How to apply
You must apply for this open work permit online. You can’t apply at a port of entry.
There are no fees for this work permit.
On this page
- Step 1: Make sure you have what you need
- Step 2: Read the instruction guide
- Step 3: Support your application with evidence
- Step 4: Create your online account or sign in
- Step 5: Get to the application
Step 1: Make sure you have what you need
To apply online, you’ll need a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents.
Step 2: Read the instruction guide
Even if you apply online, you should read the instruction guide before you complete your application. The guide will explain how to complete each field on the form.
Step 3: Support your application with evidence
To support your application, you must include information about
- your situation
- the abuse you’re facing or at risk of facing
We encourage you to use the following form to provide your information:
Types of evidence
In your application, you should also include as much evidence as you can of the abuse you’ve been the victim of.
Evidence could include
- a letter, statement or report from an abuse support organization, medical doctor, health care professional, etc.
- a sworn statement, also known as an affidavit, from yourself
- a copy of an official report you submitted to an enforcement agency, such as a police or Canada Border Services Agency report
- a copy of an official complaint submitted to a provincial government enforcement agency, such as an employment standards branch
- a victim impact statement
- email or text messages
- pay stubs or bank statements
- photos showing injuries or working conditions
- witness testimony
- a copy of all the pages of your valid and expired passport(s)
The list above includes some examples of the evidence you could provide. You may have other types of evidence.
You should also include a table of contents for the submissions and evidence you’re providing.
Get your documents translated and certified if they’re not in English or French
Each supporting document that isn’t in English or French must have 2 parts:
- an English or French translation that’s
- stamped by a certified translator
- Their certification must be confirmed by a seal or stamp that shows the translator’s membership number.
- The translator should also photocopy your original document and stamp it if that’s what they based the translation on.
- All stamps and seals that aren’t in English or French must also be translated.
- You can include a scanned copy of a letter explaining that you don’t need an affidavit because you used a certified translator.
- accompanied by an affidavit from the person who completed the translation swearing that their translation is true and accurate
- The affidavit must be signed in the presence of an authorized person.
- Use this option only if a translation can’t be completed by a certified translator.
- Both the translated document and the original document the translator worked from must be referred to in the affidavit.
- stamped by a certified translator
- a scan of the original document, or a scan of a certified photocopy of the original document, that the translator worked from.
- You only need to provide a scan of a certified photocopy of the original document if the translation was based on the certified photocopy.
Who can’t translate documents
- your family members
- your immigration representative or consultant
Get copies of documents certified
To have a copy of a document certified, an authorized person must compare it to the original document and print the following on the copy:
- “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document.”
- the name of the original document
- the date of the certification
- the name of the authorized person
- their official position or title
- their signature
Who can certify copies and be the witness to an affidavit
In Canada, examples of authorized persons who can certify the copies of your original documents and be the witness to an affidavit include
- a notary public
- a commissioner of oaths
- a commissioner of taking affidavits
Authority to certify varies by province and territory. Check with your provincial or territorial authorities to be sure who can certify your documents.
Outside Canada, each country has different authorities to certify documents. A notary public may be able to certify your documents, but you should check with your local authorities to be sure.
Who can’t certify copies or be the witness to an affidavit
An authorized person can’t certify a copy of a document or be the witness to an affidavit if they’re also
- the principal applicant or the applicant’s sponsor (if this applies)
- a family member of the principal applicant or the applicant’s sponsor (parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, grandparent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew or first cousin)
Where to upload evidence of abuse
You can upload your letter of explanation and other documents as evidence in the Client Information field under Optional Documents.
There’s only 1 Client Information field to upload all of your evidence. You have to combine all your evidence in 1 file and upload it together, including a table of contents and translations of your supporting documents. Find out how to upload multiple documents into 1 field.
If you can’t upload all of your evidence of abuse
If you can’t upload all of your evidence due to an issue with the online application, you can also use your letter of explanation to briefly tell us about the evidence and why you can’t upload it. You can submit this evidence later if we ask for it.
Step 4: Create your online account or sign in
You need an account to apply online. You can use your account to:
- submit your application
- upload documents
- check your application status
Step 5: Get to the application
After you sign in to your account, follow these steps to get your document checklist and application:
- Under “Start an application”, choose “Apply to come to Canada”.
- Choose “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit”.
- Answer the questions in the online tool. Be sure to answer the questions below exactly as shown.
- For question 1, “What would you like to do in Canada?“, choose “Work”.
- When asked “What is your current country/territory of residence?”, choose “Canada”.
- When asked “Do you have a written job offer?”, choose “No”.
- When asked “Does this situation apply to you? You have a valid employer-specific work permit and are being abused or there is a risk of being abused in relation to your job in Canada?”, choose “Yes”.
- When you get to the page that says “Your results”, choose “Open work permit for vulnerable workers”.
Fingerprints and photo (biometrics)
Most people applying for a work permit from Canada must give their fingerprints and photo (biometrics). Because of your situation, we won’t ask you to give your biometrics when you apply. If an officer decides you need to give your biometrics, they’ll ask you to give them after you apply.
When you apply online, you’ll be asked if you’ve given your biometrics for an application in the past.
- If you’ve given them in the past, choose “Yes”.
- If you haven’t given them in the past, choose “No”.
- When asked about the fee, choose the option that says you’re exempt from paying the fee.
- By choosing this option, you won’t be asked to pay the fee later in the application process.
- When asked about the fee, choose the option that says you’re exempt from paying the fee.
When you’ve answered all the questions, you’ll get your document checklist. It includes the form “Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker (IMM5710)”. This is the work permit form you need to fill out.
If you can’t apply online
You can submit a paper application if either:
- you can’t apply online because of a disability
- there’s a problem with the online application
- In some cases, you may be able to apply online if you follow special instructions.