A Bridging Open Work Permit is issued to immigrants who have made applications for permanent residency in Canada. The permit allows these immigrants to keep working in the country while the IRCC processes their request for a final verdict. Canadian immigrants can now breathe a sigh of relief as the government takes steps to roll out new bridging open work permit regulations meant to ease the process. Among other changes, the new rules make it possible to apply for the permit even after your work permit has expired.
The New Changes
Foreign nationals will now be allowed to apply for the bridging open work permit after their work permits have expired. The rules before this mandated that foreign nationals apply for the bridging work permit four months before the expiry of their work permit. Extending the application period allows the eligible foreign nationals to keep working while waiting for the IRCC permanent residency results.
In addition to this new rule, the Canadian government also opened the bridging open work program applications to the following applicants;
- The Quebec Skilled Worker Class (QSWC) can now apply for the BOWP
- If you are a Quebec Skilled Worker Class member, you can now apply for the BOWP after your file goes through a thorough completeness check.
- Provincial Nominee Program applicants
If you can prove that you were nominated using a nomination letter, you can apply for the Bridging Open Work Permit. The nomination letter has to specify that your employment is unrestricted. Lastly, you would also need to select the open work permit on your application form.
- Agri-Food Pilot applicants
To be eligible, this category of foreign nationals has to go online and apply from there. They are also required to provide their approval in the client information section of the application form.
The increased timeline will ensure that Quebec skilled workers and PNP applicants have enough time to wait for the IRCC’s final verdict, their BOWP can last up to two years or until their passports expire, whichever comes first.
