Hello!
I came to Canada and studied for 1 year and graduated in August, so I applied for PGWP (1 year I’m assuming) in September 4th and still haven’t received any updates.
My question is, my study permit and visa were going to expire by the end of November 2018. If I get my PGWP, will I also have to extend my Visa in case I want to leave and come back in this year? Will my Visa remain expiring in November or will it be updated with the PGWP? Thanks!
Hi le_eddz. You can probably check the duration of your course on your unofficial transcript issued by your University/ Institution. I say this because that is what will determine the duration of your PGWP. I studied a 3 term, full time, 45 Credit course and my transcript states that the course duration is 2 years (Academic duration is not the same as calendar duration). So all my classmates received 3 year PGWP’s. (I haven’t applied yet).
While the PGWP is the document that authorises you to work in Canada, the TRV is the document you need to enter and leave Canada. This is assuming, ofcourse, that your nationality is not TRV exempt. The TRV is the counterfoil in your passport.
So to answer your question: yes; you will need to apply separately for a TRV if you are presently in Canada. The TRV application shall take 3-4 weeks more after you receive your PGWP (which itself should take close to 2 1/2 months).
Based on the current processing times, and the fact that you applied on 4 Sept, you should get your PGWP mid or late November. On receiving it, you shall need to apply for TRV and shall hopefully receive it late December.
I am in the same situation as you and need to return to my home country by December, so I intend to travel to the US (as I have a US Visitor Visa) next week and apply for my PGWP at the land border when I re-enter Canada a day later. Thus, I shall have my PGWP by this month end, apply for my TRV in the first week of November and travel out of Canada tentatively in the first week of December.
