PGWP Approved — One Part-Time Semester During COVID
Hey everyone,
I wanted to share my timeline and experience because I spent months stressing over my PGWP application and reading every Reddit/forum post possible.
I applied for my PGWP on January 19, 2026 and got approved today.
I had one part-time semester in Winter 2022 during COVID while I was temporarily in India due to a family medical emergency. I also got sick myself during that period and had to withdraw from one elective course near finals week, which resulted in part-time status.
Apart from that single term:
I maintained continuous enrollment
Returned to full-time studies afterward
Completed my Bachelor of Science in Food Science at the University of Manitoba
Never worked without authorization
Had valid co-op/work authorization during my placements
For my application, I included:
a Letter of Explanation
transcript
completion letter
and screenshots of the COVID-era IRCC guidance related to study disruptions and part-time status
I was honestly very anxious because I kept seeing refusal posts online regarding part-time semesters and changing IRCC wording.
In the end, my PGWP was approved.
Posting this in case someone else is spiraling over a single COVID-era part-time semester. Every case is different, but don’t assume Reddit refusal stories automatically mean your application will be refused too.
Good luck to everyone waiting.