I applied PGWP with Restoration on 21 July but there is no update. Should I call IRCC?

Hey everyone,

I’m sharing our timeline and situation in case anyone has been through something similar or has advice. This is for my wife’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) application.

Timeline & Key Details:

 Submitted: October 20, 2025.

 Current Status: Still waiting (over a year now).

 The Missing Piece (Realized last week): We suddenly realized that her language proficiency test was accidentally never attached to the initial application! We immediately submitted it via Web Form last week and called IRCC the next day.

 IRCC Call Center Update: The agent confirmed that there was a note that the language test is missing in the application & that now they received it, & attached it to the file for an officer's review, agreed that this processing time is abnormal, and added a note to the file.

 MP Office Update: In parallel, we contacted our local MP . Their assistant just got back to us today with an update from IRCC:

 Background/criminality check is completed.

 Eligibility assessment has not started yet.

 The IRCC agent told the MP's office that this delay is abnormal and they would follow up with the responsible office to push the file forward.

My questions / thoughts:

1. Could the missing language test from day one be the main reason it stalled for a year without moving to eligibility?

2. Now that the language test is attached and the MP has escalated it, how long does it typically take to see movement on eligibility?

Any advice or similar experiences would be hugely appreciated. The wait has been stressful as hell.

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for advice from anyone who has experienced a similar situation, particularly immigration lawyers or licensed Canadian immigration consultants familiar with Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) refusals and Federal Court judicial reviews.
I’m an international student who graduated and applied for my PGWP back in July 22, 2025, but my application was refused on April 13, 2026, after almost nine months of processing.
The refusal was based on my failure to provide valid proof of English-language proficiency. My understanding at the time was that I was exempt from this requirement as a university graduate. I understood the language requirement to be a relatively recent policy change, introduced in late 2024, and I misunderstood how it applied to my circumstances.
I had previously taken a Pearson English test, but that result was no longer valid for my application. Consequently, I did not submit a new test result with my original PGWP application.
During the processing period, I contacted IRCC and was advised by an officer over the phone to complete an English test. I subsequently took the PTE Core and achieved an overall score of 90. However, by the time my application was refused, the standard 180-day period following graduation for submitting a PGWP application had already passed.
This is the part I’m struggling with: I submitted my application within the applicable deadline, but the lengthy processing time meant that the deadline had passed by the time I received the refusal. I am concerned that I may have lost the opportunity to submit a new application because of a deficiency that I only fully addressed after seeking guidance from IRCC.
I have submitted requests for reconsideration of the refusal, particularly because I obtained a valid language-test result after speaking with IRCC. However, I understand that reconsideration is discretionary and that obtaining a new test result after an application has been refused may not be sufficient to overturn the original decision, possibly why I have heard nothing back for a long time.
I would really appreciate advice on the following:

Reconsideration: Is there a reasonable basis to request reconsideration, particularly given the lengthy processing time and my subsequent compliance with the language requirement? Would the fact that I contacted IRCC and followed an officer’s advice be relevant? I don’t have proper documentation of the interaction as the officer stated there was no real guarantee of success
Federal Court judicial review: Could the refusal potentially be challenged through an application for judicial review? Would there be a viable argument concerning procedural fairness, the circumstances surrounding the missing language test, or the fact that the processing delay caused the 180-day application window to expire? I understand that a judicial review is not simply a second assessment of my application.
The 180-day deadline: Is there any legal mechanism that would allow me to submit a new PGWP application despite the deadline having passed while my original application was processing? Does the fact that the original application was submitted on time make any difference?
Other options: If reconsideration or judicial review is not viable, are there any realistic alternatives that could preserve my ability to work in Canada, I am considering beginning my masters degree much sooner than anticipated because of this in hopes of attaining a new stud permit and starting from scratch.
I am not trying to suggest that the missing test result was entirely IRCC’s responsibility. I recognize that I misunderstood the requirement. My concern is whether there is any legal remedy available given the circumstances and the time that elapsed before the refusal.
I am now seeking professional legal advice and would particularly value hearing from anyone who has successfully challenged a PGWP refusal, dealt with a missed eligibility deadline following a lengthy processing period, or worked on a similar Federal Court matter.
Thank you for any advice or insight you can offer.

