Graduates of 2-year Canadian diploma programs normally expect a 3-year Post-Graduation Work Permit, so receiving only 1 year is alarming. Group members who faced this laid out a clear checklist.
What to do:- Check your passport validity first. IRCC will not issue a PGWP beyond your passport's expiry date. If your passport expires within a year, that alone explains the short permit — renew the passport, then apply to extend the PGWP.
- If the passport isn't the issue, treat it as a possible IRCC error. Members reported IRCC sometimes makes mistakes on PGWP duration, and that permit length is partly officer discretion. Call IRCC to clarify and ask for a correction.
- Apply for an extension right away. Submit the extension with all documents, plus a letter of explanation as a PDF describing your program length and why the issued duration seems wrong.
- Expect a revision, not a reapplication. One member's friend applied for the extension and IRCC revised the expiry date on the permit.
Acting quickly matters: the sooner you flag the discrepancy, the more of your intended work-permit time you preserve.