Temporary public policies: Open work permits for applicants under the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway
Changes to the open work permit under the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway
The following changes are in effect:
- Your family members outside Canada can now apply for an open work permit.
- You can extend this work permit.
- During the week of August 2, 2022, if you're eligible, we'll email you and offer you a new work permit allowing you to work in Canada until December 31, 2024.
- If we don't email you by August 8, you can follow the steps on this page to apply to extend your work permit.
If you applied under the temporary resident to permanent resident (TRPR) pathway, you may be eligible to apply for an open work permit under a temporary public policy.
On this page
Who can apply
Principal applicants in Canada
To be eligible for an open work permit, you must meet 5 requirements:
1. Residency
You must live in Canada.
2. Application for a temporary resident to permanent resident pathway
You must have applied under one of the temporary resident to permanent resident pathways.
You must have received one of the following:
- an email from IRCC confirming that you’ve successfully submitted your permanent residence (PR) application for 1 of the following:
- Workers with recent Canadian work experience in essential occupations (health and non-health)
- French-speaking workers with recent Canadian work experience in essential occupations (health and non-health)
- Recent international graduates from a Canadian post-secondary institution
- French speaking international graduates from a Canadian institution
- Recent international graduates from a Canadian post-secondary institution (applications above the cap)
- Temporary resident to permanent resident pathway applicants who used an alternative format (applications above the cap)
- the letter the Client Support Centre gave you when you requested an alternative format application (such as a paper copy, Braille or large print)
3. Authorized to work
When you applied for the PR pathway, you were legally authorized to work with 1 of the following:
- a valid work permit
- an authorization to work without work permit
- an authorization to work under any public policy
4. Language requirements
When you applied for the PR pathway, you met the language requirements for the pathway you’re applying for.
You must have had valid results from an approved language test when you applied.
If you applied for one of the French-speaking streams, your test results must be from an approved French language test.
5. Immigration status
When you apply for your work permit, you must either:
- have valid temporary resident status
- you’re not a temporary resident if you hold an open work permit and you’re a refugee claimant who’s
- waiting for a decision from the Immigration Refugee Board
- appealing the Immigration Refugee Board’s decision on your claim
- you’re not a temporary resident if you hold an open work permit and you’re a refugee claimant who’s
- have applied to extend your status before it expired (“maintained status”)
- be eligible to restore your status
Family members
You’re eligible for an open work permit if you meet all of the following:
- you’re a spouse/common-law partner or dependent child of a principal applicant for the permanent resident (PR) pathway
- you’re 18 years of age or older
- you’re in or outside Canada
- you apply online
- the principal applicant applied and is eligible for an open work permit under this public policy
- Your application will be refused if the principal applicant has not applied for an open work permit under this public policy.
- the principal applicant included you as an accompanying family member in their PR application
If you’re a family member in Canada, you must also
- have valid temporary resident status or
- have applied to extend your status before it expired (“maintained status”) or
- be eligible to restore your status
When you can apply
If you have a valid work permit
You can apply up to 4 months before your current work permit expires. Your family members can apply at any time.
All other applicants and their family members
You can apply at any time if any of the following apply:
- you’ve maintained your status
- you’re eligible to restore your status
- you’re a spouse/common-law partner or a dependent child of a principal applicant for the PR pathway
How to apply
You must apply online for your initial open work permit under this public policy. You can't apply at a port of entry.
Family members can apply online at the same time as the principal applicant.
If your work permit under this public policy will expire on or before December 31, 2022
During the week of August 2, 2022, we may email you to offer you a new work permit. If we don't email you by August 8, 2022, follow the instructions on this page to extend your work permit.
If you can’t apply online
You don’t have to apply online if either
- you can’t apply online because of a disability, or
- there’s a problem with the online application
Step 1: Make sure you have what you need
To apply online, you need
Step 2: Pay your fees
You’re exempt from paying the open work permit holder fee (CAN$100). Don’t pay this fee.
