The Open Work Permit

An Open Work Permit allows eligible foreign nationals to work for any employer in Canada.

The greatest advantage of holding an open work permit is the freedom to work in the occupation, or for the employer, of your choice.

What is an Open Work Permit?

Most foreign nationals wishing to come to Canada to work must have lawful authorisation throughwork permit. The open work permit is one of several types of work permit allowing foreign workers to work lawfully in Canada.

There are 2 types of work permit in Canada: the closed work permit, tied to a single employer, and the open work permit, which allows a foreign national to work in Canada for any number of employers and in various locations.

The greatest advantage of open work permits is that they give candidates freedom to move, whether between workplaces, employers, occupations or locations in Canada. Open work permits are exempt from certain requirements relating to obtaining a work permit in Canada. You do not need a job offer or an activeLabour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)to qualify for an open work permit.

Some open work permits may, however, carry additional requirements that the foreign national must meet. Where they apply, these requirements are noted directly on your open work permit.

Who it applies to

You may be eligible for an open work permit if you fall into one of the following categories:

• You are an international student who has graduated from a designated learning institution and are eligible for aPost-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
• You have applied for permanent residence in Canada under one of Canada’s immigration programmes.
• You are a dependent family member (for example, a spouse or common-law partner) of someone who has applied for permanent residence.
• You are the spouse or common-law partner of a skilled worker.
• You are the spouse or common-law partner of a master’s or doctoral student.
• You are a temporary resident permit holder.
• You are a refugee, asylum claimant, protected person or a family member of one.
• You are subject to an unenforceable removal order.
• You are a young worker taking part in a working holiday programme.
• You are a student unable to meet the cost of your studies.
• You hold an employer-specific work permit and are being abused, or are at risk of abuse, in the course of your employment in Canada.

Requirements for an Open Work Permit

Eligibility requirements and the application process differ according to each individual’s particular circumstances. Below are examples of common reasons a person may be eligible for an open work permit:

Permanent residence applicants in Canada

You and your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for aBridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)if you reside in Canada, hold a work permit that is about to expire and have applied for permanent residence through a federal or provincial economic programme (Note: the BOWP is not available in Quebec, but alternative work permits are available there).

Spousal sponsorship within Canada

The spouse or common-law partner of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident may be issued an open work permit if they are being sponsored for permanent residence through Inland Sponsorship and meet the eligibility criteria of that sponsorship immigration programme.

Spouses of foreign workers

You may be eligible for an open work permit if you are the spouse or common-law partner of a temporary foreign worker employed in Canada in a job corresponding to Skill Level 0, A or B of theNational Occupational Classification (NOC)for at least 6 months, and are residing or intend to reside in Canada.

Spouses of international students

To qualify for an open work permit as the spouse or common-law partner of an international student, you must not be a full-time student.

If the application is submitted after 19 March 2024, the following conditions must be met for your spouse to qualify for an open work permit:

• You must be studying:
  • A master’s or doctoral programme at a university or polytechnic institution, or
  • One of the following professional degree programmes at a university:
    • Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS, DMD)
    • Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor (LLB, JD, BCL)
    • Doctor of Medicine (MD)
    • Doctor of Optometry (OD)
    • Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD, BS, BSc, BPharm)
    • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
    • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN, BSN, BNSc)
    • Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)
    • Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng., BE, BASc)
• Your spouse must provide one of the following documents with their application:
  • A valid letter of acceptance fromDesignated Learning Institution in Canada (DLI).
  • A letter of enrolment from your DLI.
  • A transcript from your current programme.
• You must be able to provide evidence of your relationship to IRCC.

Where the open work permit application was submitted before 19 March, all of the following conditions must be met:

• You (the student) hold a valid study permit.
• You are eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
• You are a full-time student at one of the following types of DLI:
  • A public post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, or a CEGEP in Quebec.
  • A private college-level institution in Quebec.
  • A Canadian private institution lawfully able to confer degrees under provincial law (for example, a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree).

International students and their spouses

To qualify for an open work permit, a student who has graduated from a designated programme of study in Canada must meet the requirements under thePost-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). To qualify for the PGWP, a foreign national must be at least 18 and have studied full time in Canada on a programme of at least 8 months at aDesignated Learning Institution in Canada (DLI)

You may also be eligible for an open work permit if you are the spouse or common-law partner of a post-graduation work permit holder. These open work permits usually carry validity dates corresponding to the period during which their spouse is permitted to work in Canada.

International Experience Canada (IEC)

ParticipantsInternational Experience Canada (IEC)may also receive an open work permit under the Working Holiday category. IEC is open to young adults who are citizens of foreign countries with a bilateral agreement with Canada. The eligible age range depends on the country, but is usually 18 to 35.

How to apply

You may apply for an open work permit from inside or outside Canada. The application process and the forms you need to submit differ depending on where you apply. In both cases, the process involves submitting a designated form and paying the open work permit holder fee together with the work permit processing fee.

Find out more about the Open Work Permit on the Government of Canada website athere.