Bridge to Permanent Residence: Work Permit Guide 2025

Your bridge to permanent residence while maintaining your Canadian career

On This Page You Will Find:

• Complete eligibility requirements for bridging work permits
• Step-by-step application process for economic immigration programs
• Work permit options for spouses and dependent children
• Provincial restrictions and employment location rules
• Expert strategies to maintain legal status during PR processing

Summary:

If you're waiting for your permanent residence application to process, a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) could be your lifeline to staying employed in Canada. This comprehensive guide reveals exactly how to qualify for and obtain a BOWP, ensuring you can continue working legally while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reviews your PR application. Whether you applied through Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, or Quebec Skilled Workers, discover the specific requirements, timing strategies, and common pitfalls that could make or break your application.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Bridging Open Work Permits allow you to work for any Canadian employer while your PR application processes
• You must already hold a valid work permit or have maintained legal status to qualify
• Applications are available for six major economic immigration programs including Express Entry streams
• Your spouse may qualify for an open work permit, but dependent children need separate authorization
• Provincial nominees and Quebec applicants face specific employment location restrictions

Maria Rodriguez stared at her calendar with growing anxiety. Her work permit would expire in three weeks, but her Provincial Nominee Program application for permanent residence was still processing after eight months. The thought of leaving her job at a Vancouver tech company – or worse, leaving Canada entirely – kept her awake at night. Then her immigration lawyer mentioned something that changed everything: a Bridging Open Work Permit.

If you're in a similar situation, you're not alone. Thousands of skilled workers face this exact dilemma every year, caught between expiring work permits and lengthy PR processing times that can stretch 12-18 months or longer.

What Is a Bridging Open Work Permit?

A Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) is Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's solution to a common problem: keeping skilled workers in Canada while their permanent residence applications are reviewed. Unlike employer-specific work permits, a BOWP allows you to work for any employer in Canada, giving you the flexibility to change jobs or negotiate better terms without immigration complications.

Think of it as your safety net – a way to maintain your career momentum and financial stability while IRCC takes the time needed to process your PR application thoroughly.

The beauty of this program lies in its recognition that skilled workers shouldn't have to choose between maintaining their Canadian careers and pursuing permanent residence. You've already been deemed eligible for PR through rigorous selection processes, so Canada wants to keep you contributing to the economy.

Who Qualifies for a Bridging Open Work Permit?

The eligibility requirements are specific, but if you meet them, you're in excellent shape. Here's exactly what IRCC looks for:

Your Current Status Must Be:

• You're physically in Canada with legal temporary resident status
• You hold a valid work permit, OR
• You've maintained legal status by applying to renew your work permit before it expired, OR
• You're eligible to restore your temporary resident status with work authorization

Your Permanent Residence Application: You must have submitted a PR application as the principal applicant under one of these programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Canadian Experience Class
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Provincial Nominee Program
• Quebec Skilled Workers
• Agri-Food Pilot Program
• Caring for Children Class or Caring for People with High Medical Needs Class (applications before June 18, 2019)

Application Processing Stage: Your PR application must have reached specific milestones depending on your program. For Express Entry applications (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades), your electronic application must have passed the completeness check under Section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

For Quebec Skilled Workers, the same Section 10 completeness check applies. For other programs like non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee streams, Agri-Food Pilot, or the Caregiver classes, you need a positive eligibility assessment.

The Strategic Timing Advantage

Here's what many applicants don't realize: timing your BOWP application correctly can save you months of stress and potential income loss. The ideal time to apply is 3-4 months before your current work permit expires, but after your PR application has reached the required processing stage.

Why this timing matters: IRCC processing times for BOWPs typically range from 2-4 months, depending on your location and current application volumes. Applying too early means you might not meet the PR application milestone requirements. Applying too late could leave you in a gap where you can't work legally.

If your work permit expires while your BOWP application is processing, you can continue working under maintained status – but only if you applied before your permit expired. Miss that deadline, and you'll need to stop working until your BOWP is approved.

What About Your Family?

If you're married or in a common-law relationship, your spouse may qualify for their own open work permit, but the requirements are more complex than you might expect.

Spousal Open Work Permit Requirements: Your spouse needs their own valid work permit or authorization to work without a permit. You must be authorized to work for at least six months after their application is received, and your job must fall under specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) levels.