You must pay the work permit processing fee (CAN$155).
Because you’re exempt from paying one of the fees (open work permit holder fee), you need to pay your fees before you apply online.
How to pay your fees if you have valid temporary resident status
- Go to fees for temporary residence applications.
- Scroll down to the row for workers.
- Select “Work permit (including extensions) – per person”.
- Enter the number of applications you’re paying for.
- If you’re applying for just your own work permit, enter “1”.
- Enter the number of applications you’re paying for.
The system will calculate the total amount you need to pay when you click “Submit”.
How to pay your fees if you need to restore your status
- Go to fees for temporary residence applications.
- Scroll down to the row for your previous status (for example “Workers” if your work permit has expired)
- Select “Restore your status as a worker”.
- Enter the number of applications you’re paying for.
- If you’re applying for just your own work permit, enter “1”.
- Enter the number of applications you’re paying for.
The system will calculate the total amount you need to pay when you click “Submit”.
Keep your receipt
After you pay your fee, keep a copy of the receipt. You’ll need to upload it when you apply online for your work permit.
Step 3: Create your online account or sign in
You need an account to apply online. You can use your account to
- submit your application forms
- check your status
How to start your application
Once you sign in to your account, you need to
- go to the Start your application section on the account welcome page
- click “Apply to come to Canada”
- on the next page, scroll down to the I do not have a personal reference code section
- click on the “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit” button
- on the next page, select “Work”
Step 4: Get your document checklist
You must answer some questions to create a personalized document checklist.
Make sure you answer these questions correctly
Principal applicants and family members in Canada
- You would like to work temporarily—more than 6 months.
- Workers and students must select “Worker” when asked What is your current immigration status in Canada?
- For students, this is a temporary measure while we update the application system.
If you need to restore your status
- When asked What is your current immigration status in Canada?, select “Worker”.
- When asked When does your status in Canada expire?, enter the date that your status expired.
-
Answer “yes” when asked:
Does one of the following apply to you?
- I am subject of a removal order that is unenforceable
- I applied for a study or work permit before entering Canada which was approved, but not issued at a port of entry
- I am in primary or secondary school, or a visiting or exchange student, in Canada with visitor status
- I am applying for an open work permit under an active public policy or pilot program announced by IRCC
- I am a student who has completed a program of study that is a prerequisite to my enrolment at a designated learning institution with visitor status in Canada
- I applied for permanent residence and was found eligible (first stage approval) under one of the following classes:
- Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada
- Humanitarian and Compassionate cases
- Protected Persons in Canada
- Live-in Caregiver in Canada
- Answer “No, I am exempt from paying fees for the application” to the question There are fees associated with this application. Will you be paying your fees or are you fee exempt?
- You’re exempt from paying only the open work permit holder fee. See Step 2: Pay your fees.
Family members outside Canada
- You would like to work temporarily—more than 6 months.
- Answer “Yes” when asked Will you be coming to Canada under an active public policy or special measure announced by IRCC?
- Answer “A work permit under an active public policy or special measure announced by IRCC” when asked What type of work permit do you want to apply for?
- Answer “No” when asked Are you a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child of a person who has or is applying for
- a work permit;
- a study permit and is a full-time student in a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) eligible program of study at a PGWP eligible designated learning institution
- Answer “Yes” when asked Are you accompanying a family member who has status in Canada or who has recently been approved to come to Canada?
Step 5: Fill out the forms
Read the instruction guide before you complete your application.
- Once you get your document checklist, fill out the application form and supporting documents.
- The guide will explain how to complete each field on the form.
Special instructions for the open work permit for this public policy
When you fill out the work permit application form, enter the following in the “Details of Intended Work in Canada” section:
- Box 1: What type of work permit are you applying for?
- Select “Open Work Permit”.
- Box 4: Job title and Brief description of duties
- If this is your initial open work permit under this public policy
- Enter “TRPR pathway PP OWP” in the Job Title box.
