diff --git a/fastapi_jwt_auth/auth_jwt.py b/fastapi_jwt_auth/auth_jwt.py
index 4110bdb..de1f96a 100644
--- a/fastapi_jwt_auth/auth_jwt.py
+++ b/fastapi_jwt_auth/auth_jwt.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def _create_token(
             secret_key,
             algorithm=algorithm,
             headers=headers
-        ).decode('utf-8')
+        )
 
     def _has_token_in_denylist_callback(self) -> bool:
         """
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 6c4acab..30f8ce3 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ classifiers = [
 
 requires = [
   "fastapi>=0.61.0",
-  "PyJWT>=1.7.1,<2.0.0"
+  "PyJWT>=2.0.0,<3.0.0"
 ]
 
 description-file = "README.md"
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ doc = [
 ]
 
 dev = [
-  "cryptography>=2.6,<4.0.0",
+  "cryptography>=3.0,<36.0.0",
   "uvicorn>=0.11.5,<0.12.0"
 ]
 
-asymmetric = ["cryptography>=2.6,<4.0.0"]
+asymmetric = ["cryptography>=3.0,<36.0.0"]
diff --git a/tests/test_decode_token.py b/tests/test_decode_token.py
index 5344d48..38e367a 100644
--- a/tests/test_decode_token.py
+++ b/tests/test_decode_token.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def default_access_token():
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='function')
 def encoded_token(default_access_token):
-    return jwt.encode(default_access_token,'secret-key',algorithm='HS256').decode('utf-8')
+    return jwt.encode(default_access_token,'secret-key',algorithm='HS256')
 
 def test_verified_token(client,encoded_token,Authorize):
     class SettingsOne(BaseSettings):
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def get_settings_one():
     assert response.status_code == 422
     assert response.json() == {'detail': 'Not enough segments'}
     # InvalidSignatureError
-    token = jwt.encode({'some': 'payload'}, 'secret', algorithm='HS256').decode('utf-8')
+    token = jwt.encode({'some': 'payload'}, 'secret', algorithm='HS256')
     response = client.get('/protected',headers={"Authorization":f"Bearer {token}"})
     assert response.status_code == 422
     assert response.json() == {'detail': 'Signature verification failed'}
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def get_settings_one():
     assert response.status_code == 422
     assert response.json() == {'detail': 'Signature has expired'}
     # InvalidAlgorithmError
-    token = jwt.encode({'some': 'payload'}, 'secret', algorithm='HS384').decode('utf-8')
+    token = jwt.encode({'some': 'payload'}, 'secret', algorithm='HS384')
     response = client.get('/protected',headers={"Authorization":f"Bearer {token}"})
     assert response.status_code == 422
     assert response.json() == {'detail': 'The specified alg value is not allowed'}