For most economic immigration programs, your employment must be in NOC Skill Levels 0, A, or B (professional, management, or skilled trades positions). However, if you're a Provincial Nominee or Quebec Selection Certificate holder, you can work in any occupation.

The relationship requirement is crucial – IRCC will verify that you're in a genuine relationship with your spouse or common-law partner, not just a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes.

What About Your Children? Here's where it gets challenging: dependent children are not automatically eligible for open work permits. If your teenage children want to work in Canada, they'll need either a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from a Canadian employer or qualify for an LMIA exemption based on their specific situation.

Most families focus on ensuring children can continue their studies through study permits rather than work authorization.

Provincial and Geographic Restrictions

Not all BOWPs are created equal – your employment location may be restricted based on your PR application stream.

Provincial Nominee Program Applicants: If you applied for permanent residence through a Provincial Nominee Program, your BOWP will restrict you to working in the province that nominated you. This makes sense from a policy perspective – provinces nominate workers to fill local labor market needs, and the federal government wants to ensure you contribute to that specific provincial economy.

For example, if British Columbia nominated you through the BC Provincial Nominee Program, your BOWP will specify that you can only work in BC. Moving to work in Ontario would violate your work permit conditions.

Quebec Skilled Workers: Similarly, if Quebec selected you as a skilled worker, your BOWP will restrict employment to Quebec province only. This aligns with Quebec's unique immigration agreements with the federal government.

Express Entry Applicants: If you applied through Express Entry without a provincial nomination, you typically have more flexibility in where you can work across Canada.

Common Mistakes That Derail Applications

After reviewing hundreds of BOWP applications, certain mistakes appear repeatedly:

Status Gaps: The most devastating error is allowing your legal status to lapse before applying for a BOWP. If your work permit expires and you haven't applied for renewal or a BOWP, you lose your legal right to work and may need to leave Canada or apply for status restoration.

Insufficient Documentation: IRCC needs proof that your PR application has reached the required processing stage. Simply having an application number isn't enough – you need the specific acknowledgment letters or receipts that prove completeness checks or eligibility assessments.

Wrong Program Category: Some applicants confuse similar-sounding programs or assume their application qualifies when it doesn't. For example, applying through a pilot program that's not on the eligible list, or misunderstanding whether their PNP stream processes through Express Entry or directly with IRCC.

The Application Process Step-by-Step

Step 1: Gather Your Documentation You'll need your current work permit, passport, PR application receipts, and proof that your PR application has reached the required processing stage. For Express Entry applicants, this is typically an acknowledgment of receipt letter showing your application passed the completeness check.

Step 2: Complete the Application Forms The primary form is IMM 5710 (Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker). Pay careful attention to the employment location sections if you're subject to provincial restrictions.

Step 3: Pay the Fees As of 2025, the work permit fee is $155, plus a $100 open work permit holder fee, for a total of $255. You may also need to pay biometrics fees if required.

Step 4: Submit and Track Submit your application online through your IRCC account for faster processing. You'll receive an acknowledgment and can track your application status online.

What Happens Next?

Once approved, your BOWP will typically be valid until your PR application is finalized – either through approval (congratulations!) or refusal. The permit usually provides 12-24 months of work authorization, though the exact duration depends on your specific circumstances and expected PR processing times.

If your PR application is approved, you won't need the BOWP anymore – you'll become a permanent resident with the right to work anywhere in Canada. If your PR application is refused, your BOWP becomes invalid, and you'll need to explore other options to maintain legal status in Canada.

Making the Most of Your BOWP Period

While your BOWP provides work authorization, use this time strategically. Since it's an open work permit, you can explore new job opportunities, negotiate salary increases, or even start your own business (depending on the specific conditions of your permit).

Many successful applicants use their BOWP period to strengthen their Canadian experience, improve their language skills, or build professional networks that will serve them well as permanent residents.

The Bridging Open Work Permit represents more than just continued work authorization – it's Canada's recognition that you're already part of the country's future. By understanding the requirements, timing your application correctly, and avoiding common pitfalls, you can navigate this process confidently and maintain your Canadian career while your permanent residence application processes.

Your journey to permanent residence doesn't have to include career interruptions or financial uncertainty. With proper planning and the right information, your BOWP can provide the bridge you need to transition smoothly from temporary worker to permanent resident.