Many international students are confused about when they need to stop working after finishing their studies. There are many opinions, but let’s make it clear based on IRCC’s rules and common situations.

What Does IRCC Say?

You must stop working as soon as your school tells you that you have completed your program. This notice can come in different ways, such as:

  • Final grades,
  • A completion letter,
  • A transcript (official or unofficial),
  • Your degree or diploma.

Breaking It Down:

  1. Final Grades:
    • Final grades don’t mean the marks your professors upload for each course. They must show on your transcript (official or unofficial) that you’ve finished all the requirements of your program.
  2. Unofficial Transcripts:
    • If your unofficial transcript says you’ve completed your program, you must stop working, even if you haven’t received your official transcript or completion letter yet.
  3. Completion Letters:
    • Some schools take weeks or even months to issue completion letters or official transcripts. But if you’ve already received any written notice (like an email, unofficial transcript, or a message on your student portal) that you’ve graduated, you cannot keep working while waiting for the official documents.

Important Points:

  • Any notice (email, unofficial transcript, portal update, etc.) counts as confirmation that you’ve finished your program. If you keep working after getting this notice, it’s considered unauthorized work, even if your official documents are delayed.
  • In the past, some students kept working after being told they had completed their program and later had their PGWP applications rejected. Even when they appealed in court, their claims of delayed documents were not accepted as valid excuses.

Our Advice:

It’s better to stop working early and avoid risking your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Missing a week or two of work is much better than losing your work permit. Don’t wait for delayed completion letters or assume you can work until you get official documents. The choice is yours, but it’s always safer to follow the rules!