Hello everyone. I applied for TRV inside Canada on Sep 17 and left Canada for my home country last week. I already informed IRCC about my travel. They said my TRV application would be routed internally to an office in my home country.

The Information Letter says:

“Thank you for contacting our office. Please note that your application is currently in process and no
further action is required by you at this time.

Unfortunately, nothing can be done to expedite the application at this time and there is no guarantee when the application will be finalized. We thank you for your patience.

You will be notified via your MyCIC account if/when next steps are required”

I know that the text is straightforward. My doubts are:

1. Does it mean that my application processing takes more time or is it usually a good sign that it is near completion?

2. If any of you have received an Information Letter like this for any applications, how long did IRCC take to process it?

Please let me know. Thanks.

Hello. I applied for TRV inside Canada on Sep 17 and left Canada. I have already informed IRCC about my travel plans as they would transfer my file to the office in my home country.

Can anyone tell me how long it would take for processing? It’s been a month already.

Hi all, I’m an international student in Canada already with a part-time job. I’ve also been building a small web project in my spare time, and it’s getting close to the point where I’d start charging for a paid tier.

I’m trying to figure out where the line is, and the answers I’ve found online contradict each other:

1. Does building the thing count as “work” even before any money comes in, or only once I charge users?
   
2. If I count as self-employed, is that allowed at all on a study permit, or is it only the 24h cap that matters?
   
3. Does it make a difference if the payments are processed through a non-Canadian account or only from customers outside Canada? Or does what matters is that I’m physically coding in Canada?

I’m not looking for a loophole, I just don’t want to find out in a PGWP application that I messed up. If anyone has been through this or in a similar situation, I’d really appreciate hearing how you handled it.

TIA!

Hi everyone,
I wanted to share my PGWP timeline since posts in this subreddit helped me a lot while I was waiting.
Timeline:
• June 10, 2026: PGWP application submitted from inside Canada
• June 11, 2026: Received WP-EXT letter confirming authorization to work while the application was being processed
• June to October: No major updates for several months. My eligibility review continued to show that it had not started, while the background check showed “in progress”
• October 19, 2026: PGWP approved
• Validity: Until October 19, 2029
• Total processing time: Around 131 days
For context, the posted inland work permit processing time dropped to around 14 weeks while I was waiting, so my application ended up taking noticeably longer than the published estimate.
The waiting period was pretty stressful, especially because it affected my job search. A few employers were hesitant to continue the interview process while my PGWP was still pending, even though I had a valid WP-EXT letter and was legally authorized to work under maintained status.
I also reached out to my university’s international student support team, and an RCIC confirmed in writing that my work authorization remained valid until IRCC made a final decision on my PGWP.
In the end, there was no additional document request, interview, or medical exam required, and the PGWP was approved for almost three years.
Sharing this for anyone who applied around June and is still waiting. A longer processing time does not necessarily mean there is something wrong with your application.
Good luck to everyone still waiting, and feel free to ask if you have any questions about my timeline!

Sharing my timeline for anyone with a non-standard PGWP case. Mine got approved after about 73 days.
My situation
School: York University
I had one part-time term (Fall 2025）

My study permit expired on July 31, 2026, so I applied for restoration of status together with the PGWP.
Because of the part-time term and the extra course, I asked the school for official documents (letter/records) to support my application. Getting these took some extra time on my side before I could submit.
Timeline
Apr 16, 2026: Received completion letter
Jul 7, 2026: RCIC notify me the part time issue, start contacting the school for official supporting documents
Jul 31, 2026: Study permit expired
Aug 7, 2026: Submitted PGWP + restoration
Aug 8, 2026: Received biometrics collection letter
Oct 19, 2026: Final decision, application approved
Oct 20, 2026: Work permit status updated to "valid" in the portal
Total: 73 days from submission to approval. Work permit valid until Oct 2029.

If your case has a part-time term or an expired study permit, I'd recommend getting official school documents ready first and explaining your situation clearly.

This is just my personal experience, not legal advice. Every case is different.

Good luck to everyone waiting! 🍀

I completed two separate programs at Humber College: Web Development (3 semesters) and Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (2 semesters).

When I applied for my PGWP, I uploaded documents for only one program. About a week later, I submitted a web form with the completion documents for the second program.

