Bridging Open Work Permit: What It Is and Who It’s For
Applying for permanent residence doesn’t extend your work permit. If your permit expires while IRCC is still processing your PR application, you could be forced to stop working, even though you’re on the path to staying in Canada for good.
That’s the gap a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) is designed to fill. But not everyone who applies for PR can get one. It depends on your PR program, how far your application has gone, and your current status in Canada.
Quick answer: A BOWP lets certain PR applicants keep working in Canada while their application is processed. You must be in Canada, be the principal applicant in an eligible PR program, have reached the right stage in processing, and have valid worker status, maintained status or be able to restore your status. A BOWP is usually valid for up to 24 months.
What a BOWP Allows You to Do
A BOWP is an open work permit. In most cases, that means you can work for almost any employer in Canada, without a job offer or a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
But “open” doesn’t always mean unlimited. Your permit can still include conditions. For example:
- Provincial nominees can only work in the province that nominated them.
- Quebec skilled workers can only work in Quebec.
- Some permits limit certain types of work, such as jobs that need a medical exam.
Always read the conditions printed on your permit before you accept a job.
Who Is Eligible for a BOWP
According to IRCC, you can apply for a BOWP if you:
- Are in Canada when you apply
- Are the principal applicant on an eligible PR application
- Have reached the required processing stage for your program (see the table below)
- Have one of these status situations:
- A valid work permit and temporary resident status
- Maintained status, because you applied to extend your work permit before it expired
- A work permit that expired in the last 90 days, and you’re eligible to restore your status as a worker
If you’re in Canada as a visitor or student, applying for PR doesn’t make you eligible for a BOWP on its own.
You also can’t get a BOWP by applying at the border or a port of entry.
Which PR Programs Qualify for a BOWP
The stage your PR application must reach depends on your program.
| PR program | What must happen first |
|---|---|
| Express Entry (CEC, FSW, FST) | Your application passes IRCC’s completeness check |
| Express Entry PNP | Passes the completeness check, and your nomination has no employment restrictions |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | Positive eligibility assessment, and your nomination has no employment restrictions |
| Quebec skilled workers and Quebec investors | Passes the completeness check, with a valid CSQ |
| Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots | Positive eligibility assessment, plus six months of qualifying work experience |
| Caring for children and caring for people with high medical needs (applied before June 18, 2019) | Positive eligibility assessment |
| Agri-Food Pilot | Positive eligibility assessment |
This is a list of programs that can lead to a BOWP. It’s not a list of programs that are currently open to new PR applications.
Express Entry: Your AOR Is Not Enough
This is one of the most common points of confusion.
Having an Express Entry profile, or even an invitation to apply, doesn’t make you eligible. You must submit your full PR application first.
After you submit, you’ll get an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR). That’s your proof that you applied. But IRCC still has to confirm that your application passed its completeness check before it can issue your BOWP.
For non-Express Entry PNP applications, the bar is higher. IRCC needs a positive eligibility assessment, not just an AOR.
PNP Applicants: Check Your Nomination Letter
If you’re a provincial nominee, look at the “employment restrictions” section of your nomination letter before you apply.
No restrictions: You may qualify for a BOWP. Your work will be limited to the province that nominated you.
Restrictions listed: IRCC won’t issue a BOWP. Instead, you may need to look at a separate employer-specific work permit for provincial nominees, known as exemption code T13. It has its own rules and requires support from the province.
Listing an employer or job on your nomination doesn’t automatically count as a restriction. What matters is whether the letter actually states that restrictions apply.
Can You Keep Working While Your BOWP Is Processing?
If you applied for your BOWP before your current work permit expired, you have what IRCC calls maintained status. You can keep working while IRCC makes a decision, as long as you stay in Canada.
But you must keep working under the same conditions as your old permit.
If your old permit was employer-specific: You must stay with the same employer, in the same job and location. Applying for a BOWP doesn’t let you switch jobs right away. You must wait until your BOWP is approved.
If your old permit was open: You can usually keep working for any employer, unless your permit says otherwise.
Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) expires on the same day as your work permit. IRCC says you can keep working with an expired SIN while your application is processed. You can update it once your new permit arrives.
Applying for Visitor Status Won’t Protect Your Job
If you apply for a visitor record instead of a work permit, you can stay in Canada while it’s processed. But you must stop working as soon as your work permit expires. The same applies if you apply for a study permit.
What If Your Work Permit Has Already Expired?
If you didn’t apply to extend before your permit expired, you’ve lost your status and must stop working right away.
You may be able to restore your status if you apply within 90 days of losing it. But restoration is not automatic, and it’s not guaranteed.
You can’t work while your restoration application is being processed. You must wait until your status is restored and your new work permit is approved.
If your family members have also lost status, each person may need their own restoration application.
Documents You’ll Need
IRCC’s online system creates a personalized checklist based on your answers. In most cases, expect to include:
- A valid passport
- Your current or most recent work permit
- Proof of your status in Canada, including any earlier extension application
- Your PR acknowledgement of receipt (AOR), or the approval letter for your program
- Your provincial nomination certificate or CSQ, if it applies to you
- A digital photo, if requested
- Proof of fee payment
Add an Explanation Letter
A short letter can help the officer understand your situation quickly. Include your PR program, your application number, your current status and the key dates.
If your permit has expired, say clearly whether you have maintained status or are applying for restoration. Then attach proof. The letter should explain your evidence, but it can’t replace a missing requirement.
How to Apply for a BOWP
Most people apply online from inside Canada.
- Sign in to your IRCC account.
- Answer the eligibility questions carefully and honestly.
- Choose the open work permit option for your situation.
- Upload your documents, including your AOR or approval letter.
- Pay the fees.
- Submit and save everything: your application, your documents, your payment receipt and your confirmation.
Keep this proof handy. You may need to show it to your employer while your application is being processed.
BOWP Fees
| Fee | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Work permit processing | $155 |
| Open work permit holder fee | $100 |
| Standard total | $255 |
| Biometrics, if required | $85 |
If you’re restoring your status, add the $246.25 restoration fee. These are government fees only. They don’t include professional fees, medical exams or translations.
How Long a BOWP Lasts
A BOWP is usually issued for up to 24 months. For Quebec applicants, it can be shorter if your passport expires sooner. Further extensions are assessed case by case. A pending PR application doesn’t guarantee another BOWP.
Can Your Spouse or Children Work Too?
Your BOWP doesn’t automatically let your family members work. But your spouse, common-law partner or dependent children may qualify for their own open work permit.
To qualify, they must be included in your PR application. Your work permit must also be valid for at least six months after IRCC receives their application.
Plan the timing carefully. If your BOWP is close to expiring, your family member may not qualify.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for a BOWP as soon as I get my Express Entry AOR?
You can apply, but IRCC can only issue the BOWP once your PR application has passed its completeness check.
Can I get a BOWP if I’m in Canada as a student or visitor?
No. You must hold a work permit, have maintained status, or be eligible to restore your status as a worker.
Does my work permit need to expire within four months to apply?
IRCC’s BOWP eligibility pages don’t list a four-month rule. Check the current instructions before you apply.
Can I change employers once I apply for a BOWP?
Only if your current permit is open. If it’s employer-specific, you must wait until your BOWP is approved.
Does getting a BOWP mean my PR will be approved?
No. A BOWP is a temporary permit. IRCC still assesses your PR application separately.
Before You Apply
Plan around three dates: when your current permit expires, when your PR application reaches the required stage, and when you can submit a complete BOWP application. If those dates don’t line up, look at other options early, before your status runs out.
TDOT Immigration can review your PR program, status history, nomination conditions and documents before you apply. Book a consultation with our team.
Sources
- IRCC - Bridging open work permit: who can apply
- IRCC - Program delivery instructions: Bridging open work permits
- IRCC - What to do if your work permit expired
- IRCC - Restore your status and get a work permit
- IRCC - Open work permits for family members of economic PR applicants (C49)
- IRCC - Fee list
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