PGWP Extension: Can You Extend It and What to Do Next

A PGWP extension is not possible in almost every case. A post-graduation work permit (PGWP) is a one-time opportunity: you cannot get a second one, and you cannot renew it.

The single exception is a permit that was issued for less than your eligible length because your passport expired first. It can be extended to the full length once you hold a new passport.

Extending the PGWP is one thing; extending your time as a worker in Canada is another. You can keep working on a different work permit if you apply before the PGWP expires, and the one most graduates overlook is the Francophone Mobility work permit: a job offer outside Quebec and NCLC 5 in French speaking and listening, with no LMIA.

We have taught French to hundreds of PGWP holders since 2021, and most of them came to us with less time than they thought.

PGWP Extension: Key Points

• A PGWP is issued once. It cannot be renewed, and you cannot get a second one.
• A PGWP extension exists in one case only: your permit was cut short because your passport expired first. You apply on paper before the permit expires, and the fee is $255.
• There is no PGWP extension program for 2026. The last temporary policy closed on December 31, 2023.
• To keep working after a PGWP, you need a different work permit, applied for before the PGWP expires. The two main ones are the bridging open work permit, after an invitation to apply for permanent residence, and the Francophone Mobility work permit, with a job offer outside Quebec and NCLC 5 in French speaking and listening.
• If your PGWP has already expired, you have 90 days to apply to restore your status, and you cannot work while you wait.

On this page

1. Key points
2. At a glance
3. Can I extend my PGWP?
4. PGWP extension 2026
5. PGWP expiring: key dates
6. Options after your PGWP
7. Bridging open work permit
8. Why the ITA isn’t coming
9. Francophone Mobility permit
10. French-language draws
11. Timeline by months left
12. Common mistakes
13. FAQ
14. French classes at TFA

PGWP Extension at a Glance

Can I Extend My PGWP? The One-Time Rule and the Single Exception

Why there is no PGWP renewal

The Post-Graduation Work Permit is designed to be issued once. As IRCC states, “Post-graduation work permits (PGWP) are a one-time opportunity for international students.”

This means you can’t get a PGWP if you already had one after an earlier program. While many people search for “PGWP renewal,” this is not a process that exists.

What we tell students who ask about a PGWP extension is that the permit itself is not the problem to solve; the real task is to figure out your status in Canada after it expires.

The passport exception

There is only one situation where a post-graduation work permit extension is possible. It happens when you were eligible for a longer permit, but your passport was set to expire before the permit’s full validity period.

In this case, “Your work permit is issued only for the period your passport is valid.” The officer notes this specific reason on your file.

To claim the full length, you must first renew your passport. You can then apply for an extension on paper using form IMM 5710 (Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker), following instruction guide IMM 5580 and including a letter of explanation.

The fee is $255 ($155 for the work permit plus a $100 open work permit holder fee). You must apply before your current permit expires to maintain your status.

In our experience, few of the students who come to us hoping to extend actually have this exception; for the rest, the permit simply ran its course.

Pro tip: Compare the end date printed on your permit with your passport’s expiry date. If they are the same day, you likely have the exception. If the end date matches the length of your program, you do not.

How long a PGWP is valid in the first place

The length of a PGWP depends on the length of your program of study, but it is never issued for longer than your passport is valid.

• A program of 8 months (or 900 hours in Quebec) to under 2 years gives a permit as long as the program.
• A program of 2 years or more gives a permit valid for up to 3 years.
• A master’s degree of at least 8 months gives a permit valid for up to 3 years (for applications since February 15, 2024).
• You can also combine two eligible programs to get a longer permit.

PGWP Extension 2026: Is There a New Program?

The PGWP extension 2026 is a rumour; no such program exists. Canada did have temporary public policies that gave an open work permit of up to 18 months to those whose PGWP expired between September 20, 2021, and December 31, 2023. The last application window for these real extensions closed on December 31, 2023.

The 2026 rumour

The fake claim promises an 18-month extension for permits expiring in 2024 or 2025, with an April 30, 2026 deadline. No IRCC page announces any PGWP extension for 2024, 2025, or 2026.

We have seen students pause their French studies to wait for a promised extension that never arrives.

Pro tip: If a program or deadline is not on canada.ca, it does not exist. Check there before changing your plans.

What actually changed for PGWPs

Recent changes have made the PGWP harder to get.

