Open Work Permit

Open work permit is an approval for an individual to work for any business in Canada, for a set term of time. What's more, there is no limitation on the sort of occupation that the individual might take up. Concerning issuance of an Open work permit, the application must be made under one of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) exemptions only.

Another type of open work permit is known as a restricted permit which may carry certain limitations on the type of occupation or the location of the work, but not on the employer. As far as the application for an Open work permit is concerned, a foreign national may apply from outside Canada, at a Port of Entry or after arriving in Canada, which would also depend upon the requirements of the programs applied under.

There are different types of open work permits provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada i.e. IRCC. The different types are as follows:

Unrestricted: An unrestricted open work permit has no restrictions on the foreign nationals with respect to their work preferences. The permit holders are free to work in any company, occupation or location that they like.

Restricted: Under this category of the open work permits, a foreign national may be subject to certain limitations of working in a particular location or an occupation only. In the case of a restricted open work permit, the individual may have occupational restrictions based on medical status, or location restrictions based on the category of applicant they are. For example, an individual with a bridging open work permit who is a provincial nominee class applicant may be restricted to the provincial location.

Who is Eligible?

Foreign nationals in the following situations may be eligible to apply for an open work permit:

• Spouses or common-law partners of some temporary foreign worker.
•  Spouses or Common-law partners of some international students.
• International students who have graduated from a designated program of study in Canada (PGWP).
• Permanent residency applicants who have applied through the inland spousal sponsorship process.
• Some young workers participating in programs offered through International Experience Canada (IEC).
• Refugees, refugee claimants, protected persons and their family members.

 Benefits of Open Work Permit

Open work permits are highly sought after for the freedom they give their holders. While most work permits are tied to a specific employer, an open work permit allows a foreign national to work for any employer in Canada and the freedom to move from location to location at their own discretion. By gaining Canadian work experience, many foreign nationals will improve their eligibility for Canadian permanent residency. As Canadian work experience is accrued, foreign nationals can monitor their eligibility for the following pathways to permanent residence:

• Express Entry
• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
• Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)