Working Between Two Study Programs in Canada: The Completion Letter, New LOA and 150-Day Rule
An international student finishes a Canadian diploma in April and starts a new credential in September. Can they work between the two programs? A second letter of acceptance (LOA) is an important document, but it does not answer the question by itself.
IRCC’s current guidance provides a route to unlimited work after completing one program while starting another. Every listed condition matters: previous eligibility for off-campus work, a valid study permit or a qualifying extension application, written completion confirmation, a new full-time DLI program, and a start date within 150 calendar days of the completion confirmation.
Consider Sara, a fictional student who completed a college certificate and received a master’s-program offer. Her old permit displayed a date in December, and the new school planned to start classes in September. Sara’s employer wanted her to continue full-time without interruption. Before accepting, she needed to find the date her first school confirmed completion, verify permit validity and confirm that the new program and school-change process met IRCC’s rules.
This guide explains the work route and its limits. It provides general public information and cannot determine an individual’s immigration authorization.
The Starting Point: Work Generally Stops After Completion
IRCC’s Help Centre guidance says a student generally must stop working once they receive an official completion letter, transcript or email from the institution confirming completion. The relevant event is the school’s confirmation, not necessarily the graduation ceremony or the day a physical diploma arrives.
IRCC identifies two possible routes to work after completing a program:
- A qualifying work-permit application submitted before the study permit expires; or
- Starting another qualifying study program and meeting IRCC’s listed conditions.
This article focuses on the new-program route. Filing or intending to file a PGWP is a different route with its own requirements. If neither route applies, do not continue working on the assumption that the printed date on the old study permit is enough.
The New-Program Work Checklist
Under the “Working after you complete your study program” section of IRCC’s off-campus work page, a person starting a new program may work unlimited hours after completing the first one if all of the following apply:
- They were already able to work off campus during their previous studies.
- They have a valid study permit or applied to extend it before it expired.
- They received written confirmation from the current school that they completed the previous program.
- They received an LOA for a new full-time program at a DLI.
- The new program starts within 150 calendar days of receiving confirmation of completion of the previous one.
These are cumulative conditions. A student with a timely new LOA but no previous off-campus work eligibility does not meet the list. A student who qualifies academically but has no valid permit or timely extension application must also address that missing condition.
“Unlimited hours” means the usual 24-hour weekly off-campus limit during academic terms does not apply under this qualifying between-program work route. It is not a general exemption from all immigration and employment rules.
How Is the 150-Day Period Counted?
IRCC’s wording runs from the date the student received confirmation of completing the previous program to the start of the new full-time program. Count calendar days, including weekends and holidays.
For example, if the first school sends written completion confirmation on April 20, a new program beginning in September may fall within 150 calendar days; a later start may not. Check the exact dates rather than relying on month names. A deferral of the new program can change the calculation and the work assessment.
The confirmation date is a factual question. Save the first completion email, letter or transcript and its date. If the school sends documents on different dates, retain all of them and resolve which one first confirmed completion. An applicant should not select a later convenient document while hiding an earlier notification.
The 150-day between-program start requirement is distinct from the 150-day maximum for certain authorized leaves and the 150 consecutive-day limit IRCC describes for some back-to-back scheduled breaks. They address different situations.
Why Previous Off-Campus Eligibility Matters
The first condition is that the student was already able to work off campus during the previous studies. IRCC’s eligibility rules generally require qualifying full-time enrollment at a DLI, an eligible program, a valid permit or timely extension, appropriate printed work conditions and a social insurance number (SIN). There is a narrow part-time final-semester exception.
Having a job or SIN does not prove that past work was authorized. If the first program was only language training or otherwise failed the off-campus criteria, the student may not satisfy this route even if the new program is full-time. If the student was ineligible because of an ordinary part-time term or another condition, review the exact record rather than assuming a new offer repairs it.
Keep old enrollment letters, permit copies, the official transcript and work records. An employer may also need reliable confirmation before scheduling additional hours.
A Valid Study Permit Is a Separate Requirement
Under section 222 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, a study permit can become invalid 90 days after completion, or on the earlier expiry date printed on the permit. IRCC explains that the completion clock can begin with the first notice from the school, such as an email, letter or transcript. See IRCC’s extension timing guidance.
The 150-day new-program start test does not extend an old permit to day 150. These clocks serve different purposes. A student who plans to begin another program more than 90 days after completion must examine permit validity and, where appropriate, apply to extend before the current permit becomes invalid or expires. Do not rely only on a December date printed on a permit after completing studies in April.
IRCC’s between-program work criteria include an applicant who applied to extend the study permit before it expired. Whether the person’s application, continued stay and work are valid throughout the proposed gap depends on their exact dates and circumstances. A late application should not be treated as a timely one.
If there is any uncertainty about the completion or permit dates, seek individual advice before continuing work.
Is the New School a Different DLI?
Work between programs and permission to study at the new school are separate questions. Under IRCC’s changing schools or programs instructions, a student changing post-secondary DLIs generally must apply to extend the study permit and receive the new permit before starting at the new DLI. Limited exceptions permit an earlier start when all specified criteria are satisfied.
For a planned move, IRCC advises applying for the new permit before completing studies at the old school. The school-change application may require a new LOA, an explanation and a PAL or TAL unless an exception applies. Quebec may require a new CAQ.
A new full-time LOA may satisfy one condition for between-program work while leaving the separate new-DLI study-permit approval requirement unresolved. Do not assume permission to start at another college merely because work during the gap may be authorized.
Changing programs at the same DLI can follow a different permit process if the current permit remains valid and its conditions allow it. Check the actual school and level rather than applying the DLI-change rule mechanically.
What if the New Program Is Part-Time?