• Since June 21, 2024, you cannot apply at a port of entry.
• From November 1, 2024, new applicants must prove CLB/NCLC 7 (university graduates) or CLB/NCLC 5 (college and other non-university graduates) in all four abilities.

PGWP Expiring: The Dates and Rules That Decide Everything

Apply before midnight UTC on the expiry day

Applying for a new work permit before your PGWP expires gives you “maintained status,” letting you stay in Canada while IRCC decides. Your online application must be received before midnight Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on the expiry day.

Midnight UTC is 8 p.m. in Toronto during daylight time and 7 p.m. in winter, so an application sent late in the evening on the expiry day is already too late.

Pro tip: Mark your calendar with your expiry date minus 90 days (have your test and offer), minus 30 days (last safe day for a visitor record), and the expiry day in UTC.

What maintained status lets you do

This status lets you keep working under your PGWP’s conditions. As an open permit, you can usually change jobs.

However, your SIN expires with the permit, and you usually cannot renew your driver’s licence or health card while on maintained status. Renew them before the permit expires.

After an online application, IRCC sends a letter to your account that you can show your employer as proof that you are authorized to keep working.

What happens if your PGWP expires with no application

If your permit expires before you apply, you lose your status. You have 90 days to apply for restoration, but you cannot work while you wait. The fee is $401.25 to restore your status as a worker, plus a $100 fee for the open permit.

The visitor record and the door it closes

A visitor record ($100 fee) keeps you in Canada legally if you apply at least 30 days before expiry. However, you must stop working the day your PGWP expires. This is a critical trade-off, as a bridging open work permit requires worker status, and visitor status does not qualify.

What to Do After PGWP Expires: Your Options Compared

When your PGWP is about to expire, you have several potential paths to stay and work in Canada.

The conditions that catch people out:

• LMIA-based work permit. You may apply before the positive LMIA arrives only if your permit expires in two weeks or less, the employer has filed a complete LMIA application, and you send the missing documents within 90 days.
• Family open work permit. The rules narrowed on January 21, 2025. For spouses of workers, the worker generally needs a TEER 0 or 1 job, or a select TEER 2 or 3 job, and at least 16 months left on their permit.
• Provincial nomination. The PR application that follows makes you eligible for a bridging open work permit only if the nomination has no employment restrictions.
• New study permit. You can work only until your work permit expires, and you cannot work or start studying while the application is processed.

Of these options, two are largely within a typical graduate’s own control: the Francophone Mobility permit, which requires an employer’s offer and NCLC 5 in French, and the family open work permit if you have a spouse with a qualifying permit.

The other work-based options depend on factors outside your control, such as an employer securing a positive LMIA or you receiving an invitation in a competitive draw.

Bridging Open Work Permit: The Extension Most Graduates Can’t Reach Yet

Who qualifies

• You must live in Canada, and intend to live outside Quebec, when you apply for a bridging open work permit (BOWP).
• You need one of: valid temporary resident status and a valid work permit; an expired work permit with maintained status as a worker; or eligibility to restore your status and get a work permit.
• You must be the principal applicant on the permanent residence application.
• Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, or a Provincial Nominee Program through Express Entry): you must have submitted a complete PR application and passed the completeness check, shown by the acknowledgement of receipt letter.
• Provincial Nominee Program outside Express Entry: the application must have passed the eligibility assessment, and the nomination must carry no employment restriction.
• Fees: work permit $155 plus open work permit holder fee $100.

The catch

A PR application under Express Entry can be submitted only after an invitation to apply (ITA) from a round of invitations.

If you have not received an ITA, you cannot submit a PR application, and therefore cannot apply for a bridging permit, regardless of when your current permit expires.

Among our students, the invitations in 2026 have come through the French-language rounds.

Why Most PGWP Holders Are Stuck Without an ITA, and the Number That Changes It

The 2026 cut-offs

In 2026, the Canadian Experience Class rounds have had cut-offs between 507 and 523. The most recent, on September 29, 2026, invited 2,000 candidates with scores of 518 or higher.

At the same time, there have been 10 rounds for French-language proficiency, inviting 50,500 candidates with scores between 382 and 420. The most recent of these, on August 19, 2026, had a cut-off of 382.

