Open Work Permit

This kind of permit is not tied to a specific job. Because of that, an employer who wants to hire you does not have to get a labour market impact assessment, and the employer compliance fee does not apply either.

What is a labour market impact assessment? It is a document the government issues to some employers before they are allowed to hire a foreign worker. If you hold an open work permit, the employer skips that whole process, which can make hiring you simpler.

Your permit may still come with conditions. For instance, you may need a medical exam for certain jobs. Holders also have to follow federal, provincial or territorial labour laws at work.

There are several situations where you may be eligible, according to the government. Each one comes with its own extra criteria. These are the common ones:

• a student from another country who finished a program at a designated learning institution and qualifies for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program
• someone living in Canada whose spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner is sponsoring them for permanent residence
• a dependent child travelling with the principal applicant
• a skilled worker chosen by Québec through its own program

There is a short list of questions online from IRCC that lets you check whether you are eligible. Answer them before you prepare anything. The rules are different in every case.

Living in Canada while your partner sponsors you for permanent residence? In most cases, an AOR has to come first. AOR stands for the letter that acknowledges receipt. Your sponsor receives this letter from IRCC to confirm your permanent resident application arrived. Once that letter shows up, you can apply.

You also need valid temporary resident status, which is your right to be in Canada at the moment. Any of these counts:

• a valid temporary resident permit is in your hands
• you hold a visitor record, a work permit, or a study permit that is still valid
• you have asked to get your status back, and you qualify for restoration

Only in narrow cases can you apply without an AOR. One example: your current permit or status runs out within two weeks. The application must be done online through your IRCC secure account. You cannot use this policy at a port of entry, in other words, at a border crossing or airport.

Curious how long the main application takes? Right now, when the sponsored spouse lives in Canada somewhere other than Québec, the process usually takes about 26 months.

A child who is accompanying you may qualify for an open work permit too. Before your child starts working, find out how young someone can be to work where you live, and check the age rules for that type of job as well. Each region sets its own ages, and the rules vary from one job to another.

Québec runs a program known as the International Mobility Program Plus. It provides an open work permit lasting up to three years. Up to 7,000 skilled workers can receive one each year.

You must be living outside Canada, or somewhere in Canada other than Québec. Beyond that, one of these has to describe you:

• you have not applied to become a permanent resident, and the certificate from Québec selecting you is still valid
• you have asked for permanent residence, and a decision has not yet come

Approval of your permanent residence already happened, or Canada refused it in the past? Then you are not eligible. The same is true if your certificate has run out and you have not yet applied. Once Québec sends an invitation, you get a 90-day window, counted from the date the invitation was mailed, to apply to IRCC. For now, Québec has suspended these invitations indefinitely. If you qualify, your spouse may also receive an open work permit lasting up to three years.

Applying from inside Canada is required for most people. Where you apply changes the instructions, and some permits carry special instructions you have to follow. Most of the documents to upload appear on your personalized checklist in your account.

The form has a "Details of intended work in Canada" section, and Box 4 asks for a job title and duties. Some permits require specific wording in that box, so look over the instructions for your case before you complete the form.

Usually, the open work permit holder fee is paid together with the work permit fee. Fees can change, so IRCC suggests checking the current amounts on its fee list before you pay.