If you currently hold a Work Permit in Canada, and have presented an application for permanent residency, you might be able to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP). This permit will allow you to keep your job or find a new one while your permanent resident application is processed.
Bridging Open Work Permit – Eligibility
To qualify under the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), you must have applied for permanent residency under the:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Class,
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC),
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Class,
- Provincial Nominee Program,
- Agri-Food Pilot Program,
- Home Child-Care Provider Pilot,
- Home Support Worker Pilot
- Caring for Children Pilot and Caring for People with High Medical Needs Pilot – before June 18, 2019, or
- Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) Class.
You must also:
- currently live in Canada,
- hold a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) for the QSW class,
- have submitted a complete application for permanent residence and passed the completeness check,
- have your acknowledgement of receipt (AoR) letter or approval in principle letter, and
- either
- have a valid work permit
- have an expired work permit but maintained your status as a worker, or
- be eligible to restore your status and get a work permit.
Bridging Open Work Permit – When to apply
If you applied for permanent residency using the Express Entry system, you can apply for the BOWP as soon as you receive your Acknowledgment of Receipt (AoR) (automatically received on your EE account after submission of your application). You will need to add this letter as a supporting document for your BOWP application.
However, the BOWP will not be issued until your permanent residence application has been checked for completeness (R10 check) by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which is done within the first couple of months of the processing of your application.
If you applied outside the Express Entry system, you must wait until your receive, by mail or e-mail, your Acknowledgment of Receipt (AoR). This AoR will not be issued until IRCC assesses that your application passes the eligibility check. You will need to add this letter as a supporting document for your BOWP application.
Bridging Open Work Permit – Provincial Nominees
If you are applying for permanent residency under a Provincial Nominee Program, you need to be careful. Make sure that during the BOWP application procedure, in the Province and City of Destination section, you select the province or territory that nominated you.
On your certificate of nomination, there may be employment restrictions. If on the restrictions section, it says “Yes”, then you will not be eligible for the BOWP.
Bridging Open Work Permit – Quebec residents
Bridging Open Work Permit – How to Apply
When the eligibility requirements are met, you will need to apply for the BOWP online (you can apply on paper only if you can’t apply online and require accommodations, including for a disability).
You must fill out application forms and upload the required documents, such as the Acknowledgment of Receipt (AoR) letter, etc. and pay the fees.
Bridging Open Work Permit – Application Fees
Bridging Open Work Permit – Biometrics Requirements
Bridging Open Work Permit – Processing Times
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has a target service standard of processing 80% of work permit extension applications submitted inside Canada within 120 days.
From April 2022 to March 2023, IRCC processed 30% of applications within the 120-day standard.
You can check the current average processing times for a Bridging Open Work Permit here. You need to select “Temporary residence (visiting, studying, working)”, then “Work permit from inside Canada (initial and extension)”.
