Need Expert Advice

[akhil5293]

Hello Folks,

I really need an expert advice from you, I'm on PGWP right now, working with a company as an analyst I started working In may(On off campus) last year, but I got my completion letter from college in June, my Visa is valid till July end, because I got my PGWP from July to July, so just confuse when I suppose to apply, when I am eligible ??

 

[Johnny31]

Hello Folks,

I really need an expert advice from you, I'm on PGWP right now, working with a company as an analyst I started working In may(On off campus) last year, but I got my completion letter from college in June, my Visa is valid till July end, because I got my PGWP from July to July, so just confuse when I suppose to apply, when I am eligible ??

From July is where your work experience can go towards your 1 year mandatory work experience - the work experience prior to the date listed on your PGWP will not be counted towards immigration.

Your PGWP is good for just 1 year ?

 

[akhil5293]

Well I actually graduated in April 2013, so after April I was allowed to work 40 hrs, since I'm not going to school anymore and I stared as a trainee and I got the completion letter in June 2013 and I applied for PGWP in june after getting completion letter from school and then my PGWP arrives in July 2013 and valid till July 2013, now I'm just confused, what I suppose to do, Extension with LMO or when I'm eligible to apply

 

[unfrgvn]

There is a cushioning period after study completion and before getting PGWP. I think it's 90 days. When you complete your studies (but have valid study permit/ OCWP) you can start working full time with your valid OCWP. But you have to apply for your PGWP within that period. It's perfectly normal to work full time with your OCWP after studies / while waiting for your PGWP. (usually it takes around 2/3 weeks after applying ). So "good companies" can and will hire and will allow you to work with your OCWP (but waiting for your PGWP). It is perfectly legal and normal.

I myself started working full time with my OCWP. Later got my PGWP.

Thanks

 

[akhil5293]

@Jee can you advice me, what I suppose to do now, what are the options for me and what documentations I needed!!

I'm in Toronto, ON!

 

[jes_ON]

I really need an expert advice from you, I'm on PGWP right now, working with a company as an analyst I started working In may(On off campus) last year, but I got my completion letter from college in June, my Visa is valid till July end, because I got my PGWP from July to July, so just confuse when I suppose to apply, when I am eligible ??

The rule is that no work experience gained while you are a full-time student will be counted. Presumably, after you received your "completion letter" (how about you diploma?), you were no longer a full-time student, and you were authorized to work full time.

Most of us on this forum agree that your experience after the date of completion from your studies SHOULD count. However, CIC continues to provide confusing and contradictory advice on this point. Because of this, we suggest being conservative if possible, and counting your eligible employment from the date of your PGWP (assuming you are also already working).

Other people may not have the luxury of waiting, for various reasons, and decide to apply from the end date of their educational program (usually the date of graduation - the date listed on the diploma). If you do this, we recommend that you add a written explanation about your dates of eligibility, demonstrating the date that you ceased being a full-time student (e.g. include a copy of the diploma or letter).

In the meantime - whether you apply in June or July, unless you plan to leave Canada, you will need to ask your employer to apply for an LMO so that you can obtain an new work permit. (Given your dates, it is highly unlikely that you would be able to apply, receive an AOR, and apply for a bridging open work permit before your current PGWP expires). This should not be scary, tho, since it is much easier to obtain an LMO for workers who are currently on a PGWP -
http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/foreign_workers/higher_skilled/students/index.shtml

 

[Hope1957]

If you were no longer a full time student as of May 1, you can count your work experience towards CEC, so long as you were making the transition from Off Campus work permit to post graduate work permit. However, I'd recommend you explain this as well as you can by getting supporting documentation (i.e. confirmation of graduation, transcripts, letter from your program coordinator, etc.) to prove to the Visa Officer that you were no longer a full time student after April 30. If you can afford to wait and count your work experience from the day your PGWP was issued to you, then go ahead. If not, then start counting your work experience from the day after you were no longer a full time student (provided you had a valid work permit).

Read this, "Any period of employment during which the applicant was engaged in full-time study will not be included in calculating the period of qualifying work experience (e.g., work experience gained through co-op work permits, off-campus work permits while a full-time student and on-campus work permits). [R87.1(3)(a)]. Officers should verify the work permit information in GCMS.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op25a-eng.pdf

Here's how I understand it. Imagine that on the day you received your confirmation of graduation from your college/university, you had a CIC Visa officer in the same place and time to process your PGWP application. You'd have presented this confirmation of graduation/transcripts and they would have issued you a PGWP. Therefore, in my opinion, discounting the 30 days or so it took for you to get a PGWP simply because of the processing time, does not make sense and surely a Visa Officer must be in a position to understand this.

Be sure to make your case when you apply.

Good luck!