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With Stunning Natural Beauty, Multicultural and Welcoming Society, High Quality of Life, Thriving Job Market, Great Education System, Universal Healthcare, access to Immigrant-Friendly Programs, Endless Activities and Festivals, Canada works as a magnet attracting skilled workers, global students and their families. Even those without any job offer from the employer in Canada have the flexibility to enter Canada to work under any employer without a job offer or Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
This blog will teach you the extensive details about the open work permit canada, the different types available for Canada visa for work permit, and how to apply.

What is an Open Work Permit?

The Open Work Permit Canada is a program designed for Foreign Nationals to work for any employer in Canada under any of its provinces or any industry. Unlike, employer-specific work permit, this open work permit does not restrict you to tie up with one company or job. But the foreign workers cannot work for employers who are ineligible due to non-compliance with immigration regulations.
Key Features:

• The open work permit does not need any employer-specific permit, that is, the LMIA or prior confirmed job offer from the empolyer.
• This permit gives you the flexibility to change jobs or move to any province freely to undertake a job.
• This permit often comes with specific immigration statuses like spouse of a skilled worker or a Permanent resident applicant.

The open work permit gives job flexibility and career growth opportunities. The expert guidance, like Croyez Immigration, which has years of experience in succeeding numerous work permit visa approvals, will help you to transition smoothly to Canada, relishing your dreams.

Types of Open Work Permits

Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)

This work permit is crafted especially for the candidates who are willing and have applied for permanent residency and want to continue with the work while waiting for a decision. To apply for this permit, the applicant must be eligible under the following factors:

• The applicant must be in Canada.
• The applicant must hold a valid work permit that is expiring within four hours.
• The applicant should have received the Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) from IRCC.

Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP)

This work permit is issued  for  the spouses or the common-law partner of the following people who meet certain criteria: 

• The spouse of Skilled foreign workers, that is, of NOC 0, A, B.
• International students studying in Canada should have a valid permit (minimum six months' validity).

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

This permit applies to international students who have completed a program of at least 8 months at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). This permit helps graduates to get a job in the Canadian job market.
Other Eligible Groups

• Refugee claimants and protected persons.
• Family members of certain permit holders.
• Participants in special public policies.

One can apply work permit in Canada through this listed work permit. They have to select the best one matching with their profile and various circumstances. 

Eligibility Criteria for an Open Work Permit

Before applying for the open work permit, check your eligibility for the best criteria to apply with. Below are the General requirements to qualify for an open work permit:

• The applicant must have a valid temporary resident status or restoration eligibility.
• The applicant must be free of any criminal record.
• The applicant must submit the documents to support their financial status for themselves and the dependent, if needed, with Proof of funds documents.
• The applicant must state the genuine return ties and intention to leave Canada once the permit expires.

Specific Criteria by Permit Type:

BOWP - Bridging Open Work Permit 

• The applicant should enrol for Permanent Resident through Express Entry, PNP, or another stream.
• They must have the AOR issued by IRCC.
• They should have their current work permit, and the expiration date should be in less than four months.

SOWP - Spousal Open Work Permit

• The applicant’s partner must be a student or skilled worker in Canada under a valid visa
• Documentation should be produced stating their Proof of relationship and status 

PGWP - Post-Graduation Work Permit

• The applicant should have completed an eligible full-time program at a DLI to apply under this permit
• The program they have completed must be at least 8 months in duration to be eligible to apply.

Giving attention to these details will avoid rejections and delays for your permit.

How to Apply for an Open Work Permit

Application Steps:

• Create an IRCC Secure Account: Create an account in the IRCC portal and use the account to submit your online application.
• Gather Documents: It is important to have all the necessary documents, like the AOR Acknowledgement of Receipt, the Proof of temporary resident status and the Marriage certificate, if you are applying as a spouse.
• Pay the Fees: Pay the fees through the account without any delay to proceed with your profile faster. Listed below are the fee details for the specific permits.

1. Work Permit: CAD 155
2. Biometrics: CAD 85
3. Open Work Permit Holder Fee: CAD 100

• Submit Application: Submit your application online, which is mostly preferred and takes less time to process. The paper application takes a longer time to process and is available only for a limited cases.

Processing Times: The application processing time varies with each permit.

• BOWP: This takes around 10–12 weeks to process the applicant.
• PGWP and SOWP: These permits typically need 10–20 weeks, and the duration may vary depending on volume.

Sometimes, the duration of the permit takes a long time to process based on application accuracy and IRCC backlog.

Benefits of an Open Work Permit

The Open Work Permit offers several advantages designed by the IRCC, some of which are listed below:
Flexibility
The applicant has the benefit of working for any employer, in any location across Canada. For this, the applicant need not possess any LMIA.
Career Growth
This permit allows the holder to gain Canadian work culture experience and also gives the benefit to switch jobs if needed, and also improves their CRS score if applying for Permanent residence.

Family Opportunities
In some cases, the spouses and dependent children can also obtain permits or study permits.
A Canada immigration work permit is one of the greatest decisions to secure the best future in Canada.

Challenges and Considerations

The advantages listed above are many, but the applicant must know about the few disadvantages of the open work permit application.
Incomplete Applications
The applicants, when missing any important needed documents or submitting the incorrect forms, or outdated statuses, can result in rejection. Croyez Immigration pinpoints that many BOWP denials are happening from oversight in AOR submission or expired permits.
Travel Limitations
A work permit doesn’t grant re-entry. The applicant must hold a valid eTA or visa when travelling.
Implied Status
If the applicant's current permit expires while they have already applied and are waiting on the new one, they can stay and work under "implied status" if they have submitted a complete application before expiry.
Applicants must maintain a valid legal status designated by the IRCC and wait for their decisions. 

Conclusion

An Open Work Permit Canada is the pathway for those who are willing to work and settle in Canada. And hope this blog of provided the picture and the idea of the student work permit canada, canada post graduate work permit  and all the types of the work permit.
Good Luck!