Canada extends open work permit policy for PNP applicants. Under this policy, foreign nationals obtain OWPs that are valid for up to two years.
In order to be eligible, the foreign national should have a valid profile in an expression of interest (EOI) pool from a participating province or territory. It should have a support letter from the province or territory, along with meeting other requirements.
Who Is Eligible To Apply For An OWP Through This Policy?
In order to be eligible for a work permit under this temporary public policy, you must:
- Provide a letter of employment from your present employer
- Provide a support letter from the province or territory you are currently working and living in.
You must also fall into at least one of the following three situations:
- Situation 1: Valid work permit
- Well, you must presently hold a valid work permit.
- Situation 2: Expired work permit + applied for extension of authorization or restoration of status.
- You held a valid work permit as of May 7, 2024, which has since expired
- And, you have applied for an extension of your authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident, or you have applied for restoration of your temporary resident status
- Situation 3: held maintained status + extension application pending or approved.
- As of May 7, 2024, you had maintained status on account of having submitted an application for an extension of your work permit prior to May 7, 2024
- That application was approved or remains pending
To date, three Provincial Nominee Programs have implemented this temporary public policy and begun issuing work permit support letters:
- Alberta (Alberta Advantage Immigration Program)
- Manitoba (Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program)
- Yukon (Yukon Nominee Program)
Exemptions To Regulations Under This Policy
Canada extends open work permit policy for PNP applicants. Under this temporary public policy, if you fall into situation two, you might be exempted from the following:
- Being required to apply for restoration of temporary resident status within 90 days of having lost your temporary resident status.
- Not being eligible for a work permit on account of having worked without authorization or having failed to comply with the conditions of your work authorization.
How To Obtain A Provincial Or Territorial Support Letter?
Before you can apply for an Open Work Permit through this policy, you must obtain an open work permit support letter from a PNP that has signed on to this public policy. This letter confirms that you are in an Expression of Interest (EOI) pool under a participating PNP.
Processes and conditions for obtaining an OWP support letter differ from province to province, with these letters being issued at the discretion of provincial immigration authorities.
This public policy applies to PNP applicants who are under consideration for nomination, not to foreign nationals who have already applied for nomination.
How To Apply For An OWP Under This Policy?
Canada extends open work permit policy for PNP applicants. If you meet all the eligibility criteria, you can follow these steps to apply for an OWP under this policy:
Step 1: Ensure You Have The Required Documents
In order to apply online, you will need:
- A scanner/ camera to create digital copies of your documents
- A valid credit or debit card
Step 2: Review The Instruction Guide
Before filling out the application form, you must read the instruction guide. The guide offers detailed explanations on how to complete each field on the form.
Note: If you need to apply to restore your status, you should indicate this on the application form IMM5710. Under question three, ‘I am applying for one or more of the following:’ choose the option for ‘Restore my status as a worker.’ You may then provide further details on your situation in the ‘client information’ section on the application page of your IRCC secure account under ‘optional documents’.
Step 3: Be Aware Of The Fees You Have To Pay
In most cases, the fees will include processing costs for both you and anyone included in your application.
The following fees might be applicable:
| Fee Type | Fee Amount |
| Work Permit Fee | $ 155 ACD |
| Open Work Permit Holder Fee | $ 100 CAD |
| Restoration Of Status Fee | $239.75 CAD |
You will be prompted to pay these fees at the end of your application.
Step 4: Create/ Sign In To An IRCC Secure Account Online
You need an account to apply online. Through this account, you can:
- Pay required fees
- Submit your application
- Check application status
Step 5: Obtain The Correct Documented Checklist
After signing in or creating an IRCC secure account, you will be prompted to answer some questions to obtain a personalized document checklist.
This checklist will include most of the documents that need to be uploaded.
If you are using an Authorized Paid Representative, you might have your representative submit the application on your behalf through the APR portal. You must declare the use of a representative. Moreover, if you fail to declare your use of a representative, you risk your application being denied.
When applying for an open work permit through this policy, you should answer ‘yes’ to the following questions prompted. The bolded option below applies to anyone applying through this public policy:
Does one of the following apply to you?
- I am the subject of an unenforceable removal order.
- I applied for a study/ work permit before entering Canada, which was approved but not issued at a port of entry.
- I am a student in primary or secondary school or a visiting/exchange student in Canada with visitor status.
- I am a student who has completed a prerequisite program of study for enrollment at a designated learning institution (DLI) with visitor status in Canada.
- I am applying for an open work permit under an active public policy or pilot program announced by IRCC.
- I applied for permanent residence and was found eligible (first-stage approval) under one of the following categories:
- Spouse or common-law partner in Canada
- Humanitarian and compassionate case
- Protected persons in Canada
- Live-in caregiver in Canada
Step 6: Complete The Application Forms
Once you have generated your document checklist, you should follow the on-screen instructions to fill out your application and pay the necessary fees.
When completing the work permit application form, provide the following information in the ‘Details of Intended Work in Canada’ section:
- Box 1 – What type of work permit are you applying for?
Choose ‘Open Work Permit’.
- Box 4 – Job title and brief description of duties
Enter the correct provincial code in both the job title and brief description of duties fields.
Provincial And Territorial Codes
- For Alberta: Use the code ABEOI2024
- For Manitoba: Use the code MBEOI2024
- For Yukon: Use the code YKEOI2024
Step 7: Upload Documents
The document checklist will contain most of the documents required. Here are the additional documents you must upload in support of your OWP application:
- A copy of your valid passport
- Family Information form [IMM 5707]
- A digital photo
- A support letter issued by the province or territory where you reside and work (Alberta, Manitoba, or Yukon)
- A copy of your current work permit
- A letter of employment from your present employer
In order to meet the requirements for the following documents, IRCC advises newcomers applying under the OWP policy to upload a page that states ‘not applicable.’
- Employment reference letter
- Employment records
- Employment contact
Rationale For The Temporary Public Policy
Canada extends open work permit policy for PNP applicants.
Well, the temporary public policy supports the federal government’s goal of reducing the number of temporary residents as a percentage of Canada’s overall population, by helping to offer work status to foreign nationals attempting to transition to permanent residence via PNP programs.
Benefits Of An Open Work Permit
OWPs in Canada offer the flexibility for newcomers to work for most employers across most industries throughout the country.
Moreover, the validity of an OWP is typically pre-determined and not dependent on a specific job, unlike employer-specific work permits, which are often referred to as ‘closed’ work permits.
As a result, OWPs are usually more desirable to newcomers than closed work permits.
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