Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some guidance regarding my current situation with my Canadian study permit and post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
About two years ago, I applied for an extension of my student permit. My agent at the time submitted the application, and I was granted a one-year study permit extension valid from 2024 to 2025. However, the visa stamped in my passport was actually a visitor visa valid until my passport’s expiration in 2029.
My studies officially ended in mid-August of that year, while my study permit was set to expire on July 4th. In other words, my permit expired just about a month before I actually completed my program, and my convocation took place on October 17th.
After my graduation, since I was on a visitor visa, I left Canada on October 24th of the same year and traveled to India. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize at the time that in order to apply for a PGWP from within Canada, I needed to have an active student permit. I had assumed that having the visitor visa until 2029 meant I was fine.
Now I’ve returned to Canada on that visitor visa just last week, and I’m still within the 180-day window from when my final grades were issued. The issue is that I can’t apply for the PGWP from inside Canada now because I don’t have a valid study permit anymore. I’m trying to figure out if I need to go back to India to apply from there or if there are any other options I should consider.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I’m looking for some guidance regarding my current situation with my Canadian study permit and post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
About two years ago, I applied for an extension of my student permit. My agent at the time submitted the application, and I was granted a one-year study permit extension valid from 2024 to 2025. However, the visa stamped in my passport was actually a visitor visa valid until my passport’s expiration in 2029.
My studies officially ended in mid-August of that year, while my study permit was set to expire on July 4th. In other words, my permit expired just about a month before I actually completed my program, and my convocation took place on October 17th.
After my graduation, since I was on a visitor visa, I left Canada on October 24th of the same year and traveled to India. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize at the time that in order to apply for a PGWP from within Canada, I needed to have an active student permit. I had assumed that having the visitor visa until 2029 meant I was fine.
Now I’ve returned to Canada on that visitor visa just last week, and I’m still within the 180-day window from when my final grades were issued. The issue is that I can’t apply for the PGWP from inside Canada now because I don’t have a valid study permit anymore. I’m trying to figure out if I need to go back to India to apply from there or if there are any other options I should consider.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
