Am I eligible for a PGWP?

[aditisethi5]

I am currently enrolled in a DLI in Toronto. I have been reading the requirements, and I am not sure if I qualify for a PGWP or not. I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to be asking this question but just needed some clarity.

1. I did my first year online - Fall/Winter Semester in 2020
2. I had to drop a year, aka Fall/Winter Semester, in 2021 as I was unable to travel due to COVID-19 restrictions in India. I am in the Film Production program so could not continue studying online.
3. I finished my 2nd and 3rd years in the Fall/Winter semesters of 2022 and 2023 respectively.
4. I had to shift to online learning in the fall term of 2024 as I have had to await my TRV. (I have a valid study permit that I extended in Canada but traveled to India for 4 months and planned to apply for my TRV from here. Have been waiting for TRV since 10th May.)
5. I'm waiting and hoping that I receive a TRV before my Winter term classes begin.

Note: I have maintained my status as a full-time student in all of my semesters.

Please let me know if I am still eligible to apply for a PGWP or not. If you have any questions that would provide more clarity, I'd be happy to answer. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[scylla]

I am currently enrolled in a DLI in Toronto. I have been reading the requirements, and I am not sure if I qualify for a PGWP or not. I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to be asking this question but just needed some clarity.

1. I did my first year online - Fall/Winter Semester in 2020
2. I had to drop a year, aka Fall/Winter Semester, in 2021 as I was unable to travel due to COVID-19 restrictions in India. I am in the Film Production program so could not continue studying online.
3. I finished my 2nd and 3rd years in the Fall/Winter semesters of 2022 and 2023 respectively.
4. I had to shift to online learning in the fall term of 2024 as I have had to await my TRV. (I have a valid study permit that I extended in Canada but traveled to India for 4 months and planned to apply for my TRV from here. Have been waiting for TRV since 10th May.)
5. I'm waiting and hoping that I receive a TRV before my Winter term classes begin.

Note: I have maintained my status as a full-time student in all of my semesters.

Please let me know if I am still eligible to apply for a PGWP or not. If you have any questions that would provide more clarity, I'd be happy to answer. Thank you so much for your help!

Did you obtain an approved leave of absence from your school for the year you took off?

 

[aditisethi5]

Did you obtain an approved leave of absence from your school for the year you took off?

I spoke to my academic advisor about the fact that I was unable to travel due to COVID restrictions in India and would not be able to travel, and she mentioned that my university did not require me to inform them about the gap year. She said I simply had to drop my courses and I could re-enroll the next year. I faced no issues in re-enrolling the next year or ever since. My official transcript does mention that "Student voluntarily withdrew from all courses in term of Fall/Winter 2021." So they are aware that I wasn't travelling due to COVID-19.

 

[Naturgrl]

I spoke to my academic advisor about the fact that I was unable to travel due to COVID restrictions in India and would not be able to travel, and she mentioned that my university did not require me to inform them about the gap year. She said I simply had to drop my courses and I could re-enroll the next year. I faced no issues in re-enrolling the next year or ever since. My official transcript does mention that "Student voluntarily withdrew from all courses in term of Fall/Winter 2021." So they are aware that I wasn't travelling due to COVID-19.

You may have issues because it says you voluntarily withdrew, and online in September 2024 doesn’t count towards PGWP. Have you taken any classes in person in Canada?

 

[aditisethi5]

You may have issues because it says you voluntarily withdrew, and online in September 2024 doesn’t count towards PGWP. Have you taken any classes in person in Canada?

Yes, I did my second and third year completely in person in Canada. Would it help if I could speak to my academic advisor to see if she could arrange for documentation that could prove that I informed the university about my gap year? I have a friend who is in the same institution as me and also took a gap year in the same year as me. Perhaps I could speak to her and see if she received any particular documentation?

