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Counting working experience between graduation and work permit

jes_ON

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I'm on same boat. My employer gave me a reference letter dated when I started working for them after I finished my final exams

"after I finished my final exams" is not a relevant date. The last day of your final semester, and/or graduation date - those are the "end" dates of your eligibility to work under your study permit.

Regardless, appears likely that you started working without authorization.


but I applied for my pgwp 3wks later.
How should I fill the work history form?

My suggestion would be to just be honest about it, and write a letter of explanation about the error. You won't get credit for the unauthorized time, but in this specific circumstance, acknowledging the error of your ways and groveling a bit for forgiveness is usually enough to placate IRCC, esp. since it was such a short time and you were granted the PGWP....
 
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Canm

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Sep 30, 2017
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I filled out my personal history with the exact date I started working. But I submitted a LOE that says I am only claiming points from the date I submitted my PGWP application.
 

Island_vibes

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Oct 22, 2018
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I filled out my personal history with the exact date I started working. But I submitted a LOE that says I am only claiming points from the date I submitted my PGWP application.
Hi Dear ,

Did u get ur PR? Did they have any questions? Thanks
 

Island_vibes

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Oct 22, 2018
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Under current rules: As of September 1, 2016, the date you stopped being a student, you were no longer authorized to work unless you had applied for the PGWP.

This change in how post graduation work is handled happened earlier this year - I'm not sure if it was so much as a "rule change" as a change in / clarification of existing rules. The way the rule was handled a year ago, you would have been fine.

A lot of former students are making this "error", I don't yet know how IRCC is handling it.
I suspect that you can rely on the rules in place at the time.

I can see how this might sound contradictory. My advice would be - IF POSSIBLE - to work the extra 5 weeks, and then if IRCC asks about the "unauthorized work," you can explain the rules were different in 2016 (hopefully you can find something in writing to back you up, if it comes to that).
Hi Jes,

I hope you see this and help me out. I graduated in Feb 2016 and worked on my study permit and applied for PGWP , Also declared that my work. Back then it wasn't very clear if we could work during this time. They approved my application even after I mentioned that work . But now I'm applying for my PR, so I'm declaring the same experience, should I now consider the work I performed between graduation and before applying for PGWP as illegal ? I'm still not sure. Should I mention this and apologize?? Also I didn't get my final transcripts till mid march. I just don't want to be accused of misrepresentation.
 

jes_ON

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Hi Jes,

I hope you see this and help me out. I graduated in Feb 2016 and worked on my study permit and applied for PGWP , Also declared that my work. Back then it wasn't very clear if we could work during this time. They approved my application even after I mentioned that work . But now I'm applying for my PR, so I'm declaring the same experience, should I now consider the work I performed between graduation and before applying for PGWP as illegal ? I'm still not sure. Should I mention this and apologize?? Also I didn't get my final transcripts till mid march. I just don't want to be accused of misrepresentation.
Applications are processed according to the rules in place at the time you apply. If you are applying for EE/CEC now, the work you performed after graduation and before applying for the PGWP is unauthorized and will not count. In your profile, the dates you use to list your work experience should start on the date you applied for your PGWP (that is, it should not include the unauthorized experience). It is probably a good idea to include the letter of explanation.

I have no idea what the point about final transcripts means : )
 

Island_vibes

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Oct 22, 2018
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Applications are processed according to the rules in place at the time you apply. If you are applying for EE/CEC now, the work you performed after graduation and before applying for the PGWP is unauthorized and will not count. In your profile, the dates you use to list your work experience should start on the date you applied for your PGWP (that is, it should not include the unauthorized experience). It is probably a good idea to include the letter of explanation.

I have no idea what the point about final transcripts means : )
Hi Jess, Thank you so much! I'm not actually claiming points for this experience as I have other experience. I'm just wondering if I should answer "yes" to the question if I ever have performed unauthorized work. The reason i mentioned my transcripts is because eventho transcripts say I guduated in Feb, they released the transcripts in March.
 

jes_ON

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Hi Jess, Thank you so much! I'm not actually claiming points for this experience as I have other experience. I'm just wondering if I should answer "yes" to the question if I ever have performed unauthorized work.
Hmmm... good question, my thoughts are that it is better to say "yes" then explain, than to say no and possibly be called out on it.

If you check yes and write a letter of explanation, it would most likely be OK. You are correct that the rules have changed over time about whether or not you are authorized to work in that gap period between graduation and applying for the PGWP, so you could simply state what you understood to be correct / authorized at the time, and you only learned later that the rules had been updated...


The reason i mentioned my transcripts is because eventho transcripts say I guduated in Feb, they released the transcripts in March.
Still not sure why this is important... your graduation date is your graduation date, regardless of when the transcripts were released. Are saying this is the reason you delayed applying for the PGWP? But you should have received some other formal notification of eligibility to graduate long before then...
 

vv14

Full Member
Jul 13, 2018
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I'm on same boat. My employer gave me a reference letter dated when I started working for them after I finished my final exams but I applied for my pgwp 3wks later.
How should I fill the work history form?
PLEASE tell me if you got your PR? Were there any complications because of this? I am in a similar boat but I only did 2 days of work before I applied for PGWP. Please let me know! Thank you in advance.
 

am244

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Oct 21, 2019
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Any update on what happened once you applied for PR? Did you include a letter of explanation? Was there complications?
 

Eyerus

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Oct 3, 2019
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Any updates on this will be very much appreciated! I just learned that you are now only allowed to work up until 20hrs/week until you get confirmation letter, and then you have to stop working immediately until you apply for your PGWP. @Island_vibes did it create any problems for you?
 

jyothis890

Star Member
Nov 20, 2015
101
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happened to me too, PR application in progress. Will update you guys :)
I'm also in the same situation I worked for 5 weeks before applying for pgwp, but I'm not claiming points for that experience. Should explain that situation in an LOE and apologize ?