If you're now on a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) but your passport only has a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) stamp issued for your earlier study permit, don't assume that stamp still covers your return travel.
- Understand that a TRV is tied to the status it was issued under. A TRV stamped for a study permit was issued based on your student status; once you're on a PGWP, that status has changed, and the old TRV isn't automatically valid for re-entry as a worker.
- The remaining validity window on a study-permit TRV is often just a buffer, not ongoing coverage. Community explanation is that the extra months on a student TRV exist mainly to allow finishing/exiting studies, not to cover a changed status like PGWP.
- Apply for a new TRV reflecting your current status before traveling, since re-entering Canada on an outdated, status-mismatched TRV can create problems at the border.
- Do this well ahead of your planned travel date, since TRV processing takes time and you don't want to be stuck outside Canada without valid re-entry documentation.
Because the consequences of traveling on an outdated TRV can include being denied boarding or re-entry, treat this as non-negotiable and apply for the correct TRV before departure.