New Immigration rules changed to applicants no longer need to wait until 4 months before their work permit expires to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit in Canada (BOWP).
Canada recently announced changes to the Bridging Open Work Permit in Canada (BOWP). BOWPs are eligible for work permit holder who have already applied for Canadian permanent residence. It is the best way to keep a worker in Canada while his or her application for permanent residence is being processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Before this, Applicants can only apply within four months of your work permit’s expiry date. But as per the new changes announced in September, there is no time limit on when you can apply for the BOWP.
A foreign worker legally working in Canada who has submitted an application for permanent residence under the following economic immigration programs may eligible to work until a decision is made on his or her application for permanent residence:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trade Program
- Canadian Experience Class
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Quebec Skilled Worker Program
The BOWP issued for Quebec skilled workers and PNP applicants may be valid for 24 months or until their passports expire, whichever comes first. This is to make sure these applicants have enough time in Canada to wait out the processing period.
BOWPs issued to people in other immigration categories will be valid for 12 months.
Eligibility for Bridging Open Work Permits (BOWP):
To be eligible for a BOWP, the following requirements must be met:
Applicant must apply within Canada
Applicant must have valid work permit
Applicant submitted an Application for Permanent Residence (APR) under one of the following programs, you may be eligible for a BOWP:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Agri-Food Pilot
- Quebec Skilled Worker Class
- Caring for Children Class OR Caring for People with High Medical Needs Class
Spouses and common-law partners of BOWP holders:
If your spouse or common-law partner wants to work in Canada while you are here on the BOWP. Primary applicant must met the following requirements:
- Primary applicant must have a authorized to work in Canada for at least 6 months after the spousal open work permit application is received.
- At the time of applying open work permit, your partner may be inside or outside the country. If you are both in the country you can submit your applications together.
Primary applicant must be employed in one of the following:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Canadian Experience Class
- Caregiver applicants
- Agri-Food Pilot
If applicant applying under the Quebec Skilled Worker or PNP class, the skill level of your occupation does not matter for your spouse’s eligibility.
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