Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)

The Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) is a way of keeping a worker in Canada while their permanent residence application is being processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Canada offers the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) as a way of helping future immigrants prepare for permanent settlement in Canada.

What is a BOWP?

The Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) is a means of allowing a foreign national in Canada to continue working while their permanent residence application is being processed.

Candidates in Canada who have applied for permanent residence under one of the eligible economic immigration programmes may be considered for a BOWP if they:

• Currently hold a valid work permit.
• Have maintained their status and authorisation to work by applying to extend their work permit under R201(1).
• Are eligible to restore their temporary resident status with authorisation to work on a work permit.

A foreign worker legally employed in Canada who has applied for permanent residence under the following economic immigration programmes may continue working until a decision is made on their permanent residence application:

• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• the Quebec Skilled Worker Programme (SWSP)
• The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot (AFIP)

This benefits the federal government, Canadian communities and employers, as well as candidates and their families, since otherwise the candidate and their dependants (common-law partner and children) would have to leave Canada temporarily, remain in Canada as visitors, or find an employer willing to go through the process of obtaining anThe Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

An open work permit, which allows the holder to work for any employer in Canada, is preferred because it gives candidates greater flexibility to integrate into and navigate the Canadian labour market, once they have been found eligible for permanent residence and are already working in Canada.

Eligibility requirements for a BOWP

To be eligible for a BOWP, the following conditions must be met:

• The foreign national is currently in Canada, having been authorised to enter as a temporary resident.
• The foreign national:
  • Holds valid status on a work permit, OR
  • Have maintained their status and authorisation to work in Canada undersection 186(u) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)by applying to extend their work permit under R201(1).
  • Are eligible to restore their temporary resident status with authorisation to work on a work permit.
• Have submitted an Application for Permanent Residence (APR) as the principal applicant under one of the following programmes:
  • The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
  • The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
  • The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
  • Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
  • the Quebec Skilled Worker Programme (SWSP)
  • The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot (AFIP)
  • The Caregiver programmes(before 18 June 2019).
• Have completed one of the following APR stages, depending on the programme applied under:
  • The electronic permanent residence application under Express Entry has passed the completeness check under section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR).
  • The permanent residence application under the Quebec skilled worker programme has passed the completeness check under section 10 of the IRPR.
  • Have received a positive eligibility assessment for a permanent residence application submitted by post or online under the Caregiver Programme, the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot (AFIP) or a Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP) outside Express Entry.

Common-law partners and dependants

Certain conditions must be met by the BOWP holder for their common-law partner to also be eligible for an open work permit:

• Hold a valid work permit or be authorised to work in Canada without a work permit under section 186(w) of the IRPR.
• Be authorised to work in Canada for at least six months after the common-law partner’s open work permit application is received.
• Be working in one of the following fields:
  • Work falling underNational Occupational Classification (NOC)skill level 0, A or B.
  • NOC 0, A, B or C underThe Atlantic Immigration Programme (AIP).
  • Any occupation, with formal proof of a provincial nomination certificate.
  • Any occupation, with formal proof ofThe Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ).
• Currently residing in Canada, or intending to reside in Canada while working.
• Being in a genuine relationship with their common-law partner.

Dependent children are not eligible for an open work permit. They must have a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or an LMIA exemption based on their particular circumstances, in order to apply for a work permit.

Place of work

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) applies the following rules to the place of work of certain candidates:

PNP

When a BOWP is issued to a permanent residence applicant under a Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP), the place of work on the work permit must be restricted to the nominating province. The destination province must therefore be selected, and the destination city value should then be set so that the province or territory is displayed.

Quebec

When a BOWP is issued to a permanent residence applicant selected by Quebec as a skilled worker, the province of Quebec must be entered as the place of work on the work permit.