PGWP Concern: Worked Before Study Permit Renewal Approved — Need Advice

[tahmidfaiyajchowdhury]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been going through a tough time lately, and I’m genuinely worried about my PGWP application. I wanted to share my situation here and ask if anyone has faced something similar or has any advice.

Here’s my story:

• I applied to renew my study permit in August 2024 while still in school.
• I officially completed my program on January 10, 2025, and got my completion letter from the university shortly after.
• On January 20, 2025, I applied for my Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), thinking I had followed all the proper steps.
• At that time, my study permit had not yet been renewed—it was in "applied" status, so I was technically on implied status.
• Then came a job opportunity I couldn’t ignore. I got a Manager position and started working on March 2, 2025. I truly believed I was allowed to work full-time while waiting for my PGWP decision, since I had applied and completed my program.
• I submitted my job offer letter and first payroll to IRCC through a webform right after joining.
• My study permit renewal got approved on March 26, 2025, and I submitted that approval to IRCC as well on March 31, 2025.

But just recently, I came across this line on the IRCC website (about working while waiting for your PGWP), and it hit me hard: "You can work full-time only if you had a valid study permit at the time of PGWP application."

That’s where my fear comes in — because when I applied for my PGWP on Jan 20, 2025, I did not have a valid study permit, just implied status. So technically, I didn’t meet the first condition. And since I worked between March 2 and March 25, before the renewed study permit was officially approved, I’m scared this might lead to a PGWP refusal or worse.

To make things more complicated, my wife is here on a spousal work permit, and her application is also in process, linked to mine. I'm worried that any issue with mine could affect hers as well. At this point, I honestly don’t know if anything can be done. I’ve already submitted all documents proactively and disclosed everything via webforms, but this technicality is haunting me. If anyone has been through something similar, or has legal insight or advice — even if it’s hard truth — I’d be grateful to hear it.

Thanks for reading.

 

[abff08f4813c]

Why did you apply to renew the study permit back in August 2024? How can a new study permit be approved on March 26 if you finished your studies back on Jan 10?

You don't say when your original study permit expired, but you might be fine if it wasn't expired yet when you got the AOR for the PGWP (likely you'd have gotten the AOR on Jan 20 or perhaps a day or two later).

As per https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...ds/pgwp-waiting-for-aor-wp-ext-letter.870712/ "To be allowed to work right away, the acknowledgement of receipt must have been received before your study permit expired" so if that's the case then you can continue working even if the permit had later expired for the period between March 2 and March 25.


In the other case, if the original study permit expired before Jan 20 when you applied for PGWP, someone did report over at https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...tudies-permit-can-i-work.852262/post-10906498 with the TLDR being that having a study permit extension in process when applying for PGWP "might" be treated the same as having an outright valid study permit (lack of clear guidance is mentioned). But then there is this which says the opposite: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...but-have-unauthorized-work-experience.800127/

The other thing is that you did everything right, letting IRCC know what you were doing. IRCC can sometimes be lenient and forgive honest mistakes (at least my understanding is, while they aren't obligated to do this, they do have discretion). The fact that you notified IRCC about the job before the study permit extension was approved and then you still got it (rather than having it refused for working illegally) might be a sign that such discretion was used in your case. However, it's not impossible that they may decide to approve the study permit renewal and deny the PGWP...

Probably best to order GCMS notes and consult with a lawyer to be sure.

Edit: Also see this success story from someone in a similar situation a few years back who hired and followed the advice of a lawyer, https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...-before-applying-for-pgwp.656571/post-8272321

 

[Alwayssuccessful!]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been going through a tough time lately, and I’m genuinely worried about my PGWP application. I wanted to share my situation here and ask if anyone has faced something similar or has any advice.

Here’s my story:

• I applied to renew my study permit in August 2024 while still in school.
• I officially completed my program on January 10, 2025, and got my completion letter from the university shortly after.
• On January 20, 2025, I applied for my Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), thinking I had followed all the proper steps.
• At that time, my study permit had not yet been renewed—it was in "applied" status, so I was technically on implied status.
• Then came a job opportunity I couldn’t ignore. I got a Manager position and started working on March 2, 2025. I truly believed I was allowed to work full-time while waiting for my PGWP decision, since I had applied and completed my program.
• I submitted my job offer letter and first payroll to IRCC through a webform right after joining.
• My study permit renewal got approved on March 26, 2025, and I submitted that approval to IRCC as well on March 31, 2025.

But just recently, I came across this line on the IRCC website (about working while waiting for your PGWP), and it hit me hard: "You can work full-time only if you had a valid study permit at the time of PGWP application."

That’s where my fear comes in — because when I applied for my PGWP on Jan 20, 2025, I did not have a valid study permit, just implied status. So technically, I didn’t meet the first condition. And since I worked between March 2 and March 25, before the renewed study permit was officially approved, I’m scared this might lead to a PGWP refusal or worse.

To make things more complicated, my wife is here on a spousal work permit, and her application is also in process, linked to mine. I'm worried that any issue with mine could affect hers as well. At this point, I honestly don’t know if anything can be done. I’ve already submitted all documents proactively and disclosed everything via webforms, but this technicality is haunting me. If anyone has been through something similar, or has legal insight or advice — even if it’s hard truth — I’d be grateful to hear it.

Thanks for reading.

