PGWP: Took 1 term off, am I still eligible?

[fifiorb]

Hi everyone,

I'm in my 4/5th year at UBC but, due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to withdraw from the term Jan-April 2020. Will that affect my ability to apply to a post-graduation work permit?

I renewed my study permit in Sep 2019 from inside Canada and sought help from International Student Advising during this process. However, since I applied from within Canada they failed to mention that I needed to renew my TRV if I wanted to leave Canada. Unaware of this I went back home (Peru) during the Christmas break and when I went to the airport after the break to return to Vancouver I was not allowed on the plane because I didn't have a valid TRV.

I applied for the TRV and got it mid-February BUT advising at the university and my professors strongly pressured me into withdrawing from the term because of the number of lectures I would miss (1 month and a half). I was informed by Arts Advising that there would be no issue as I was allowed to withdraw because I was in good academic standing.

However, as I was doing some research on the PGWP I found that there's something about not stopping my studies. I'm worried how this 1 term leave affects my possibilities of applying for a work permit. I am NOT in Canada, I have stayed in Peru and will return to Canada when I'm enrolled in next term's courses and classes are about to begin. I have never worked more time than the allowed by my study permit, I did two terms of Co Op and all the other terms I have taken either 15 or 18 credits. During summers, which are scheduled breaks, I always went back home to work/visit family.

I'm honestly freaking out because no one has emailed me back about this (because of Covid-19 everything is closed) and I understand this is a strange and busy time but I had my entire future planned and it depended on me getting the PGWP. I never thought I'd be at risk of not qualifying for it and I don't know what to do. Please help.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi everyone,

I'm in my 4/5th year at UBC but, due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to withdraw from the term Jan-April 2020. Will that affect my ability to apply to a post-graduation work permit?

I renewed my study permit in Sep 2019 from inside Canada and sought help from International Student Advising during this process. However, since I applied from within Canada they failed to mention that I needed to renew my TRV if I wanted to leave Canada. Unaware of this I went back home (Peru) during the Christmas break and when I went to the airport after the break to return to Vancouver I was not allowed on the plane because I didn't have a valid TRV.

I applied for the TRV and got it mid-February BUT advising at the university and my professors strongly pressured me into withdrawing from the term because of the number of lectures I would miss (1 month and a half). I was informed by Arts Advising that there would be no issue as I was allowed to withdraw because I was in good academic standing.

However, as I was doing some research on the PGWP I found that there's something about not stopping my studies. I'm worried how this 1 term leave affects my possibilities of applying for a work permit. I am NOT in Canada, I have stayed in Peru and will return to Canada when I'm enrolled in next term's courses and classes are about to begin. I have never worked more time than the allowed by my study permit, I did two terms of Co Op and all the other terms I have taken either 15 or 18 credits. During summers, which are scheduled breaks, I always went back home to work/visit family.

I'm honestly freaking out because no one has emailed me back about this (because of Covid-19 everything is closed) and I understand this is a strange and busy time but I had my entire future planned and it depended on me getting the PGWP. I never thought I'd be at risk of not qualifying for it and I don't know what to do. Please help.

The withdrawal makes you ineligible for a PGWP. You can apply and plead your case and hope to get a nice VO but as per the rules, you don't qualify.

Also, no one failed to tell you anything. It was your responsibility to make sure you had the correct documents to travel.

 

[fifiorb]

The withdrawal makes you ineligible for a PGWP. You can apply and plead your case and hope to get a nice VO but as per the rules, you don't qualify.

Even if I still have 2 terms left before I graduate?

I found this information on canada.ca

"You may not be eligible for a PGWP if

• you take an unauthorized leave from your study program and
• we find you didn’t meet the conditions of your study permit by taking this leave
• There are a few cases where you may be able to take an authorized leave of up to 150 days from your study program and still meet the conditions of your study permit. If your leave is authorized, you may still be eligible for a PGWP. "

I did not take an unauthorized leave because UBC allows academic leaves of 1-2 terms to students in good academic standing and since I didn't stay in Canada I didn't fail to meet the conditions on my study permit right? So I would assume that it should be fine but at the same time there's a lot of contradicting info out there so idk!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Even if I still have 2 terms left before I graduate?

I found this information on canada.ca

"You may not be eligible for a PGWP if

• you take an unauthorized leave from your study program and
• we find you didn’t meet the conditions of your study permit by taking this leave
• There are a few cases where you may be able to take an authorized leave of up to 150 days from your study program and still meet the conditions of your study permit. If your leave is authorized, you may still be eligible for a PGWP. "

I did not take an unauthorized leave because UBC allows academic leaves of 1-2 terms to students in good academic standing and since I didn't stay in Canada I didn't fail to meet the conditions on my study permit right? So I would assume that it should be fine but at the same time there's a lot of contradicting info out there so idk!

Authorized leaves only count in some situations, generally when it is quite serious. You will have to hope that the officer counts yours.

 

[Murich]

Text to your school about this, and ask could they make you note or smth, that states that it was authorized leave .

 

[canuck78]

Text to your school about this, and ask could they make you note or smth, that states that it was authorized leave .

You do need proof of why you qualified for authorized leave.

 

[jweekend]

Academic leaves not scheduled in the school year are unauthorized leaves. You are no longer eligible for Pgwp. Yes, even if you have 2 terms left to graduate.

 

[Rohit Abby Elias]

Ahhhh.... I don't know why these people are being so pessimistic. However, you can take leave up to 150 days (1 semester approximately) provided it is authorised as indicated below:

• your school has authorized a leave from your study program for:
  • medical reasons or pregnancy
  • family emergency
  • death or serious illness of a family member
  • any other type of leave your school authorizes
• your school has closed permanently or because of a strike
• you’ve changed schools
• you or your school deferred your program start date
  • In this case, you must start your studies the next semester, even if it starts sooner than 150 days, and get an updated letter of acceptance.

You cannot work during an authorised leave. Remember the key word is 150 days. Get an authorised leave from UBC.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare-arrival/study-permit-conditions.html#s01.1
Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility.html#special (special cases)
Source: https://students.ubc.ca/career/career-resources/working-canada/post-graduation-work-permit

 

[adanikolas]

Ahhhh.... I don't know why these people are being so pessimistic. However, you can take leave up to 150 days (1 semester approximately) provided it is authorised as indicated below:

• your school has authorized a leave from your study program for:
  • medical reasons or pregnancy
  • family emergency
  • death or serious illness of a family member
  • any other type of leave your school authorizes
• your school has closed permanently or because of a strike
• you’ve changed schools
• you or your school deferred your program start date
  • In this case, you must start your studies the next semester, even if it starts sooner than 150 days, and get an updated letter of acceptance.

You cannot work during an authorised leave. Remember the key word is 150 days. Get an authorised leave from UBC.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare-arrival/study-permit-conditions.html#s01.1
Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility.html#special (special cases)
Source: https://students.ubc.ca/career/career-resources/working-canada/post-graduation-work-permit

Heyy I had to defer an exam for my last semester so I wasn't registered for 4months. I graduated after completing the deferred exam. In this case will I be refused? Or am I authorised to not be registered for this term as I had deferred standing.