CANADA

Should you travel outside Canada if you have submitted your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) or Spouse Open Work Permit (SOWP) extension application?

Many people are currently facing this situation.

Many applicants are stuck outside Canada because they had to travel due to family emergencies, such as their parents being unwell, their own health issues, or other family circumstances.

The problem becomes even bigger when they do not have a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to return to Canada.

Many people have already submitted their applications but are unable to travel back.

Even if you have a valid TRV or a valid visa stamp on your passport, the rules are different depending on the type of application you have submitted.

If you have applied for a PGWP, you can still travel outside Canada under certain conditions.

However, if you have applied for a Study Permit extension or any other extension application, the answer is a strict no.

To understand the difference, this guide separates the discussion into two categories:

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applications
Extension applications, including Study Permit extensions, Work Permit extensions, Visitor Record extensions, or any other extension application.

1. Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Applications

A Post-Graduation Work Permit is a special type of application.

If you leave Canada after submitting your PGWP application, you do not lose your implied status.

This makes it different from many other applications.

2. Can You Travel Outside Canada After Applying for a PGWP?

Yes, you can travel outside Canada after submitting your PGWP application.

However, it is better to avoid unnecessary travel because staying inside Canada allows you to continue gaining Canadian work experience that can later be counted toward your Permanent Residency (PR).

If there is an emergency, such as your parents being sick, you being unwell, or another important family situation, you can leave Canada after submitting your PGWP application.

This does not create a problem for your application.

3. What Happens to Your Implied Status?

Your implied status remains valid even if you leave Canada.

Once you return to Canada, you can begin working again while your PGWP application is still being processed.

For example, if you apply for your PGWP today and begin working, you can later travel to India for one month and then return to Canada.

After returning, you can continue working again while your application remains under processing.

Leaving Canada and returning does not affect the outcome of your PGWP application.

It also does not affect your implied status.

You continue to hold implied status and can resume working after returning to Canada.

This is one of the special features of a PGWP application.

4. Why Is It Still Better to Stay Inside Canada?

Although traveling is allowed, it is still better to stay inside Canada whenever possible.

The reason is that work experience gained while you are physically inside Canada can be counted toward your Permanent Residency application.

If you spend time outside Canada, you are not gaining Canadian work experience during that period.

Remaining in Canada allows you to build more work experience and apply for PR sooner.

However, if there is a genuine emergency involving your parents, your own health, or another family member, you may still travel outside Canada after submitting your PGWP application and return during the processing period.

This does not create any issue for your PGWP application.

5. The Most Important Requirement Before Traveling

One important requirement should always be kept in mind before deciding to travel.

To leave Canada, you do not need:

A valid permit.
A valid visa stamp on your passport.

Even if you do not have these documents, you can still leave Canada.

However, the rules are different when returning.

To enter Canada again, you must have a valid visa stamp on your passport.

It can be:

A Study Visa stamp.
A Work Visa stamp.
Any other valid visa stamp on the passport.

A valid visa stamp is required for re-entry into Canada.

Therefore, while nothing is required to leave Canada, a valid visa stamp is essential for returning.

6. Returning Before Your Visa Stamp Expires

Anyone planning to travel after submitting a PGWP application should make sure they return to Canada before their visa stamp expires.

If your visa stamp expires while you are outside Canada, the situation can become a serious problem.

In that case, you may have to wait for your PGWP application to be approved, which could take seven to eight months.

After receiving approval, you would then need to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), which could take another two to three months.

This can result in a significant loss of time.

For this reason, it is better to avoid international travel during the first year after submitting a PGWP application whenever possible.

If travel is absolutely necessary, return to Canada before the expiry date of your current visa stamp.

7. Extension Applications

Now let’s discuss extension applications.

This includes:

SOWP Extension
Visitor Record Extension
Work Permit Extension
Any other extension application submitted from inside Canada

If you have applied for any of these extension applications, you should not travel outside Canada after submitting your application.

The answer is a strict no.

8. Why Should You Not Leave Canada?

Extension applications have an important requirement—you must remain inside Canada while your application is being processed.

If you leave Canada during this period, IRCC can verify your travel history through your travel records.

If IRCC finds that you left Canada while your extension application was in progress, your application can be refused without processing.

For this reason, you should not leave Canada after submitting your Study Permit extension or any other extension application from inside Canada.

If your application is still under processing, try to remain in Canada until a decision has been made.

9. What If You Have to Travel in an Emergency?

If there is an emergency and you must leave Canada, you do not need:

A valid permit.
A valid visa stamp.

You can leave Canada without these documents.

However, to return to Canada, you must have a valid visa stamp on your passport.

It can be a Study Visa, Work Visa, or any other valid visa stamp.

Without a valid visa stamp, returning to Canada becomes difficult.

If your extension application is refused while you are outside Canada, the situation becomes much more complicated.

You may have to apply for your permit from outside Canada.