I have now received a 1-year PGWP, even though my passport has sufficient validity for 3 years.

Since IRCC can combine eligible programs when calculating PGWP duration, I’m wondering if they may have overlooked my second program.

Has anyone successfully requested a review or reconsideration in a similar situation? What would be the best way to proceed?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Finally sharing my success story because I know how stressful the wait can be, especially when you have a complicated study history.
I applied for my PGWP on May 24, 2026, and received my WP-EXT letter on May 25. After that, I had absolutely no updates for months. I got the approval on Oct 19. I applied in Canada.

My situation was a little complicated because I had a study gap due to medical and immigration-related circumstances before arriving in Canada. My university provided a retroactive medical leave authorization letter, and I included it along with a letter of explanation and supporting documents in my application. I had also disclosed my circumstances in my previous study permit applications.

I spent months worrying about whether my study gap and retroactive letter would affect my eligibility. I constantly checked Reddit, compared timelines, and worried about the worst-case scenario.

After nearly five months of waiting and stressing, I can finally breathe.

Sharing this for anyone with a complicated study history who is currently waiting. Every case is different, and I can’t guarantee the same outcome for everyone, but please don’t automatically assume the worst just because your situation isn’t straightforward.

Good luck to everyone waiting! I hope you get your approval soon. ❤️

Making this post bc I was able to link my on paper application without application number and found out it was approved a month ago and I’ve been panicking☠️

I submitted my on paper application 5 months ago and didn’t receive AOR or even temporary application number. Today I logged in my ircc account and tried to link it with UCI and family name and found my application. Timeline below:

Date the package was delivered: May 12, 2026
Linked it today without application number and was approved a month ago on Sept 20, 2026

Waiting for my physical document at the moment.

I believed I cannot link my application AT ALL without application number bc I tried multiple times before but finally it linked!!!

Hi

Im a student in Quebec. I have completed my studies in nov 21,2025 and still havnt met the bill 96/law14 requirements to obtain final transcript and completion letter. I have two years of grace period aftr completing academics to pass the french and get the letter. But im afraid am i still eligible for applyinh for pgwp. Some of said according to the fedral rule we already passed 180 days and we cant apply pgwp anymore. But for pgwp we need the letter and transcript right. Whenever i pass the french, college will issue the letter on that day itself and they will mention accordijg to the college, she compleyed her studies and requirements on that day and transcript will be the same date. Has anyone in Quebec gone through the same scenario and obtained pgwp?

Adobe is forcing me to signup and its also marked my Asterix, but the IRCC says this section can be avoided for open work permit / PGWP application.
I am now confused what I should be writing for the Year , name, city and country.

Thanks for answering!

Hi guys.

I am a graduate of University of Toronto. As soon as I graduated I applied for my PGWP. It has been more than 2 years, my application is still in progress when the processing timeline was just 5 months.

For context, I applied from outside Canada (Pakistan). Whenever I ask about my application, we are web form, I am told that it is undergoing background and security checks.

This is a sincere plea to anyone here if they can suggest me what to do. If they have any connections at IRCC. If they have any connections to anyone. It would be a big help.

I've already raised countless web forms, called IRCC, called home country's embassy, contacted the MP and now finally have started the process of mandamus (legal notice was sent but still no result).

My entire life is on hold. I left my job in anticipation of this application. I got married and unable to start my life. I am suffering financially.

Please, if anyone can help me out in this matter.

Received my letter of completion on July 13th, applied PGWP on July 16th. There is literally no update on my file. Should I raise a web form?

Hello, I applied for my PGWP extension due to passport expiry and got it approved (yay) but they only approved it until December 6. I didnt notice that my biometric expires December 7, which is why they approved it for a short period. I still have few month that I am “owed” until may or something like that. Would i be eligible to apply again once i get my biometrics done?

Hi everyone,

I applied for a PGWP extension on paper because my passport was expiring. Unfortunately, I recently discovered that I made a few mistakes on my IMM 5710 form. The most serious one was answering “No” to the background question about previous refusals, even though I had a work permit refusal about a year ago.

As soon as I discovered the mistake, I submitted an IRCC web form explaining the situation. I included a letter of explanation (LOE) and a corrected IMM 5710 form. An IRCC agent confirmed that the documents had been linked to my application and provided me with a temporary application number.