IRCC’s new-program work condition expressly requires an LOA for a new full-time study program at a DLI. A part-time offer alone does not satisfy that element.
Similarly, an invitation to take a single prerequisite course or a conditional plan to apply for a degree later should not be described as an LOA to the full-time program unless the school has actually issued one. Request a clear LOA with the program, campus, start date and full-time nature of studies.
If a school defers the offer, obtain the updated LOA and recalculate the 150 calendar days from the original completion confirmation. A verbal promise to keep the student’s place does not replace the written evidence.
What if the Gap Is Longer Than 150 Days?
The new-program unlimited-work route described above requires the new program to start within 150 calendar days of the prior completion confirmation. If the start is later, do not assume that a valid study permit or a distant LOA independently authorizes work through the gap.
Review whether another lawful work route is available, whether a different genuine study start is appropriate, and what immigration status is needed. Do not select a nominal course or alter an enrollment date solely to create apparent work eligibility. The chosen program and records must reflect real studies.
If a student plans to leave Canada and return for a later intake, check travel and entry documents separately. A permit’s validity, permission to re-enter and work authorization are different questions.
How Does the PGWP Route Differ?
An eligible graduate who applies for a work permit or PGWP before their study permit expires may be able to work unlimited hours while waiting for a decision if they meet the conditions IRCC lists for working after completion. IRCC’s PGWP Help Centre answer also identifies conditions including a valid study permit at application, completed studies, previous eligibility for off-campus work and compliance with the academic-term hour limit.
Receiving an LOA is not the same event as filing a PGWP application. Conversely, filing a PGWP application does not mean every person may work while it is pending. PGWP eligibility itself has program, full-time study, timing, language and sometimes field-of-study requirements; review the current eligibility criteria.
If a permit application is refused, work based on waiting for that application’s decision cannot simply continue. Follow the refusal instructions and assess status immediately.
A Timeline to Assemble Before Working
| Date or document | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| First written confirmation of completion | Triggers the between-program 150-day calculation and informs permit validity |
| Old study permit’s printed expiry | May be earlier than 90 days after completion |
| Date a study permit extension was submitted | Helps establish whether it was filed before permit expiry |
| New full-time DLI LOA and start date | Establishes the planned next program and 150-day test |
| New-DLI permit approval, if required | Determines when study may begin at a different post-secondary DLI |
| Work schedules and pay records | Show what work occurred and when |
Ask both institutions for documents that reflect their actual records. Keep the full email containing completion notice, not only a cropped attachment. If the start date changes, update the timeline before accepting further shifts.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating the Printed Permit Date as the Only Deadline
Completion can make the study permit invalid after 90 days even if its printed date is later.
Assuming 150 Days Automatically Means 150 Days of Work
The new full-time program must start within 150 calendar days, and all other work and permit criteria must be met.
Waiting for the Graduation Ceremony to Stop or Reassess Work
The first written completion confirmation can arrive weeks before convocation.
Relying on a Part-Time or Conditional Offer
IRCC’s between-program work route calls for an LOA to a new full-time program at a DLI.
Beginning at a New DLI Without the Required Permit
The rules for working in the gap do not waive the post-secondary school-change process.
Confusing the PGWP Route With the New-Program Route
They have different triggering documents and conditions. Check which route, if any, actually applies.
Hiding Work or Enrollment Dates
Future applications may require a coherent study and work history. Preserve the real timeline.
A 101 Legal Ways Educational Example
Sara found an email from her first school confirming completion on April 18. Her new DLI’s full-time program was scheduled to begin September 3. She obtained the updated LOA, counted calendar days from the first completion notice and reviewed whether she had been eligible for off-campus work during the first program.
She also learned that the date printed on her old permit did not settle its validity after completion. Because the new program was at a different DLI, she checked the new-permit process separately and assembled the new school’s documents before planning when she could begin classes. She gave her employer only the work dates she could support under the applicable IRCC route.
Sara is fictional and is not a real client. This example does not guarantee work authorization or approval of any new permit. It illustrates the need to check the completion date, new start date and permit history together.
101 Legal Ways provides public education about Canadian laws and immigration procedures. Its guides help readers understand official requirements, organize evidence and ask better questions before taking important steps.
Four Actionable Takeaways
- Keep the first completion notice. It helps establish the permit clock and the date from which the new program’s 150 calendar days are counted.
- Verify every work condition. Previous off-campus eligibility, a valid permit or timely extension, completion confirmation and a full-time DLI LOA must all be documented.
- Check the new-DLI process separately. Permission to work in the gap does not automatically authorize study at another post-secondary institution.
- Recalculate after any change. Deferral, refusal, permit expiry or a new start date can change the answer immediately.
Final Thoughts
Some international students can work unlimited hours between two programs, but the permission is conditional. The first school must have confirmed completion, the next program must be full-time at a DLI and start within 150 calendar days, and the student must meet the previous-work and permit requirements.
The study permit’s separate 90-day-after-completion rule and any new-DLI approval requirement can change what the student may do before the next intake. Build a dated record from the actual letters and applications rather than relying on the printed permit date or an employer’s assumption.
Official Government Sources
- IRCC: Working after you complete your study program
- IRCC Help Centre: Can I work after finishing my program?
- IRCC: Changing schools or programs
- IRCC: When to extend a study permit
- Department of Justice Canada: Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, section 222
- IRCC Help Centre: Working while waiting for a PGWP
- IRCC: PGWP eligibility
Legal Disclaimer
This article provides general public legal and immigration information, not legal advice, and does not create a lawyer-client or consultant-client relationship. Work authorization, permit validity, school changes and status depend on actual dates and individual circumstances. Consult IRCC, a DLI or an authorized Canadian immigration professional about a particular case. Information reviewed September 23, 2026.
