International students hoping to remain in Canada on a Post-Graduation Work Permit now have six months to apply once they obtain their notice of graduation and are no longer required to have a valid study permit.

The Government of Canada announced the changes on Thursday, February 14, along with other modifications to its popular Post-Graduation Work Permit.

The extension doubles the amount of time recent graduates must apply for a PGWP once their school issues their final marks, from 90 days to 180 days.

Another corresponding change was the removal of the requirement that international graduates have a valid study permit when applying for a PGWP.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship (IRCC) now say a study permit must only have been valid “at some point” during the 180 days that graduates now must submit their PGWP application.

Study permits are generally issued for the duration of the student’s academic program. By effectively removing the valid study permit requirement, students will now have adequate time to obtain the documents they need to apply without the added stress of an expired permit.

“This is huge news for international graduates who are applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit,” said David Cohen, senior partner at the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal.

“Doubling the amount of time they have to apply and allowing them to do so beyond the expiration date on their study visa will make a world of a difference for students who want to stay and gain valuable Canadian work experience.”