Your Dreams Our Commitment

Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)

The bridging open work permit is issued to foreign workers in Canada while their application for the Canadian PR is under process.

The candidates who have applied for a permanent residence under Provincial Nominee Program, Federal Skilled worker class, Federal Skilled trades class, or the Canadian experience class are considered for a bridging open work permit if their existing work permits is to be expired within four months. The foreign worker may continue his job with this bridging permit until a decision is made on his/her application for the PR.

The bridging open work permit allows a foreign worker to work continuously in their jobs without having to leave Canada, or to stay under visitor status, or to find an employer willing to go undergo the process of an LMIA. It benefits not only the foreign workers and their families, but also the Canadian federal government, the Canadian job market, and employers.

Bridging Open Work Permits and Express Entry

While an application is being processed for express entry immigration system of a candidate, he/she can apply for the bridging open work permit on receiving an Acknowledgment of Receipt letter electronically.

The wait for the issuance of a second acknowledgment letter by IRCC is not required. However, if the candidate is not found eligible for a BOWP, his application will be refused. A complete authentication check is performed on all the applications before issuing a bridging open work permit.

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS FOR THE BOWP

An application for the BOWP is submitted by the candidate.
The foreign national must be in Canada, physically
The foreign national must have a valid work permit which is to expire within four months
The foreign worker has applied for permanent residence under the FSWP, the CEC, the PNP or the FSTP

Ineligibility

The foreign worker is residing in Canada, u/s. 186 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
The foreign worker has already received a new LMIA, or the due duration of the existing work permit is more than four months.
The foreign worker has not submitted the required documents like a provincial nomination letter in case of a PNP, etc.
The foreign national has applied for a BOWP at the entry port.

Spouse or Common-law Partner and Dependants

If the candidate to BOWP is seeking the allowance of an open work permit for his/her spouse, the following conditions are to be met-

The duration of their BOWP must be longer than six months.
If the applicant has applied for the PR under FSW class, he/she must be employed at the NOC level 0, A or B jobs. In the case of FST applicants, the job level required is of NOC skill level B.
If the applicant has applied for the PR under PNP, the duration of the open work permit of the spouse will be the same as the duration of the work permit held by the applicant.
There are no conditions for the applicants under CEC.
The dependent children of these applicants need to obtain an LMIA (if the job is not LMIA exempted) to work in Canada.

Employment location

There are no restrictions to the employment location for the issuance of a bridging open work permit for the candidates of-

the Federal Skilled Worker Class
the Federal Skilled Trades Class
the Canadian Experience Class

When a candidate applies for the PR under the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP), the bridging work permit restricts the employment location to the nominating province.