ISS is now located in Brown Bldg., Suite 4100.
ISS is open Mondays to Fridays, 10am - 4pm both in-person and virtually.
- As of June 21st, 2024, international students can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border. Students should instead apply online.
- For the full news release, please see the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website.
Applying Online
Case 1: Apply from Within Canada:
- Determine your eligibility to apply online for the PGWP by completing the online eligibility questionnaire.
- Once you have generated the work permit application and your personal reference code, login into your IRCC Secure account to apply.
- Assemble your documents according to your personalized IRCC document checklist, fill out the validate the IMM5710 form and follow the subsequent steps.
Once you have applied from inside Canada and are waiting to receive your PGWP, you can begin to work full-time only if:
- you hold or held a valid study permit at the time you applied for your PGWP,
- you maintained a full-time student status every semester with the exception of your last term, and
- you never worked more hours than you were allowed to during your studies
Sample Questions and Answers (Check your Eligibility Questionnaire)
What would you like to do in Canada?
Work.
What is your current immigration status in Canada?
Student.
Do you plan to work on campus?
No.
Are you a full-time student at a participating post-secondary institution and want to work off-campus up to 20 hours per week?
No.
Have you recently graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution for which your study program was full-time and a minimum of eight months?
Yes.
Is your work an essential part of your studies (for example, a Co-Op or internship program)?
No.
Do you have a written job offer?
You can select Yes if you do have a job offer. However, you are not required to have a job offer to apply for the PGWP. .
Sample Questions and Answers (IMM 5710)
I am applying for one of more of the following:
Apply for a work permit for the first time or with a new employer .
Details of Intended Work in Canada Section
1a.What type of work permit are you applying for?
Post-Graduation Work Permit. Since you are applying for a PGWP, leave questions 2-8 blank – even if you already have a job offer.
Education and Employment Sections
- In the Education section, enter the program you just completed at McGill.
- In the employment section, complete the “Current Activity” section. Enter details about your current activity or job. If you are not working, describe what you are currently doing – e.g., not working, going to school, etc.
- Since you are applying for a PGWP, you can leave the rest of employment section blank.
Your study permit becomes invalid 90 days after completion of studies or the day on which it expires, whichever comes first, as per section 222 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
Case 2: Apply from Outside Canada:
Please note that processing times (Work permit from outside Canada) will vary by country
- Determine your eligibility to apply online for the PGWP by completing the online eligibility questionnaire.
- Once you have generated the work permit application and your personal reference code, login into your IRCC Secure account to apply.
- Assemble your documents according to your personalized IRCC document checklist, fill out the validate the IMM1295 form and follow the subsequent steps.
Your study permit must have been valid at some point within the 180 days after you received proof of program completion to be eligible to apply for the study permit. If your study permit expired before you received proof of program completion, please contact ISS for advice.
Sample Questions and Answers (Check your Eligibility Questionnaire)
What would you like to do in Canada?
Work.
I have a job offer and my employer gave me an offer of employment number or LMIA number (or proof of that your employer applied for an LMIA?
No.
Have you recently graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution for which your study program was full-time and a minimum of eight months?
Yes.
Do you have an official letter from your school that confirms you've completed your study program, as well as a copy of your final transcript?
Yes.
Sample Questions and Answers (IMM 1295)
Details of Intended Work in Canada Section
1. What type of work permit are you applying for?
Open Work Permit.
For Question 2a
Post-Graduation Work Permit.
Since you are applying for a PGWP, leave questions 2b to 6 blank.
Education and Employment Sections
- In the Education section, enter the program you just completed at McGill.
- In the employment section, complete the “Current Activity/Occupation” section. Enter details about your current activity or job. If you are not working, describe what you are currently doing – e.g., not working, going to school, etc..
- In the employment section, complete the “Previous Activity/Occupation” section. Enter details for the past 10 years. If you need more space, print out another page of the form, fill in this section, and upload it in the “Client Information” section of your Document Checklist. Alternatively, include the additional information in a separate Word Document and upload it in the “Client Information” section of your Document Checklist.
If you have applied using the outside of Canada:
- You will receive a Letter of Introduction when your PGWP is approved,
- You must bring your Letter of Introduction with you upon returning to Canada so that your PGWP can be issued at the port-of-entry.
- If you are inside Canada when you receive your Letter of Introduction, you will need to leave Canada and return to be issued the PGWP at the port-of-entry.