Open Work Permit

The Open Work Permit allows a candidate to work in Canada even if they have no specific job offer. So, in order to obtain an Open Work Permit, a worker does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) report or a job offer.

What is a Canada Open Work Permit?

The Open Work Permit is not job-specific or employer-specific. It gives the holders of Open Work Permit greater freedom to choose jobs. Because of this reason, an applicant will not need to meet the following requirements to obtain the work permit

• A Labour Market Impact Assessment(LMIA) Report
• Proof that the employer has submitted a job offer through the Employer Portal
• Proof that the employer has paid the employer compliance fee.

But the open work permit holder will have to pay a work permit fee.

Difference between an open work permit and closed work permit

An open work permit allows the holder to work in any position for any employer for the duration stated in the document. But at the same time, a closed work permit holder will be allowed to work only for a specific employer, for a specific period of time.

Who are eligible for a Canada Open Work Permit?

You can apply for a Canada work permit, if you are any of the following:

• An international student who has completed your studies from a Designated Learning Institution(DLI) of Canada and is eligible for Post-Graduation Work Permit Program
• An employer-specific work permit holder who is being abused or is at the risk of being abused at the work place
• A person who has applied for Canada PR visa
• Dependant family member of a person who has applied for permanent residence in Canada
• Spouse or common law partner of an international student
• Spouse or common law partner of an applicant under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
• A temporary resident permit holder

Types of Canada Open Work Permit

Canada Open Work Permits are of two types – Restricted and Unrestricted. Unrestricted Open Work Permits allow foreign nationals to work in any occupation and in any location. At the same time, restricted work permit holders will be allowed to work only in a particular location or under a particular employer. With an occupation-restricted open work permit, the holder can work for any employer but the job which the person will be performing will be specified. Occupation-restricted open work permits are given to those workers who have not completed a medical exam. So, it will be particularly impossible to open work permit holders to work in healthcare field.

They will also not be allowed to work in:

• Childcare
• Primary/secondary school teaching
• Health services
• Farming

even if they are from a country which does not require a medical exam while entering Canada.

Open Work Permit- Conditions

An open work permit comes with a number of conditions with regards to

• The type of work you will be doing
• The employer you will be working for
• The location of your work
• How long you can work

A person will not be allowed to study while holding an Open Work Permit. But at the same time, an international student, while holding a study permit, can work part-time. Also, all open work permit holders must obey the condition that they should not work for any business, where there exist a risk of sexual exploitation, such as strip clubs, massage parlours, escort agencies etc. Further, they must leave Canada once their authorised stay period is over.

Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)

The Bridging Open Work Permit allows foreign nationals to continue working in Canada while their application for permanent residence is being processed. To be eligible for BOWP, a candidate must have applied for permanent residence under any of the following Canada PR programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Canadian Experience Class
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Provincial Nominee Program
• Quebec Skilled Worker Program
• Agri-Food Pilot Program

Spousal Open Work Permit (SPWP

Spousal Open Work Permit allows the spouse or common law partner of a temporary worker or international student in Canada to work in Canada. It gives the principal candidate better support, both moral and financial, thus allowing them to settle well in Canadian society. As Spousal Open Work Permit is not employer-specific, the applicant does not require a Canadian job offer. Neither do they need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). So, all these make it easier for the SOWP holder to find a job in Canada.

Documents required

While applying for a Canada Open Visa, you may need documents including the following:

• A valid passport
• Photographs of yourself and accompanying family members
• Marriage certificate/birth certificate of accompanying family members.

Processing time for Canada Open Work Permit

The processing for the application for Canada work permit is between 5 to 36 weeks. However, the below factors affect how long it takes to process the application for Canada work permit:

• The type of application
• If the application is complete
• How long it takes to process the existing applications
• How easy it is for the authorities to verify the information provided in the application
• How fast you respond to the requests and concerns from Canada immigration authorities

Similarly, it makes a difference if you are applying from inside Canada or outside. If you are applying from inside, it would take around two months. If you are applying from outside, the time required will depend on the country from where you are applying.

Application process for Canada work permit

Applying for Work Permit involves three major steps.

These are:

• Submission of country-specific open work permit form
• Payment of open work permit fee
• Payment of work permit processing fee

Travelling outside Canada with a work permit

An Open Work Permit holder can travel outside Canada. But they should have Canadian temporary resident visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
Do you want to know if you are eligible for an Open Work Permit in Canada? Find out with the help of Canada immigration Experts of CanApprove. Contact us now!