- If you’re extending your open work permit
- Enter “TRPR pathway PP OWP-EXT” in the Job Title box.
- Enter the name of the PR stream you applied under in the Brief description of duties box. It must be one of the 6 streams listed below:
- Workers in Canada: Health care
- Workers in Canada: Essential non-health care
- International graduates from a Canadian institution
- French-speaking workers in Canada: Health care
- French-speaking workers in Canada: Essential non-health care
- French-speaking international graduates from a Canadian institution
- International graduates from a Canadian institution (applications above the cap)
- Applicants who used an alternative format (applications above the cap)
- If this is your initial open work permit under this public policy
- For Duration of expected employment, we need to know how long you’d like your permit to be valid.
- Enter the date you’d like to start working as the Start date.
- You can ask for an End date that’s no later than December 31, 2024.
- You can’t ask for a date beyond the expiry date of your passport.
If you need to restore your status
- For question 3 in the first section, I am applying for one or more of the following:, make sure you also choose:
- Restore my status as a worker
- For question 7 In the Personal details
- Under Status, select “Other”
- Under Other, type in “Requires restoration”
- Leave the From and To boxes blank
Instructions for family members
In general, these instructions also apply to family members who are eligible for this open work permit.
However, instead of putting the name of the PR stream in the Brief description of duties box, you must enter the unique client identifier (UCI) of the principal applicant.
Step 6: Upload the correct documents
Your documents must show that you’re eligible for the public policy.
Principal applicants
You must upload the completed application form and include the following documents with your application.
There’s only 1 Client Information field. You may need to combine more than 1 document in 1 file and upload it together. Find out how to upload multiple documents into 1 field.
Documents for your initial open work permit
| Required document | Where to upload the file in your account |
|---|---|
| Copy of fees receipt | Proof of fee exemption |
| Proof that you were allowed to work when you applied for permanent residence | Client Information |
| Proof of language test result | Client Information |
| Proof you applied for the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway | Client Information |
| Copy of your passport (all pages must be included) | Passport |
| Digital photo | Digital photo |
| Family Information Form (IMM 5707) | Family Information Form (IMM 5707) |
Documents to extend your permit under this pathway
| Required document | Where to upload the file in your account |
|---|---|
| Copy of fees receipt | Proof of fee exemption |
| Copy of your work permit | Client Information |
| Copy of your passport (all pages must be included) | Passport |
| Digital photo | Digital photo |
| Family Information Form (IMM 5707) | Family Information Form (IMM 5707) |
Depending on your situation, you may also need to
- get a medical exam
- Your document checklist will tell you if you need one.
- provide other documents, such as
- a marriage certificate
- Your document checklist will tell you if you need one.
- birth certificates for any accompanying family members
- Upload this with your Family Information Form.
- the Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409) if you’re in a common-law relationship
- Upload this with your Family Information Form.
- a marriage certificate
Documents for family members in Canada
You must provide
- the documents listed in your document checklist
- a copy of the Generic Application form for Canada (IMM 0008) that your family member submitted when they applied for permanent residence
- This form must show your name was listed as an accompanying family member in their application.
- Upload this document under Client Information.
- proof of relationship
- marriage certificate
- declaration of common-law relationship
- birth certificate that shows both parents’ names
Documents for family members outside Canada
You must provide
- the documents listed in your document checklist
- a copy of the Generic Application form for Canada (IMM 0008) that your family member submitted when they applied for permanent residence
- This form must show your name was listed as an accompanying family member in their application.
- Upload this document under Client Information.
- proof of relationship
- marriage certificate
- declaration of common-law relationship
- birth certificate that shows both parents’ names
- any other documents listed in the visa office requirements for your country (if applicable)
Upload a blank document if you’re asked for any of these documents:
- employment reference letter
- letter from current employer
- CV/résumé
- employment contract
- employment records
After you apply
Find out what to do and what happens after you apply for your work permit.
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