Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)

By Harbir Singh | July 15, 2024

Overview

Bridging Open Work Permits (BOWPs) have a significant impact on the lives of foreign nationals who are in Canada and have applied for permanent residency (PR). It allows foreign nationals to stay in Canada and continue working, while their permanent residence (PR) application is being processed.

For example, in some scenarios applicants who apply for PR could have a status in Canada that is set to expire soon (like an expiring work permit) before their PR application is done processing. By having the option to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), it allows them to stay in Canada and work while their PR application is in process.

In the absence of the BOWP option, foreign nationals and their family members would be required to leave Canada temporarily, stay in Canada as visitor (not being able to work), or locate an employer that would be willing to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Am I eligible for a BOWP?

If you are the principal applicant and have applied under one of the following programs for permanent residence (PR), then you qualify to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP):

·         Canadian Experience Class (CEC Express Entry)

·         Federal Skilled Worker (FSW Express Entry)

·         Federal Skilled Trades (FST Express Entry)

·         Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

·         Quebec skilled workers

·         Caring for Children class

·         Caring for People with High Medical Needs Class

·         Agri-Food Pilot

Furthermore, to apply for a BOWP, foreign nationals are required to be in Canada and hold temporary resident status. The temporary status must fall under one of the following:

·         A valid work permit

·         Maintained status authorizing them to work

·         Be able to restore their temporary resident status

When can I apply for a BOWP

Express Entry Applicants:

To be eligible for a BOWP as an Express Entry applicant, your permanent residence application needs to have passed the R10 completeness check.

Non-Express Entry applicants

To be eligible for a BOWP as a Non-Express Entry candidate, you need to have received an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for your permanent residence (PR) application.

BOWP for PNP applicants

If you applied for permanent residence (PR) through a Provincial Nominee Program, you are required to include a copy of your nomination letter with your BOWP application.

BOWP for Quebec Skilled Worker applicants

To be eligible for a BOWP as a QSW applicant, your permanent residence application needs to have passed the completeness check.

BOWP conditions

Unlike a closed work permit that has conditions and restrict workers to an employer and region, the BOWP is an open work permit. Open work permits offers flexibility for these types of permit holders to choose their employers and where they want to work.

This is the case with the BOWP, with a few exceptions. Most types of applicants have the options to choose employers and regions where they want to work, but applicants from the Provincial Nominee Programs are restricted to that province and Quebec applicants are required to select Quebec as their place of employment.

How to apply

At the time of applying for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), applicants must select the type of work permit as “open work permit” and they are required to pay the following fees:

·         Work permit processing fee

·         Open work permit holder fee

In most cases the application process is done online.

Contact BGK Global Immigration

If you are planning on going forward with an immigration application, ensure it is handled with care and expertise. At BGK Global Immigration, our goal is to use our expertise to help empower our clients in achieving their immigration goals with confidence and peace of mind.