Once that application is approved, you will then need to complete visa stamping before you can travel back to Canada.

This can become a lengthy process.

For this reason, traveling outside Canada after submitting an extension application is strongly discouraged.

10. Why Traveling Can Lead to Refusal

If you leave Canada while your extension application is still being processed, your application may be refused.

This can leave you stuck outside Canada and result in a significant loss of time.

The time that could have been used to work in Canada and gain experience for your Permanent Residency may instead be spent waiting for approvals and completing a new application process.

11. Can You Work After Returning to Canada on PGWP Implied Status?

If you applied for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and later return to Canada, you can start working again.

For example, if you submitted your PGWP application in April 2025, later needed to travel due to an emergency, and your visa stamp remained valid until December 2025, you could leave Canada in August 2025, return in September or October 2025, and continue working after your return.

Staying outside Canada for one or two months does not affect your PGWP application.

It also does not affect your ability to work after returning.

12. Visitor Record When Returning to Canada

When you return to Canada without a valid permit, you may receive a Visitor Record at the airport or border.

If you have already applied for your PGWP, receiving a Visitor Record does not prevent you from working.

Even after entering Canada with a Visitor Record, you can continue working while your PGWP application is under processing.

This is one of the special features of a PGWP application

13. Can You Work After Returning on a Study Permit Extension?

The answer is no.

If you return to Canada after applying for a Study Permit extension or another extension application, you may also receive a Visitor Record at the border.

However, in this situation, you are not allowed to work.

In addition, because you left Canada while your extension application was under processing, your application may also be refused.

If you have already left Canada, returning as quickly as possible before your application is processed may help avoid unnecessary issues.

However, once you enter Canada with a Visitor Record after submitting an extension application, you cannot work.

This is different from a PGWP application, where receiving a Visitor Record does not affect your ability to continue working.

14. What If You Don't Have a Valid Permit or TRV?

One of the biggest concerns is not having a valid permit or a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) stamp on your passport.

If you do not have a valid permit, there is no need to worry because you are already on implied status after submitting your application, whether it is a PGWP, Study Permit extension, or any other extension application.

Your application submission confirmation serves as proof that your application has been submitted.

However, to return to Canada, you must have a valid visa stamp on your passport.

Without a valid visa stamp, you cannot travel back to Canada.

Many applicants leave Canada after submitting their PGWP or Study Permit extension application without realizing that their visa stamp has already expired.

As a result, they become stuck outside Canada.

Before making any travel plans, always check whether your visa stamp is still valid.

Without a valid visa stamp, it is better not to leave Canada.

15. Can You Apply for a TRV While Outside Canada?

Many people believe that if they leave Canada without a valid visa stamp, they can simply apply for a new TRV from outside Canada.

However, this can create another problem.

If your PGWP or Study Permit extension has not yet been approved, it becomes difficult to obtain a TRV because your application is still under processing.

Since your permit has not yet been approved, you do not have the required approval to support a TRV application based on that permit.

As a result, you may need to submit a regular visitor visa application instead.

However, this type of application can also be refused.

For this reason, relying on a regular visitor visa application while your permit application is still under processing is not recommended.

The safer approach is to travel only if you already have a valid visa stamp on your passport.

16. The Best Time to Travel Outside Canada

The best situation for international travel is to wait until your PGWP or Study Permit extension has been approved.

After receiving approval, apply for a TRV visa stamp.

Once you receive the visa stamp, which may take around two to three months, you will have both:

A valid permit.
A valid visa stamp.

With both documents available, you can travel outside Canada without facing these issues.

17. Can You Get a TRV While on Implied Status?

In most cases, the answer is no.

Previously, many applicants on implied status were receiving TRV approvals even though their permit application was still under processing.

However, many of these applications are now being refused.

Applicants on implied status who apply for a TRV often receive refusal letters stating that they do not currently have an approved permit.

Although they have legal status in Canada through implied status, they do not yet have the approved permit needed to support the TRV application.

Because of this, obtaining a TRV while on implied status has become much more difficult.

You may still choose to apply, but waiting until your permit has been approved is the better option.

18. TRV Processing Timeline After Permit Approval

After your Work Permit, Study Permit extension, PGWP, or any other extension application is approved, you can apply for your TRV visa stamp.

The processing time is generally two to three months, whether you apply from inside or outside Canada.

In many cases, approval takes around two months, followed by approximately 20 days for visa stamping.

Overall, applicants should expect around three months to receive the visa stamp.

If you are outside Canada, you may also need to wait around three months before you can return.

If you are inside Canada, the timeline is similar before you can travel internationally again.

Final Advice

If you are inside Canada and need to apply for your PGWP, Study Permit extension, or any other application to extend your stay, it is important to complete the application properly before making any travel plans.

If your Work Permit is expiring and you need to extend your stay in Canada, you can submit the appropriate application before your status expires.

If you also want to understand how to make your Canada PR possible while living in Canada, the speaker recommends watching the related video on that topic.