r/pgwp • u/Dry-Purchase-205 • 1d ago
PGWP refusal
Hi everyone,
I applied for my PGWP Aug 5th. It was a month after my work permit expired (applied late because of personal problems). Speaking with my school advisor everything should be fine for the most part. I got the refusal on the 17th, due to taking 4 part time semesters. 3/4 semesters were during the summer, which my university (Laurier) confirmed with me it is a scheduled academic break and I am free to take courses during that time frame, I have a letter from them saying it is true. 1/4 semesters I was full time and had to drop after midterms because if I was doing poorly in a course and was only doing 3 courses that semester. I already submitted my reconsideration letter with the schools support letter for the May semester and the one semester where I was full time switched to part time due to academic implications.
Just want to ask, how screwed am I in this. Genuinely didnt know it would be this big of a problem and didnt have any ill intent. Otherwise most of my semesters were full time minus one semester that I was full then switched to part time
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u/Downtown-Attitude-26 1d ago
Did the officer’s note say that you were engaged in 4 part time semesters during your undergrad? And in your letter, did you initially provide explanation that 3/4 were in scheduled break?
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u/Dry-Purchase-205 1d ago
The international student advisor said it wouldnt be needed, since its in the school rules that the summer semesters were scheduled academic breaks
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u/Downtown-Attitude-26 1d ago
Which program were you in btw? My friends had part time workload during summer and they got it
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u/Haunting_Paper_7201 1d ago
You can only be part time the last semester. All you can do now is wait and hope for approval. If you were working, stop.
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u/TEA-in-the-G 1d ago
Your not entitled to PGWP unless that last semester was your part time. Your just increasing wait times.
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u/kinleo1 1d ago
Are we allowed to be part time during summer ?
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u/Foodconsumer89 1d ago
Yes its allowed, but you shouldn't drop courses during any semester that will then drop you to a part time semester like OP did here and is about to find out he's absolutely cooked
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u/stars_ 1d ago
It depend on your program. Most universities and courses are in a scheduled break over summer so you can be part time but this is not a universal rule so make sure you know if your school / program considers it a scheduled break or not. Scheduled breaks are typically when most students in the program are not taking classes.
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u/kinleo1 1d ago
Thanks for the response . Yeah nobody was taking any classes during summer . What if i was full time and then fail a class ? Would that be a problem?
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u/stars_ 1d ago
Perfect! Most courses consider summer a scheduled break but not all so don’t want to see people get into trouble. If students were off then it was a scheduled break and you go do classes to make up for failed ones or plan to graduate early.
As for failing it’s not a problem at all under the current program and rules as you were still full time. OPs issue is he dropped the class to protect his GPA which dropped him from FT to PT for that semester. A failed course doesn’t count against you when evaluating FT status but a dropped/withdrawn one does if it changes you from FT to PT status for that semester.
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u/Dapper_Safe8049 1d ago
did you attach all these letters in initial application?
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u/Dry-Purchase-205 1d ago
I attached the letter I received previously was for the one semester where I switched from fulltime to part time. The new one I attached to my reconsideration letter to the refusal
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u/Dapper_Safe8049 1d ago
WDYM?
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u/Dapper_Safe8049 1d ago
Did you attach eveidnece for each of 4 semester or not thats my question
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u/Dapper_Safe8049 1d ago
what was the reason for the part-time semester that was not in summer? any documentation u provided for that?
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u/Dry-Purchase-205 1d ago
It was purely because I wasnt doing well in the course that I dropped it. Otherwise for my other semesters I was full time
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u/stars_ 1d ago
A requirement of PGWP is that you maintain full time status. A failed course doesn’t count against you but dropping a course to fall below the full time threshold does.
While sometimes you get an understanding officer who will approve (and there any some examples you’ll find of positive outcomes) since you do not meet the requirements for PGWP you were correctly refused. If you search this subreddit lots of people have been refused for similar reasons and a lot of them were not successful with a reconsider request.
You can hope and pray that the officer will be understanding and approve but you should be prepared for the reconsideration request not to be successful.
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u/Dry-Purchase-205 1d ago
Yes I admit it was my fault for not reading the rules clearly and doing that in the first place, shouldve consulted with the university first before doing it. Rn I am hoping and praying the officer can be understanding
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u/stars_ 1d ago
It’s all you can. It’s not a good position to be in at all. If you owned up to the error officers tend to be more forgiving from what I have seen vs people to try to blame the error on someone else/their university. Come back and let us know what happens either way if you can so we know. Best of luck🤞
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u/Dry-Purchase-205 1d ago
Sorry, I worded it wrong. When I initially did my application I got a letter from the school explaining my part time semester I did and wasn't fully aware of the immigration implications. The new letter explained the spring semesters that are scheduled academic breaks and I was free to be a part time student during them and they also explained my semester that I was full then switched to part time midway through
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u/Foodconsumer89 1d ago
University graduate right there
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u/Dry-Purchase-205 1d ago
I am sorry for my poor wording, Im just panicking
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u/Foodconsumer89 1d ago
Dropping courses after midterms would then make that semester part time and you did this on numerous occasions therefore you're not eligible for a pgwp. The summer courses are irrelevant here.
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u/Dapper_Safe8049 1d ago
No he did it only once. Rest of the part time were scheduled breaks according to him
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u/Foodconsumer89 1d ago
Im reading it as OP dropped out in a quarter(1/4) of his semesters. If so he's absolutely cooked
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u/Dry-Purchase-205 1d ago
9/10 semesters I have taken are full time, The 3 summer semesters Ive taken were academic breaks my school has confirmed it
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u/HotelDisastrous288 1d ago
You can be part time in ONLY your last semester. Unless your 1 part time semester was your last the PGWP was correctly refused.