I don't think you have done anything wrong, and you do not have anything to fear. Being in implied status may be considered as good as having a valid study permit. The delay was theirs, not yours, due to their staff cuts and occasional inefficiency. You did everything right.

 

[Bibhian]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been going through a tough time lately, and I’m genuinely worried about my PGWP application. I wanted to share my situation here and ask if anyone has faced something similar or has any advice.

Here’s my story:

• I applied to renew my study permit in August 2024 while still in school.
• I officially completed my program on January 10, 2025, and got my completion letter from the university shortly after.
• On January 20, 2025, I applied for my Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), thinking I had followed all the proper steps.
• At that time, my study permit had not yet been renewed—it was in "applied" status, so I was technically on implied status.
• Then came a job opportunity I couldn’t ignore. I got a Manager position and started working on March 2, 2025. I truly believed I was allowed to work full-time while waiting for my PGWP decision, since I had applied and completed my program.
• I submitted my job offer letter and first payroll to IRCC through a webform right after joining.
• My study permit renewal got approved on March 26, 2025, and I submitted that approval to IRCC as well on March 31, 2025.

But just recently, I came across this line on the IRCC website (about working while waiting for your PGWP), and it hit me hard: "You can work full-time only if you had a valid study permit at the time of PGWP application."

That’s where my fear comes in — because when I applied for my PGWP on Jan 20, 2025, I did not have a valid study permit, just implied status. So technically, I didn’t meet the first condition. And since I worked between March 2 and March 25, before the renewed study permit was officially approved, I’m scared this might lead to a PGWP refusal or worse.

To make things more complicated, my wife is here on a spousal work permit, and her application is also in process, linked to mine. I'm worried that any issue with mine could affect hers as well. At this point, I honestly don’t know if anything can be done. I’ve already submitted all documents proactively and disclosed everything via webforms, but this technicality is haunting me. If anyone has been through something similar, or has legal insight or advice — even if it’s hard truth — I’d be grateful to hear it.

Thanks for reading.

Hi, I’m going through a similar situation and getting complexed as time passes. Did you get your PGWP approved? Please, share how you’re doing or did?

 

[Alwayssuccessful!]

Hi, I’m going through a similar situation and getting complexed as time passes. Did you get your PGWP approved? Please, share how you’re doing or did?

I know of law or regulation requiring you to submit a newly approved study permit or a job offer to IRCC when you have an open work permit application in process. Sometimes, self- reporting is dangerous. Report yourself only when it is necessary, and submit documents only to the extent they are needed. In your case, pay slip, new offer letter and newly approved study permit, which by the by IRCC already has record of, can confuse the case processing officer and raise some unwanted red flags on your file. I know you may have thought it helps your application, but it doesn’t, especially because you are not on a closed work permit.

Having said that, your type of case is very common now that it takes approximately 7-8 months for IRCC to process study and work permit renewals. The delay is theirs, not yours. Technically, you are still on implied status the entire time they were processing your study permit extension and PGWP. Regardless of what the rules say about having a valid study permit before you can apply for PGWP, I do not see IRCC penalizing you for working without authorization. These types of cases are very very many right now, and I haven’t seen anyone yet who got condemned for this. If they do, a humanitarian and compassionate application will cure whatever misdemeanours someone might claim that you may have committed. I wouldn’t worry about this because you haven’t done anything illegal. That’s my understanding of the situation

 

[Alwayssuccessful!]

I know of law or regulation requiring you to submit a newly approved study permit or a job offer to IRCC when you have an open work permit application in process. Sometimes, self- reporting is dangerous. Report yourself only when it is necessary, and submit documents only to the extent they are needed. In your case, pay slip, new offer letter and newly approved study permit, which by the by IRCC already has record of, can confuse the case processing officer and raise some unwanted red flags on your file. I know you may have thought it helps your application, but it doesn’t, especially because you are not on a closed work permit.

Having said that, your type of case is very common now that it takes approximately 7-8 months for IRCC to process study and work permit renewals. The delay is theirs, not yours. Technically, you are still on implied status the entire time they were processing your study permit extension and PGWP. Regardless of what the rules say about having a valid study permit before you can apply for PGWP, I do not see IRCC penalizing you for working without authorization. These types of cases are very very many right now, and I haven’t seen anyone yet who got condemned for this. If they do, a humanitarian and compassionate application will cure whatever misdemeanours someone might claim that you may have committed. I wouldn’t worry about this because you haven’t done anything illegal. That’s my understanding of the situation

I know of no law….

 

[abff08f4813c]

I know of law or regulation requiring you to submit a newly approved study permit or a job offer to IRCC when you have an open work permit application in process.

Hey, so I think you missed something in the OP's post.

But just recently, I came across this line on the IRCC website (about working while waiting for your PGWP), and it hit me hard: "You can work full-time only if you had a valid study permit at the time of PGWP application."

That’s where my fear comes in — because when I applied for my PGWP on Jan 20, 2025, I did not have a valid study permit, just implied status. So technically, I didn’t meet the first condition.

Basically the question you're answering is different from what the OP was asking - it's about needing to have a valid study permit at the time of (or to start a) PGWP application (and whether or not implied status would count), not about needing to later submit a new study permit for an in-process open work permit application.

 

[abff08f4813c]

I know of no law….

On the flip side, while IRCC's website clearly states the rule ("You can work full-time only if you had a valid study permit at the time of PGWP application.") I haven't seen anyone do a deep dive here to trace this requirement to the original law or regulation. That would be interesting to see..