Extending PGWP after renewing passport? Here's what I did / カナダ・ポスグラの延長方法完全版

?Welcome to the idiot's guide to the extension of the Post Graduate Work Permit!

Were you idiot enough to not pay single attention to your passport expiry date when you applied for your work permit? You're in the right place. 

when you see your PGWP with only f*** ing 6 months validity

Yes, I am one of them. I applied for a 3-year PGWP with my passport which was expiring in 6 months. I was sad, confused, panicking. Cried three days straight.

But anyways, I applied for the extension using the information from a famous post on a discussion group. And recently received a new PGWP (yei), so I will be sharing how I did it and I will be very happy if this will be a help for you. 

OLD PGWP: Received a work permit valid till November of the same year. is dis a joke?

OLD PGWP: says it was issued to the passport expiry date

Disclaimer: 

• What I will be sharing here is just an example. Everybody got a different situation. It worked for me, but might not work for you. 
• As I don't know anyone who did the extension of PGWP, I'm not 100% sure if the steps that I'm going to explain are really needed. Maybe you don't need a letter of explanation, but who knows ┐(´д｀)┌
• Perdon my writing. I haven't written anything after my graduation, so it really sucks and annoys you, but bear with me! haha

STEP 1 

Renew your passport 

It might take a while to receive, just do as soon as you can. 

STEP 2 

Start your application

Sign in to your CIC account, and start answering the questionnaire as exactly you did for your PGWP. Select a current status as "Student", otherwise, it's not gonna let you apply for a work permit. 

STEP 3

Download the application form

Get an "Application to change conditions, extend my stay or remain in Canada as a visitor or temporary resident permit holder (IMM5710)" from the CIC website. 

STEP 4

Fill out the application form 

PERSONAL DETAILS : 

3. Check out "Extend my status as a visitor"

7. Country - Canada 

    Status - Worker 

    From -  To (dates on your current PGWP)

PASSPORT :               

Make sure to put the information of your NEW passport

COMING INTO CANADA :

2.  Study  

4.  Document number of your PGWP 

DETAILS OF VISIT TO CANADA :

1. Returning Worker

2. From : date of your most recent entry to Canada 

   To :  date of "Date issued" on your current PGWP + 3 years 
              (my first PGWP was issued on May 02, 2019, so I put May 02, 2021)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION : 

2. C) Check out "YES"

2. D) Write down some details

i.e. "APPLIED FOR POST GRADUATION WORK PERMIT ON 2019/05/02. PERMIT ISSUED TO PASSPORT EXPIRY DATE WITH VALIDITY UPTO 2019/11/23" 

STEP 5 

Write an explanation letter 

Prepare a small letter for the officers explaining the confusing points of your application. Also, attach pdf files of your current PGWP and your OLD passport

Here's what I wrote 

--------------------------

Date, Home address, Phone number

Dear officer, 

I am writing you this letter to explain some points that might have caught your attention. 

1) Questionnaire - Page 3 - “What is your current immigration status in Canada?” - Student

My current immigration status is WORKER, NOT a student. I selected “Student” as the online platform did not let me apply for the extension of PGWP with the selection of “Worker”.  

2)Application form IMM5710 - Page 4 - Background Information - Section 2 - c) - Yes

I have applied for Post Graduate Work Permit on January 27th, 2019, and the work permit has been issued on May 2nd, 2019. <Attached document no.1> I applied with the intention of receiving three-year PGWP as I completed two years of PostSecondary education(Langara College, Vancouver), however, I received a work permit valid until November 23th, 2019 because of my (previous) passport expiry date<Attached document no.2>
This application is intended to extend my PGWP with my new passport(expiring July 2nd, 2029).  

I am at your disposal to provide you with any additional documents that you deem useful for the processing of my Post Graduate Work Permit. 

Thank you in advance for the time devoted to the treatment of my application. 

Signature 

Name 

<Document 1 Current PGWP>

<Document 2 Old passport>

---------------------

STEP 6

Upload everything

You will need the same information as you did for your PGWP

Recent Education Transcript

- Unofficial one that you can download from your student account would do

Passport

- your NEW passport obviously 

Digital photo

- I took it with my smartphone with the whitest wall I could find in my house on the back

Your letter of explanation (with the scans of PGWP and the old passport all combined to one pdf file) goes to the "Optional documents - Client information"

STEP 7 

Pay and Submit 

Submit at least 30 days before your current PGWP expires ( I submitted the application 33 days before the expiry date simply because of my laziness: ) and it'll cost you $155 + $100 for an open work permit. I know, it f***ing hurts. 

Processing time is usually 3-4 months. I received my new PGWP after 95 days. 

You should be able to keep working while you're waiting for the application to be processed.

Also, you can go outside the country( NOT RECOMMENDED, AT ALL!!!) I went down to Seattle after my old PGWP expired. (I'm a Japanese citizen, so I don't need a visa to enter Canada as a visitor) I brought a copy of the application confirmation with me and explained the situation to the officer at the border. He took a glance at it and did not ask me anything more. 

NEW PGWP: They somehow gave me for three more years. lol

NEW PGWP: Temporary resident status maintained

Well, that's it from me! 

Good luck everyone!