Since March 25, 2025, job offers no longer earn Comprehensive Ranking System points, which previously added 50 or 200 points to a candidate’s score.

Where a typical graduate sits

We see many graduates who have completed a bachelor’s degree, have one year of Canadian work experience, strong English, and are in their late twenties.

This profile, which includes points for a Canadian credential, typically sits around 406 points. The same person with NCLC 7 in all four French abilities sits around 456 points.

More importantly, they become eligible for the French-language proficiency category, which selects candidates with scores that have been as low as 382.

French Opens a Work Permit: Francophone Mobility With NCLC 5

What the permit asks for

The Francophone Mobility work permit lets Canadian employers hire French speakers without a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) if they will live and work outside Quebec. Since June 15, 2023, the requirements are:

• You must live and work in one of the 9 provinces or 3 territories outside Quebec.
• You must prove that your speaking and listening in French are at an intermediate level, NCLC 5 or higher. You do not need to prove reading or writing in French.
• You must have an offer of employment in any TEER category of the NOC, except a primary agriculture occupation in TEER 4 or 5. The language of work does not need to be French.
• Your employer must submit the offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal using the LMIA exemption code C16, pay the $230 employer compliance fee, and give you the 7-digit offer of employment number.

The permit may be issued for the duration of the offer of employment or until your passport expires, whichever is earlier.

In our experience, most of our students’ employers had never heard of code C16, and their objections stopped once they understood no LMIA was involved.

How to use it before your PGWP expires

If you hold a valid work permit like the PGWP, you can apply for the Francophone Mobility permit from inside Canada.

1. You must apply online before your PGWP expires; this will put you on maintained status, letting you continue to work under the same conditions while you wait for a decision.
2. The work permit fee is $155.
3. As proof of your French, you will upload your TEF or TCF speaking and listening results, or a written confirmation from a college or university that you completed a program in French, like a transcript or letter of completion.

Pro tip: ask your employer to start the employer portal filing the same week you book your language test. The two processes run in parallel, and the 7-digit offer of employment number is the last thing you will be waiting for on the day you apply.

The TEF and TCF scores for NCLC 5

The full bands are in our TEF Canada score chart and TCF Canada score chart.

NCLC 5 is a low B1 level. In the test room, it feels like you are holding a conversation about your work and daily life, slowly but without the other person needing to switch to English to understand you.

From zero, our students reach NCLC 5 in speaking and listening in 4 to 6 months of classes at 10 to 15 hours a week. From an A2 level, they reach it in 2 to 3 months. The month-by-month plan is in our guide on how to get CLB 5 in French.

French Is Also the Faster Route to PR: NCLC 7 and the French-Language Draws

What NCLC 7 is worth

Reaching NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities earns additional Comprehensive Ranking System points: 25 points if your English is CLB 4 or lower (or you have no test), and 50 points if your English is CLB 5 or higher.

More importantly, NCLC 7 in all four abilities moves you into a special category: the Express Entry French-language proficiency category. Your French test results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your profile and when you apply for permanent residence; our guide on TEF Canada validity covers the dates.

Finally, Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream nominates candidates already in the Express Entry pool who hold both French and English test results.

The scores for NCLC 7

Here are the scores you need to achieve NCLC 7 on the two official tests.

Pro tip: Your TEF Canada certificate shows two columns. For your Express Entry profile, use the “Équivalence ancien score” column; IRCC says not to enter the score out of 699.

NCLC 5 first, NCLC 7 next

The levels sit on a single learning path. According to the Canadian Language Benchmarks, NCLC 5 is a low B1, NCLC 7 is a strong B1 (B1+), and NCLC 8 is a B2. The same syllabus takes you through both NCLC 5 and NCLC 7.

In our experience, the fastest route to permanent residence is a two-step plan.

1. First, get NCLC 5 and the Francophone Mobility permit.
2. Then, finish your studies for NCLC 7 on the new permit, with no expiry date hanging over your head. Our guide on how to get CLB 7 in TEF Canada covers that second step.

A Realistic Timeline: Count Backwards From Your PGWP Expiry Date

The time you have left decides the plan. Our timelines are at 10 to 15 hours of study a week.

