not receive this initial email, but you will receive a separate email in September. If you need to update your mailing address or your passport information, you will receive instructions by email in September on how to update your mailing address and passport validity in your online account. You will get a 2-week window to do so. If you update this information, you will receive an updated work permit in the mail by mid-November. To ensure you will be able to benefit, check your passport validity and apply to extend it if it expires before April 2, 2024. If you applied for your post-graduation work permit using a paper application.
3. My post-graduation work permit expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but I won’t be able to update my address or passport validity. You will need to apply online to extend your work permit. You could receive a work permit extended to your passport expiration date or you could wait to apply until you have renewed your passport.
4. My post-graduation work permit expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but IRCC didn’t contact me. If you do not receive an email from IRCC by mid-September, you are not eligible to have your work permit extended through this special process for another reason, such as information has been added to your file about your admissibility to Canada that will need further review. You may still apply online to extend your work permit.
5. My post-graduation work permit expired or will expire from September 20, 2021, to October 1, 2022. You will need to apply online for a work permit. Applications open on August 2, 2022. If you are in Canada and your temporary status has also expired, you must apply to restore your status at the same time. Under these special measures, you are allowed to restore your status, even if it expired more than 90 days ago. You are eligible to apply from abroad if you have left Canada and returned after you have been approved.

Note: You may not apply for this work permit at a port of entry. All work permit applications for this public policy must be submitted online by December 31, 2022.

Work permits for applicants to the temporary resident to permanent resident pathways

Applicants who are part of the temporary resident to permanent resident (TR to PR) pathways, and whose permanent residence application has not yet been finalized, are eligible to apply for an open work permit. This ensures they won’t lose their status or ability to work while they wait for their permanent residence application to be finalized.

Recognizing that the processing of TR to PR applications will continue for some time, those applying for an open work permit can now receive one with an end date of December 31, 2024, provided their passport is valid through that date.

About 2,500 TR to PR applicants already applied for and received an open work permit through this measure that has an end date of December 31, 2022.

These individuals will soon begin receiving an email telling them that they may be able to get their work permit updated with longer validity date. If their mailing address is up to date and they are still in Canada, they do not have to do anything. An updated work permit with a validity date of December 31, 2024, will be mailed to them. They should receive it by mid-October.

Applicants with passports that expire before December 31, 2024, will not receive this email and will not be eligible to change the length of their current work permit through the special measure. They are still eligible to apply and seek a longer work permit, either by applying to get a work permit to match the day their passport expires or applying after they have updated their passport.