PGWP Calculator: Length, Deadline and Language Test

Short answer. A master’s of at least 8 months, or any programme of 2 years or more, can get a 3 year PGWP. Shorter programmes get up to their own length. You have 180 days to apply, and the language test must be an accepted type, such as IELTS General Training, less than 2 years old.

PGWP Calculator

Your credential

Programme length (months)

Where you study

If the partnership crosses provinces, the cut off is 31 January 2023.

Date your school confirmed you completed

Date of your language test

Optional. It must be an accepted test, listed below.

Exchange rate (₹ per CAD)

An example rate. Enter today’s.

Can you get a PGWP?

Longest PGWP you can get

Last day to apply

Language level, all four skills

Test must be dated on or after

Field of study list applies?

IRCC fees

Choose your credential.

Uses IRCC’s PGWP rules, checked in November 2026, for a student outside Quebec who has kept full time status and has not had a PGWP before. IRCC says it may issue a permit up to these lengths, and never beyond your passport’s expiry date. Add the cost of the language test.

How long your PGWP can be

The Post-Graduation Work Permit is an open work permit, so you can work for almost any employer without a job offer. Its length depends on your programme, and you can only get one.

Your programme	Longest PGWP
Under 8 months	No PGWP
Master's of at least 8 months	3 years
Other programme, 8 months to under 2 years	Up to the length of the programme
Any programme of 2 years or more	3 years
Two eligible programmes, each at least 8 months	Their lengths can be combined

IRCC, about the post-graduation work permit, checked November 2026. The 3 year master's rule has applied since 15 February 2024 and does not cover diplomas or certificates.

IRCC issues the permit only up to your passport's expiry date. If your passport runs out in 18 months, a 3 year entitlement can become an 18 month permit, so renew it before you apply. The fee is CAD 155 for the work permit plus CAD 100 for the open work permit holder fee.

The language test trap

You must submit a language result with your application, and it must be less than 2 years old on the day you apply. Many students assume the IELTS they took for admission will do. Usually it will not, for two separate reasons: it may be too old by the time you finish, and IRCC's list names IELTS General Training, not IELTS Academic.

Skill	IELTS General, CLB 7	IELTS General, CLB 5	CELPIP General, CLB 7	CELPIP General, CLB 5
Listening	6.0	5.0	7	5
Reading	6.0	4.0	7	5
Writing	6.0	5.0	7	5
Speaking	6.0	5.0	7	5

IRCC language test equivalency tables. PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada are also accepted, with their own score bands.

Bachelor's, master's, doctoral and other university graduates need CLB 7. College, polytechnic and other non-university graduates need CLB 5. You must reach the level in all four skills, so one low band fails the whole test, whatever your overall score.

Faz's rule
Book the General Training test in your final term, not after your results.
The 180 days feel generous until you add a test date, a result that takes time to arrive, and a retake if one band falls short. Take the right test while you are still studying, so a low writing score leaves you time for another attempt. It is the cheapest insurance in the whole Canadian plan.

The other rules that can stop you

The 180 day deadline. You must apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your programme, usually your final transcript or a letter from your school. Your study permit must also have been valid at some point in those 180 days.
Field of study. Bachelor's, master's and doctoral graduates are exempt. Other graduates need an eligible field if they applied for their study permit on or after 1 November 2024. IRCC says it will not add or remove fields during 2026.
Public private partnerships. These programmes are generally not eligible. There is an exception if you began on or before 15 May 2024, or on or before 31 January 2023 if the partnership is between provinces.
Full time status. You must have studied full time each semester, though your final semester can be part time.
One PGWP only. You cannot get a second one after a later programme, so choose your timing carefully if you plan to study again.

Our PGWP guide explains how the permit fits with permanent residence, and is studying in Canada worth it runs the payback maths. To see what it costs to get there, use the Canada student visa fee calculator. The post study work guide compares every main country, and the OPT calculator does the same job for the USA.

Questions people ask

How long is a PGWP for a 16 month master's?

Up to 3 years. Since 15 February 2024, a master's of at least 8 months can get a 3 year PGWP, even though the programme is shorter than 2 years.

How long is a PGWP for a 1 year diploma?

Up to 1 year, the same as the programme. The 3 year master's rule does not cover certificates or diplomas, though a second eligible programme may be combined with the first.

Can I use IELTS Academic for the PGWP?

IRCC's list names IELTS General Training, along with CELPIP General, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada. IELTS Academic is not on it, so plan to take one of the listed tests.

How long do I have to apply for a PGWP?

180 days from confirmation that you completed your programme. Your study permit must have been valid at some point during those 180 days, and your language test must be less than 2 years old when you apply.

How much does a PGWP cost?

CAD 255: CAD 155 for the work permit and CAD 100 for the open work permit holder fee. That is about ₹17,340 at ₹68 to the Canadian dollar, plus the cost of the language test.

Where these rules come from

Checked in November 2026. IRCC's rules change often, so check its PGWP pages before you apply.