Program Completion Letter and Electronic Transcript

Once you have successfully completed your program and all of your grades have been entered by your instructors, the Graduation Audit will begin. Please note that this can take up to 6 weeks to complete. If you are eligible to graduate, you will be awarded the credential and automatically receive your Program Completion letter and your electronic transcript by email from ieservices@vcc.ca. You can use both documents to submit your PGWP application. If you have a hold on your account, you will not automatically receive these documents. Please rectify your hold and contact ieservices@vcc.ca to receive these documents. 

VCC Official Transcript

You can use your electronic transcript for your PGWP application. You don’t need to use the official transcript. However, if you want an official transcript for your records the Registrar’s Office will issue this document. You can request for your official transcript online through your myVCC account or visit the Records Office page to understand the alternatives for requesting  it as well as payment options.  

To receive your VCC official transcript and final awarded credentials by mail, you must ensure your local address is up to date on your myVCC student account portal. Check the tutorial on How to Update your Contact Information Online and ensure you update your address before graduation. 

International students have up to 180 days after graduation to apply for a PGWP. However, it is highly recommended that they apply within 90 days of receiving the program completion letter or before the study permit expires, whichever comes first, as this may grant eligibility for full-time work until a decision is made on the PGWP application. 

A study permit is typically valid for the duration of your study program, plus an extra 90 days. The study permit becomes invalid either on the expiry date indicated on the permit or 90 days after you receive written confirmation of program completion, whichever occurs first. 

It's crucial not to let your study permit expire while awaiting your final grades and graduation. To cover the period you're waiting for graduation, you must ensure that your study permit remains valid. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) typically issues study permits for the duration of the study program, plus an extra 90 days to accommodate for this waiting period. 

Applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) without a valid study permit means you cannot start working until your PGWP application is processed and approved by IRCC. Should your study permit expire, you are given up to 90 days to apply for a PGWP and to restore your status as a student. 

Once you apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, the online system will ask “Have you recently graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution for which your study program was full-time and a minimum of eight months?”. Selecting “Yes” to this question signals to the system that you have completed your studies and are seeking to apply for a PGWP. 

After answering all the questions from the online wizard, you will be provided with a personalized document checklist. The checklist will require you to upload the “Completion of Studies Letter” and “Recent Education Transcript”. Please upload your VCC Program Completion Letter (graduation letter) and VCC Electronic Transcript (with confirmation of graduation) accordingly. 

Once your application is approved, you will receive a PDF letter in your IRCC secure account indicating that the original document will be mailed to the address you have provided. If your address has changed, ensure you update your address with IRCC through the webform. 

Please review the following documents for instructions on how to submit a post-graduation work permit application online from inside Canada: 

• How to Create your IRCC Secure Account
• Post-Graduation Work Permit - Instruction Guide
• Additional Resources 
• Need help? Attend a PGWP Workshop or book a 15-minute Immigration Advising appointment. 

You may apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit from outside Canada: 

• Online, by creating your IRCC Secure Account, or 
• By paper, send your application to a Visa Application Center (VAC) 

We encourage you to review Guide 5487 - Applying for a Work Permit Outside Canada for instructions. 

If you apply on paper, read the instruction guide based on the country you are submitting your PGWP application from. Once you select the country from where you are submitting your application, the system will generate a list of documents and forms you need to submit. Submit your completed application with all required documents and the fee receipt to the address given in the application package. 

If you're planning to travel outside Canada, it's crucial to consider that the processing time for graduation audits is up to 6 weeks. This audit must be completed before the Program Completion Letter and electronic transcript are issued. Without these documents, you will be ineligible to apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). We strongly advise submitting your PGWP application before leaving Canada to ensure a smooth transition. 

After applying for a PGWP,  you may be able to leave and return to Canada before the decision is made on your PGWP application as long as you have a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Please visit the IRCC Help Centre for more details.  

Effective May 1, 2022, the Medical Services Plan (MSP) policy will be updated so that individuals who remain in B.C. with maintained status will have access to temporary MSP coverage until a decision is made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on their application for extension. 

Who is eligible 
 
The spouse or common-law partner of an international student, who has graduated from a recognized institution and qualifies for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), could also qualify for an open work permit if they meet the general eligibility requirements for a work permit AND you (the main applicant): 

• Are authorized to work in Canada 
• Are employed or will be employed in a job that falls under category 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) in the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system when the family member applies 
• Have a work permit valid for at least six months after the family member's application is received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) 

• Are living or plan to live in Canada while working 

When to apply: 

When you apply for your PGWP, your family member may also submit their application online at the same time, on the condition that they have arrived in Canada and meet the eligibility requirements for a work permit upon entry. 

Should they opt to apply for an open work permit after your PGWP application has been filed, they are permitted to do so even if you are awaiting a decision on your PGWP or if you are employed without a work permit while transitioning from a full-time student to a PGWP holder. However, it is important to note when applying after the initial PGWP submission: 

• The processing of your family member's open work permit application is contingent upon the approval of your PGWP. 
• If the decision on your PGWP is still pending by the time their application is assessed, there is a risk that the open work permit application may be refused. 

They can also choose to apply after you receive your PGWP. Please note that your family member’s open work permit won’t be valid longer than your PGWP. 

Documents to prepare: 

As a PGWP holder, to support your family member’s open work permit application, you may need to provide the following: 

• Evidence of a genuine relationship with your family member, and 
• Proof that you can or will be legally authorized to work in Canada. This is not required if you and your family member apply at the same time or if you are a PGWP holder. 
• Proof that you can work in Canada for at least 6 months after IRCC receives the family member’s work permit application. This is also not required if you and your family member apply at the same time, and 
• Proof that you are or will be working in an occupation in eligible TEER category of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system such as a letter from your employer that either confirms you are employed or offers you a job. This letter must include your employment details, your occupation, a description of your duties, and the specific NOC or TEER category under which your job is classified.  

You may be employed part-time. Although there is no standard minimum of hours required, IRCC officers have to be satisfied that your wages or funds will be sufficient to financially support yourself and your family members while in Canada. 

 
How to apply: 

When submitting your application for an open work permit online along with your family member's application, it's essential to provide accurate responses to specific questions to ensure both applications are processed together. 

Firstly, when asked if you intend to include a family member's application with yours, select "Yes" for the question "Do you want to submit an application for a family member?" 

Secondly, for the question "Why is your family member visiting Canada?" choose the option "Work with an Open Work Permit." 

Correctly answering these questions activates the system to generate the appropriate document checklists for your family member under your application, ensuring streamlined processing of both applications. 
 

IRCC Temporary Policy:  

On December 2, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a temporary policy set to begin on January 30, 2023. This policy, effective for two years, extends the eligibility for open work permits to include the spouses and working-age children of certain work permit holders under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Specifically, family members of the main applicant who are employed in a job categorized under the category 4 or 5 of TEER (high-wage stream only) in the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system, can now also apply for an open work permit. “High-wage stream” refers to positions with wages at or above the provincial or territorial median hourly wage.