Post Graduate Work Permit Application Letter of Explanation

[mikemgerr]

Hello,

I have a request for letter of explanation when I applied for PGWP. I wanted some help on this. I have been working 40 hours per week with payroll in my career field during my thesis study. This is the reason I finished my thesis after 3 years. I am still currently employed in the same company. My workplace HR said I was allowed to work 40 hours a week which is why they gave me that. I work as a Senior Business Analyst. How would this affect my PGWP application?

 

[wonderbly]

Were you a full time student? if yes, it appears you have flouted your SP conditions which allows only 20 hrs/wk. I don't know how you could explain this away, and get your PGWP.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable in this area will chime in. Goodluck.

 

[mikemgerr]

Thank you for your response. Yes I only had my thesis to be completed. All my course work were completed

 

[Wolfpmd3]

Hello,

I have a request for letter of explanation when I applied for PGWP. I wanted some help on this. I have been working 40 hours per week with payroll in my career field during my thesis study. This is the reason I finished my thesis after 3 years. I am still currently employed in the same company. My workplace HR said I was allowed to work 40 hours a week which is why they gave me that. I work as a Senior Business Analyst. How would this affect my PGWP application?

When you are working on your thesis you are enrolled as a full-time student. Even if you are not taking classes, you would have registered for some sort of "class" which is what gives you status as a current and ongoing student at your school. This is usually accompanied by a seminar to which you also register.

I am quite sure this varies across institutions but just to give you an example in mine it is called "Research" and corresponds to 15 credit units. You just need 6 credit units to be considered a full-time student. And this is always the case when you are a Thesis Student.

While working on your thesis, you are NOT allowed to work more than 20 hours/week. Having done so you have violated the conditions of your study permit and blew your chances for a PGWP. --> YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS.

 

[mikemgerr]

I was not enrolled for any class on my thesis. I was just paying the "Continuation in program" fees to stay current. As mentioned in the post, the HR said I was able to get 40 hours per week which is how I got the job in the first place. Its not some "under the table" paying job. It's a career field. I think your 20 hour reference makes sense for during the semester in a non thesis program. I wanted to know the rules of a thesis based program.

 

[bongoman]

HR was wrong there.

 

[captainarabiia]

HR's aren't immigration officials or lawyers.
While on a study permit, you can't work full time unless, on scheduled break, or once you've applied for PGWP.

 

[Wolfpmd3]

I was not enrolled for any class on my thesis. I was just paying the "Continuation in program" fees to stay current. As mentioned in the post, the HR said I was able to get 40 hours per week which is how I got the job in the first place. Its not some "under the table" paying job. It's a career field. I think your 20 hour reference makes sense for during the semester in a non thesis program. I wanted to know the rules of a thesis based program.

Thesis or Non-Thesis, there is no distinction. You cannot work more than 20 hours per week while on a study permit, period. The only exception is during scheduled school breaks such as summer breaks when people don't usually have to take any classes unless they want to.

On a thesis program, because you maintain continuous enrollment you wouldn't technically ever be allowed to work more than 20h/week.

The purpose of coming to Canada while studying is to do that, STUDY. That's exactly why they have this limit. If you want to develop a career and so on, that is what you can opt for a PGWP after you've graduated. The limit of 20h/w is also meant to keep people focused on their program so they will not take longer than planned finishing it, as in your case.

This is not a matter what you or anyone else finds fair, or how things should be. This is how rules have been set and the rules you were supposed to follow. You didn't. The consequences for you will most definitely be not be granted a PGWP and eventually will have to leave the country. Because you violated the conditions of your study permit and worked for more hours than you were allowed.

In addition, you will not be able to use any of that experience as skilled experience towards permanent residence application, because any experience earned while on a study permit is not eligible. And now, without a PGWP, you will not be able to earn any qualifying experience. At least not in Canada.

You could get lucky, but I wouldn't put my hopes on that.

HR from X company is not an authority to determine what you can do or not with your study permit. It was your responsibility to know this. The government has plenty of resources online where all these things are clearly laid out.

 

[wonderbly]

Well stated. This is my the thinking also.

OP, I think your only chance here is if the company you are working for is willing to do an LMIA for you, so you can apply for a closed work permit.

This really was a costly mistake.

 

[bongoman]

You might still get PGWP, officers make exceptions all the time, plus they dont have access to your work hours.

 

[John_22]

Hello,

I have a request for letter of explanation when I applied for PGWP. I wanted some help on this. I have been working 40 hours per week with payroll in my career field during my thesis study. This is the reason I finished my thesis after 3 years. I am still currently employed in the same company. My workplace HR said I was allowed to work 40 hours a week which is why they gave me that. I work as a Senior Business Analyst. How would this affect my PGWP application?

Hi I just want to know if they requested to upload a letter to the client information at a later or did you just submit a letter at the same time as you submitted the entire application? I also want to know if you get your pgwp approved. Thank you.

 

[LlAmour]

Hello,

I have a request for letter of explanation when I applied for PGWP. I wanted some help on this. I have been working 40 hours per week with payroll in my career field during my thesis study. This is the reason I finished my thesis after 3 years. I am still currently employed in the same company. My workplace HR said I was allowed to work 40 hours a week which is why they gave me that. I work as a Senior Business Analyst. How would this affect my PGWP application?

Hi, I was just reading your post. I’m just curious of how your application went. Did u get approved for your PGWP? Thanks.