Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announces work permit extension for PGWP holders

Starting April 6, 2023, Canada’s Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, has announced that individuals with an expiring Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) will be able to apply for an Open Work Permit extension. This extension will be available to those whose PGWP expires in 2023 as well as those whose PGWP expired in 2022 and applied for IRCC’s Open Work Permit extension in the previous year. Candidates can apply for this extension on the IRCC’s website and receive an email with an interim work permit authorization, which can be shown to employers to continue working legally in Canada. Furthermore, those whose legal status in Canada has expired will also be able to apply to restore their status, regardless of whether their status expired outside of the 90 day grace period that IRCC provides. This means that individuals can restore their status and receive an interim Open Work Permit authorization as early as April 6.