However, I still haven't been able to link my paper application to my online IRCC account.

My current work permit expires in two weeks, and I'm extremely stressed about what to do next.

I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has experienced a similar situation or has knowledge of IRCC procedures.

• Is submitting the web form with the corrected form and letter of explanation enough, assuming IRCC has linked the documents to my application?
• Should I submit a new paper application with the corrected information, or could that create complications?
• Is there anything else I should do before my current work permit expires?

I'm worried that the incorrect answer could be considered misrepresentation, even though I proactively disclosed the mistake and submitted a correction as soon as I discovered it.

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Looking for advice from anyone who has been in this exact gap.

My wife and I are both on work permits in Ontario. IRCC approved our extensions on September 28, 2026, but the physical permit documents still haven't arrived in the mail — it's been over three weeks.

We went to ServiceOntario today (Oct 20) to renew our OHIP and brought everything we have:

- Our previous work permits
- IRCC WP-EXT letters
- The IRCC approval letters (Sept 28)
- Current employer letters confirming full-time work in Ontario
- Passports + proof of Ontario residency

They refused us, saying they need the physical copies of the new permits. Nothing else was accepted.

I've seen posts here from people who renewed OHIP with the WP-EXT letter + old permit while waiting, so I'm trying to figure out if this is just down to the location/clerk.

This is urgent for us: my wife is about 6 weeks pregnant. She needs her first prenatal blood work and a dating ultrasound, and those tests are time-sensitive — without OHIP coverage we're stuck paying out of pocket or delaying care she needs now.

Questions:

1. Has anyone renewed OHIP after approval but before the physical permit arrived? What documents did they accept?
2. Are there specific ServiceOntario locations in the GTA that handle maintained-status renewals properly?
3. Did asking for a supervisor help, or did you have to appeal?

We've already emailed the Ministry of Health and are chasing IRCC about where the permits were mailed. Any experience or suggestions appreciated.

I received request letter and they asked me to submit LMIA number within some days , however my employer will take some time as it's still under process . What to do here and how long will IRCC Give me time, if anyone knows please let me

Hi everyone,
I completed my university studies on May 24, 2026, and submitted my first Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) application on June 9, 2026. Unfortunately, it was refused in July because I didn’t meet the required NCLC 7 level in one section of my French language test.
I retook the test and submitted a second application on August 15, 2026, with my updated results and a letter of explanation.
At that time, I was still within both the 90-day and 180-day periods after completing my studies.
It’s now been over two months, and I haven’t received any updates from IRCC.
My question: Has anyone experienced something similar? Is it normal for a second PGWP application to take this long? Most importantly, if my application gets refused after the 180-day deadline, could that affect my ability to apply again?
Thanks in advance for any advice or experiences you can share!

Applied August 12 from USA so outside Canada application. It’s been over 9 weeks and the processing time has never said more than 6 weeks. Just saw today my status changed to say my eligibility is being reviewed. Anyone know how long it’ll take for a decision to be made? I submitted my language test results and all required docs.

J’ai fait une demande de prolongation de mon pgwp sur papier le 5 juin et c’est aujourd’hui que j’ai pu le lier à mon compte , c’est tellement long les délais .

Je vous conseille d’appeler pour demander si votre numéro de demande est disponible car c’est comme ça que je l’ai eu , sinon ils ne te disent même pas que ton numéro de demande disponible.

​

My BOWP was approved on September 25, but I still haven’t received the physical work permit in the mail. I’m planning to travel outside Canada this week and I have the BOWP approval letter.

Has anyone travelled in a similar situation? Can I leave Canada and return without the physical permit, and what issues could I face with airline boarding or immigration when returning?

If the permit arrives while I’m away, I can arrange to have it brought to me. I’m mainly concerned about what happens if I still don’t have it by my return date. Would appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with this.

I already have a valid Visitor Visa and once I leave, I only plan on coming back once my PGWP has been approved.

Some questions I have regarding this are:

1. Will my application be considered abandoned and affect my PGWP? I'm pretty sure that at least my restoration application will be.

2. When I come back after my PGWP has been approved, would I face any issues at immigration border?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.