Open work permits for foreign nationals with a support letter from a province or territory
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
The temporary public policy facilitates the issuance of open work permits for foreign nationals who are employed in a specific province or territory and that province or territory has provided a support letter which indicates that the foreign national has been assessed and placed in an Expression of Interest pool or other application inventory process under a Provincial Nominee Program. The open work permit may be issued for up to two years. The public policy requires that a province or territory sign a Letter of Intent with IRCC prior to issuing support letter to applicants. This public policy expires on December 31, 2024.
Applications made under this public policy cannot be made on entry; therefore, these instructions do not apply to officers employed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Work permit applications must be submitted online.
The instructions on this page should be reviewed in conjunction with the following:
Under this open work permit public policy, the following exemptions apply to all cohorts:
- Paragraph 200(1)(c) of the Regulations - the eligibility requirements that a foreign national must meet in order to be issued a work permit under existing pathways.
As applicable (for the out of status/expired work permit holder cohort):
- Section 182 of the Regulations – the requirement for a visitor, worker or student to apply for restoration within 90 days after losing temporary resident status.
- Section 182 of the Regulations – the requirement for a visitor, worker or student to have complied with any other conditions imposed
- Paragraph 200(3)(e) – the requirement that a work permit not be issued to a foreign national who has engaged in unauthorized work or study in Canada or has failed to comply with the conditions of a previous permit or authorization.
On this page
- Eligibility
- Receipt of work permit applications
- Documentary evidence
- Approval
- Spouses or common-law partners and dependents
Eligibility
As per A25.2, under this temporary public policy, the principal applicant must meet all of the following criteria at the time of application:
- holds a valid work permit, OR held a valid work permit on May 7, 2024, but which has since expired and who has applied for a restoration of status, OR was authorized to work pursuant to paragraph 186(u) of the Regulations on May 7, 2024, and their work permit extension application remains pending or was approved
- holds an employment letter from the foreign national’s current employer in a province or territory which has signed a Letter of Intent with IRCC,
- has been issued an open work permit support letter by the provincial or territorial government, which has signed a Letter of Intent with IRCC, in which the foreign national resides that indicates the applicant has been screened and placed in an Expression of Interest pool or other provincial/territorial application inventory process under Provincial Nominee Program.
Important: To be eligible under this temporary public policy, individuals must have valid temporary resident status or apply for restoration”.
An individual who has applied for facilitation under the public policy may leave Canada while their application is pending but must be in Canada with valid temporary resident status or have applied for restoration of status at the time the decision is rendered to benefit from facilitation under the public policy. Temporary residents who leave Canada lose their temporary resident status. Each entry is a new examination and a decision on allowing the foreign national to enter as a temporary resident.
Officers should confirm that the applicant has not left Canada or has returned to Canada prior to granting the public policy open work permit. Officers can find instructions on confirming exit here: Entry/Exit Program.
Receipt of work permit applications
All work permits applications under this public policy must be submitted electronically.
Documentary evidence
Individuals applying for an open work permit under the public policy must select in the online application tool that they are “Applying for a work permit under an active public policy or special measure announced by IRCC” for them to trigger the open work permit results. Applicants will the following codes in both the job title box and in the brief description of duties box:
- For those applying from Manitoba: “MBEOI2024” in both the Job title box and the Brief description of duties box.
- For those applying from Alberta: “ABEOI2024” in both the Job title box and the Brief description of duties box.
- For those applying from Yukon: “YKEOI2024” in both the Job title box and the Brief description of duties box.
Officers should be satisfied that they have the following documentary evidence to make an assessment:
Note: When submitting electronically, the document checklist will include more documents than are required for a work permit application under this public policy. Clients are instructed to upload a page with “Not applicable” in the extra document slots, as per the list below.
Mandatory documents
- Copy of valid passport
- Family Information form [IMM 5707]
- Digital photo
- Payment receipt in the Proof of Fee Exemption slot
- Support letter from a provincial or territorial government outlining that the foreign national has been placed in an Expression of Interest pool or other application inventory process under the Provincial Nominee Program of their province or territory of residence
- Copy of current work permit (if applicable) or copy of expired work permit (if applicable)
- Letter of employment from current employer
Employment documents to request if needed
- Employment reference letter
- Employment records
- Employment contract
Approval
On the “Application” screen, officers should confirm or enter the following information in the specific fields:
| Field | Selection or input |
|---|---|
| Case type | 20 |
| Province of destination (Mandatory) |
Manitoba – must be included for those applying from Manitoba Alberta – must be included for those applying from Alberta Yukon – must be included for those applying from Yukon |
| City of destination: | Leave blank or Unknown |
| Exemption Code: | R01 (applications submitted inside Canada) R02 (applications submitted outside Canada) |
| NOC | 99999 |
| Intended occupation | Open Important: Officers must change this from the code entered by applications: MBEOI2024 for Manitoba, ABEOI2024 for Alberta, YKEOI2024 for Yukon |
| Employer | Open |
| Duration | 2 years or until the expiry of the passport or travel document, whichever is earlier. These work permits are not eligible for an extension. |
| Fees | Work permit processing fee – $155 Restoration fee (if applicable) – $229 Biometric fee (if applicable) – $85 |
Spouses or common-law partners and dependent children
An open work permit may be issued, under IMP administrative code C41 or C47 to the spouses or common-law partners if the principal applicant is approved for an open work permit under this public policy. Dependents can receive an open work permit under IMP administrative code C46 or C48 if the principal applicant is approved for an open work permit under this public policy.
Study permit
Minor children can apply for a study permit under existing study permit streams or may study without one at the K –12 level if they are already in Canada and at least one parent is a work or study permit holder. Applications must be submitted online.
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