In Canada, how long must I work with a Post-Graduation Work Permit before I can apply for permanent residency through the Canadian Experience Class?

The Canadian Experience Class counts hours, not months on paper, and only certain job categories qualify. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada counts full time work at up to 30 hours per week, so 30 hours multiplied by 52 weeks equals 1,560 hours, which is the threshold you need to reach within the 3 years before you submit your Express Entry application.

Which Jobs Actually Count

Your work must fall under NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3, meaning management roles or skilled technical, professional and associate professional work. It must also be paid and authorized, meaning performed while you legally held a valid work permit such as the PGWP. Work completed while you were a full time student generally does not count toward this requirement, even if it was part time and authorized under your study permit.

• Timing example: starting a qualifying 30 hour per week role on 1 October 2026 would generally get you to the 1,560 hour mark around 1 October 2027.
• Not automatic: reaching 1 year of qualifying work does not by itself grant PR; you still need to meet CEC language requirements and receive an Invitation to Apply through Express Entry.
• PGWP length matters: your permit needs to remain valid long enough to accumulate the required hours before it expires.

This Information Is Also Available On

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Canadian Experience Class program page and official IRCC help centre answers.

My Advice

In my experience, students often celebrate reaching the 1 year mark and then stall because they have not banked their language test or built their Express Entry profile in parallel. Start your Express Entry profile and book your language test well before you hit 1,560 hours, so your Invitation to Apply can follow almost immediately once your work experience becomes eligible, rather than losing months to test scheduling after the fact.