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Timing a child's study visa reapplication around a pending PGWP, and using flagpoling

Canada • Post-Graduation Work Permit • work 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • Program completion letter and transcripts

    Needed if flagpoling at a land border to get a work permit issued on the spot.

Step-by-Step

If your child's study visa has already been rejected twice and you're currently on applied status for your own work permit, the sequencing of when to reapply for your child's visa matters.

Advice from the group:
  1. It's generally better to have your own PGWP approved before resubmitting your child's study visa application. A stable, approved status on your side can strengthen the credibility of the family's overall application, especially after prior rejections.

  2. If you're short on time, "flagpoling" is a valid option. This means physically traveling to a land border (near the US) with your program completion letter and transcripts, which can get your work permit issued instantly rather than waiting for online processing.

  3. Online PGWP processing can take 3–4 months, so if that timeline doesn't work for your child's intake or other plans, flagpoling is worth considering as a faster alternative.


Weighing these against each other — waiting for your PGWP online versus flagpoling for speed — depends mainly on how much time pressure you're under.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Aim to have your PGWP approved before resubmitting your child's study visa application, since a stable/approved status on your side can strengthen that file.
  • Tip: If you're short on time, flagpoling at a land border with your completion letter and transcripts can get your work permit issued immediately instead of waiting 3-4 months online.

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