nevillek said:
Congrats jubear!! Good to know you received the 3 year PGWP!!
I need your advice.. how long was your course?
My offer letter states course as Sep 2013 to Dec 2014.. which is only 16 months.. My other friends from same course applied online but got 3 year PGWP but the people on this forum who did 20 month course and applied AT BORDER were told they can get only 20-22 month PGWP.
Do you think I can get 3 year PGWP at border??
Nevillek,
I finished my second degree of which my program was a 4 year degree from a University. But also remember that there are some members on this forum who got 3 years PGWP at the border. Try to look at the positive side of things.
HERE IS MY SIMPLE ANALYSIS.
By virtue of
R197 and
R198, work permits under the PGWP program may also be issued at POE or by visa offices overseas. For administrative purposes, it is more facilitative to refer clients to apply online or on paper to the CPC-V. See link:
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2002-227/page-86.html#docCont
Duration of PGWP
Work permits issued under the PGWP program may be valid for up to 3-years.
For example;
1- If the program of study is eight months (minimum duration), then the duration of the work permit should be eight months.
2- If the program of study is at least eight months but less than two years, then the duration of the work permit should coincide with the duration of the program of study.
3- If the program of study is at least two years, then the duration of the work permit should be three years.
4- If students who obtained a one-year graduate degree or diploma from an eligible institution in Canada after having obtained, within the prior two years, another diploma or degree from an eligible institution in Canada, then the duration of the work permit
may be up to 3 three years.
No application whether done at the border, online, or by paper gives you the right to a 3-year PGWP. None whatsoever. Therefore, watch out for points
2, 3, & 4.. I will again stress this; how you answer questions matters. But if you honestly have every original document/evidence, there shouldn't be a problem.
Again, whether the application was made online, at the border, or by paper, approving the WP is at the discretion of the agent working on your file.
Diploma, Bachelor, Masters, PhD Programs (what most international students refer to as courses)
If you are a graduate with a bachelors degree, you may not have problems. Most bachelors degrees are known to be 4 or 5 years. That is easy. However, you must have been a full-time student throughout
EXCEPT in your last semester (
NOT in your last year). If you had breaks during academic sessions (Fall, Spring, Summer) or weren't a full-time student, the agent at CIC or border has the authority to give you a PGWP with the years you deserve.
Diploma, Masters, and PhD programs tend to be susceptible to more scrutiny. Why is this? Because their durations vary widely especially diplomas from colleges. Some colleges tend to advertise diplomas as 2-year programs, yet practically they are not. That is why students go to school and they end up completing within 15, 16 or 18 months instead of 24 months or more. We must remember that colleges advertise knowing that the students' end game is not only education, but also a 3-year PGWP. Therefore, they sell their product (diploma program) accordingly. So CIC and CBSA is very much aware of this. This is why some students have got less time on their PGWP even when they applied online, paper, or at the border.
Diplomas, Masters and PhDs can take longer to process because agents will do their research (and scrutinize) as you wait. They are just doing their job.
My answer to your second question is this:
There is no guarantee that you will receive a 3-year PGWP no matter what channel you used to apply; be it online, at the border, or a mailed paper application. Anything can happen.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst and stay positive.
All I wish you is good luck. However, luck finds those who are prepared.
Cheers!