Requirements
The BOWP is issued under paragraph 205(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR). You must:
- be in Canada;
- be the principal applicant on the permanent residence application;
- have valid temporary resident status and a valid work permit, or an expired permit with maintained status, or be eligible to restore your status;
- have a PR application at the stage shown in the table below.
If you were nominated by a province, the nomination must carry no employment restrictions. Applicants under the 2025 Home Care Worker pilots are not eligible for a BOWP.
The stage your PR application must reach
| PR program | Stage required |
|---|---|
| Express Entry: FSW, CEC, FST | A complete PR application that passed the completeness check, and your acknowledgement of receipt (AOR); you intend to live outside Quebec |
| PNP through Express Entry | As above, and no employment restrictions on the nomination |
| PNP outside Express Entry (such as BC PNP base streams) | The PR application passed the eligibility assessment; the AOR alone does not mean your BOWP is being processed |
| Quebec skilled worker | A CSQ valid when you applied for PR, and a passed completeness check; you intend to live in Quebec |
| Agri-Food Pilot | Approval in principle |
A profile in the Express Entry pool, or an invitation to apply that you have not yet answered with a PR application, does not qualify.
Maintained status and the right to work
| When you apply | Status | Can you work? |
|---|---|---|
| Before your permit expires | Maintained status (IRPR paragraph 186(u)) | Yes, under the conditions of your current permit, as long as you stay in Canada, until IRCC decides |
| After your permit expires | Out of status; apply to restore within 90 days of expiry, together with a new work permit | Normally not until your status is restored and the new permit issued |
Proof for your employer: a copy of your work permit application, proof you paid the fees, or postal or courier tracking.
If you leave Canada after your permit expires, you cannot work until the new permit is approved. Provincial nominees who leave Canada can lose their temporary resident status. You must be in Canada with valid temporary resident status when IRCC decides on your BOWP, or it may be refused.
How to apply
- Sign in to your IRCC account and follow the instructions to extend or change the conditions of a work permit (most people must apply online; a paper application is available if you cannot).
- Select Open work permit.
- Upload your PR AOR letter in the Client information field, with your nomination letter (PNP) or CSQ (Quebec) where relevant.
- Pay the government fees and keep the receipt.
| Item | Government fee |
|---|---|
| Work permit | C$155 |
| Open work permit holder fee | C$100 |
Spouses and children
Spouses and dependants of a PR applicant do not qualify for a BOWP themselves. Once the principal applicant has a BOWP, an accompanying spouse, common-law partner or dependent child is eligible for an open work permit under IRPR subparagraph 205(c)(ii).
Spousal permit rules: spousal open work permit.