These fixed waits come off the top of any plan:

• The seat. TEF Canada and TCF Canada seats in the Toronto area are typically booked 6 to 10 weeks ahead.
• The result. TEF Canada results are emailed within 1 to 10 business days. TCF Canada results come within 15 working days of the papers reaching France Éducation international. For retakes, a 20-day gap between two sittings, and all tests again each time.
• The employer’s filing. The Francophone Mobility application needs the employer’s 7-digit offer number before you can submit.
• The application itself. The work permit application must be received before the PGWP expires.

In our observation, speaking is the ability that decides NCLC 5 for most students. Listening usually arrives on its own by then, so the study hours go to speaking.

Pro tip: book the test date before you feel ready. The date drives the study, and a seat can be moved more easily than a plan can be started.

Mistakes We See When a PGWP Is Running Out

Here are eight mistakes we have seen students make when their Post-Graduation Work Permit was running out.

1. Thinking the 90 days after expiry are for working. Work stops on the day your permit expires unless you have applied for a new permit before then.
2. Applying for a visitor record to be safe. A bridging open work permit requires worker status, and a visitor record is not worker status.
3. Waiting for a Canadian Experience Class invitation with a score in the 400s. The cut-offs in 2026 ran from 507 to 523.
4. Renewing the passport after the permit has expired. The application for a passport-case PGWP extension must be made before your current permit expires.
5. Taking the TEF Canada or TCF Canada before you are ready. A retake requires a 20-day wait and you must do all tests again.
6. Letting provincial documents lapse into maintained status. These documents usually cannot be renewed on maintained status, so renew them before your permit expires.
7. Assuming an employer will not help because an LMIA is too hard. The Francophone Mobility offer requires no LMIA, just a portal form and a $230 fee paid by the employer.
8. Thinking the Francophone Mobility job must be in French. The job can be in English; the requirement is for you to have NCLC 5 in speaking and listening.

PGWP Extension FAQ

Can I extend my PGWP?

Generally no, as a PGWP is a one-time opportunity. The only exception is if an expiring passport shortened your permit, in which case you can apply to extend it to its full length.

Is there such a thing as PGWP renewal?

No, there is no official “PGWP renewal.” A PGWP is issued only once; any work permit you get after is a different type of permit.

Can a PGWP be extended in 2026?

Only if it was originally shortened by an expiring passport. The last temporary extension policy ended December 31, 2023, and no 2026 program exists.

How long can a PGWP be extended?

Only up to the full length you were eligible for when it was first issued: the length of your program if it lasted under 2 years, and up to 3 years for longer programs and master’s degrees. It cannot go beyond that.

How long does a PGWP extension take?

IRCC provides personalized processing time estimates for in-Canada work permit extensions. If you apply before expiry, you can continue working on maintained status until a decision is made.

How much is a PGWP extension?

The total fee is $255, which includes the $155 work permit fee and the $100 open work permit holder fee.

How can I keep working in Canada after my PGWP expires?

With a different work permit, applied for before the PGWP expires: a bridging open work permit if you have applied for permanent residence, a Francophone Mobility work permit with a job offer outside Quebec and NCLC 5 in French, an LMIA-based permit through your employer, or an open work permit through your spouse.

What happens if my PGWP expires and I did nothing?

You lose your status and must stop working. You have 90 days to apply to restore your status for a fee of $401.25.

Can I apply for an open work permit after my PGWP expires?

You may qualify for a bridging open work permit if you have an acknowledgement of receipt for a PR application. A family open work permit is also possible if your spouse holds a qualifying permit.

Does applying for permanent residence extend my PGWP?

No. You must separately apply for a bridging open work permit after your PR application has passed the completeness check.

Does the Francophone Mobility job have to be in French?

No. The requirement is for you to have French proficiency (NCLC 5), not for the job to be in French. The job must be outside Quebec and not in primary agriculture (TEER 4 or 5).

Reach NCLC 5, Then NCLC 7, With Toronto French Academy

For Post-Graduation Work Permit holders, our step-by-step syllabus from A1 to B2 is designed with your goals in mind. We prepare you for the NCLC 5 level for the Francophone Mobility work permit and continue with the same classes to help you reach the NCLC 7 level for Express Entry points.

Programs

We offer live online French classes on Google Meet taught by our 200+ certified tutors.

Most of our PGWP students take evening classes after work; the Fast-Track program is the one we recommend when fewer than six months remain.

Book a 60-minute demo class with a C1/C2 instructor to see how we work and get an assessment of your current level.