 

[Naturgrl]

Yes, I did my second and third year completely in person in Canada. Would it help if I could speak to my academic advisor to see if she could arrange for documentation that could prove that I informed the university about my gap year? I have a friend who is in the same institution as me and also took a gap year in the same year as me. Perhaps I could speak to her and see if she received any particular documentation?

Since your friend’s PGWP was approved then ask what documentation was provided. You being online this semester doesn’t count.

 

[aditisethi5]

Since your friend’s PGWP was approved then ask what documentation was provided. You being online this semester doesn’t count.

I spoke to my friend, and she mentioned that she didn't take a gap year but instead started her course online in 2021 unlike me who started in 2020.

I do have it in writing through an email written to the academic advising team that I'm unable to travel because flights from India have been discontinued indefinitely, preventing me from traveling back. Their email, in return, states that there is no formal process to take a year off and that I can simply unenroll in courses.

 

[Naturgrl]

I spoke to my friend, and she mentioned that she didn't take a gap year but instead started her course online in 2021 unlike me who started in 2020.

I do have it in writing through an email written to the academic advising team that I'm unable to travel because flights from India have been discontinued indefinitely, preventing me from traveling back. Their email, in return, states that there is no formal process to take a year off and that I can simply unenroll in courses.

So friend’s situation is not the same, and didn’t take time off. All you can do is submit information you have but you don’t really have approved leave from the school. Hopefully you get PGWP.

 

[aditisethi5]

Do you think it would help If I were to get a letter regarding my leave if I asked my university or academic advisor? Perhaps I could add that as a supporting document? So sorry I'm asking so many questions but thank you so much for helping me out.

 

[Naturgrl]

Do you think it would help If I were to get a letter regarding my leave if I asked my university or academic advisor? Perhaps I could add that as a supporting document? So sorry I'm asking so many questions but thank you so much for helping me out.

An approved leave letter would help but not sure they will post date it going back years. Also just so you know you have been online so that doesn’t count so will take away from total PGWP validity if even approved.

 

[aditisethi5]

An approved leave letter would help but not sure they will post date it going back years. Also just so you know you have been online so that doesn’t count so will take away from total PGWP validity if even approved.

Yes, I'm aware of that fact. According to the PGWP website of IRCC has these two points for distance learning:

• You were outside Canada and did not travel to Canada because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but were still able to take online courses.
• You began a program of study between March 2020 and August 31, 2022, or your program was already in progress in March 2020.

I believe both these points are true for me as I began my study in September 2020 and took online courses as I could not travel due to COVID-19. I think it is worth a try to apply for both a letter from the university as well as a PGWP to see how things go. Thank you so much for your help! I truly appreciate it.

 

[Naturgrl]

Yes, I'm aware of that fact. According to the PGWP website of IRCC has these two points for distance learning:

• You were outside Canada and did not travel to Canada because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but were still able to take online courses.
• You began a program of study between March 2020 and August 31, 2022, or your program was already in progress in March 2020.

I believe both these points are true for me as I began my study in September 2020 and took online courses as I could not travel due to COVID-19. I think it is worth a try to apply for both a letter from the university as well as a PGWP to see how things go. Thank you so much for your help! I truly appreciate it.

But you said you were online for Fall 2024. This has nothing to do with Covid.

 

[aditisethi5]

But you said you were online for Fall 2024. This has nothing to do with Covid.

Yes, I was online for Fall 2024 as a full-term student. Does that make me ineligible for a PGWP altogether or will it just not be considered in the amount of time that is calculated for the PGWP eligibility? As In my course is 4 years long so I might get a PGWP that is valid for less than 3 years?

 

[Naturgrl]

Yes, I was online for Fall 2024 as a full-term student. Does that make me ineligible for a PGWP altogether or will it just not be considered in the amount of time that is calculated for the PGWP eligibility? As In my course is 4 years long so I might get a PGWP that is valid for less than 3 years?

Time online outside Canada after 2022 doesn’t count towards PGWP. So you may not get 3 year, if PGWP is even approved.