Bridging open work permit: how to keep working while your permanent residence is processed

A bridging open work permit may let an eligible principal applicant keep working in Canada while a permanent residence application is processed, but only after the PR file reaches the required milestone and the applicant meets the in-Canada and status rules. A pending BOWP does not itself authorize work: continued work usually depends on applying before an existing work permit expires and following its conditions.

Key takeaways

• A BOWP is a work permit, not permanent resident status, and only eligible principal applicants can apply.
• The stage of your PR application matters; confirm which milestone applies to your pathway.
• BOWP eligibility depends on the requirements for your PR pathway and your circumstances.
• If you need to extend your work permit, check the requirements and timing that apply to your situation.
• A pending application does not give everyone permission to work, and leaving Canada can interrupt work authorization.
• If you cannot apply for a BOWP before your current permit expires, consider what other status or work permit route may apply to you.

What a bridging open work permit does, and what it does not do

A Bridging Open Work Permit, or BOWP, is a work permit associated with certain permanent residence applications. It is not permanent resident status.

Temporary resident status and work authorization are separate. You may be allowed to remain in Canada as a visitor while an application is pending, for example, without having permission to work.

A submitted BOWP application is not an approved open work permit. Whether you can work while it is pending depends on your current work authorization and the rules that apply to your application.

Travel can affect your work authorization and ability to return to Canada. For general travel planning, our visitor visa information covers a separate temporary-entry process. It does not replace IRCC’s rules for maintaining work authorization.

Check eligibility against your permanent residence program

BOWP eligibility depends on the requirements for your PR pathway and your circumstances. Review the applicable requirements before applying.

For a standard BOWP, you must be in Canada when applying and be the principal applicant. You must also hold a valid work permit, have maintained status as a worker, or be eligible to restore your status and get a work permit. A pending PR file alone is not enough.

You also need a PR application at the required stage. The stage of your PR application can matter, so confirm which milestone applies to the pathway you are pursuing.

IRCC lists these eligible programs:

• Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades): a profile or invitation to apply is not enough; your electronic PR application must have passed the completeness check. Our Express Entry information covers the federal program.
• Provincial Nominee Program, through Express Entry or not: you need your nomination and, outside Express Entry, a positive eligibility assessment of your PR application. Check employment restrictions and any provincial support-letter requirement.
• Québec skilled worker class: you need a CSQ that was valid when you applied for PR, and your federal PR application must have passed the completeness check; Québec selection alone is not enough. See our PEQ information and PSTQ information for details on those pathways.
• Other listed pathways: Québec investors, the caring for children and caring for people with high medical needs classes, the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots (open from 2019 to 2024), and the Agri-Food Pilot. Applicants to the 2025 home care worker immigration pilots are not eligible.

For Québec skilled workers, IRCC also requires that you live in Canada and intend to live in Québec. A completeness check confirms that IRCC received the PR application and found it complete for processing; it is not a PR approval. An Express Entry profile, invitation to apply, nomination, or CSQ by itself does not replace the federal PR application. Check the IRCC bridging open work permit instructions and your pathway-specific checklist before applying.

If your PR application is based on spousal sponsorship in Québec, see our separate spousal sponsorship information and assess work authorization under the rules that apply to your circumstances.

Waiting for a PR decision does not automatically make someone eligible. If you want help identifying which permit category could fit your situation, our online assessment lets you describe your circumstances.

Time the application around your current permit and PR file

The timing of a BOWP application depends on the milestone required for your PR pathway. Confirm that requirement before applying.

If you need to extend your work permit, check the applicable requirements and timing before your current permit expires.

If you submit a work permit application before your current permit expires and remain in Canada, maintained status may let you keep working while IRCC decides, but only under the same conditions as your current permit. A pending BOWP does not turn an employer-specific permit into an open one. If you apply to restore status after losing it, you cannot work while that application is pending; our guide on restoring your status within 90 days explains that situation.

If your current permit may expire before you reach the required PR milestone, consider which next step may apply to your circumstances.

Our work permit assessment determines whether a situation needs a permit and which type: employer-specific, open, or none. It suits this stage because the right next step depends on your current permit and the PR milestone you have reached.

If an employer-specific route is being considered, eligibility may depend on the job and the employer’s ability to support the application. Our pages on Québec LMIA information and employer services address employer-related pathways.

If your circumstances involve studying or graduation rather than a current work permit, those are separate routes. Review our study permit information and, for study in Québec, study in Québec; graduates can also read about the separate post-graduation work permit.

If your temporary status has expired, your next steps depend on your circumstances. Do not work unless you have valid work authorization.

Understand work authorization while an application is pending, and the effect of travel

Your work rights depend on what authorization you hold, not simply on whether IRCC has received an application:

• Unexpired work permit: Your work authorization depends on the conditions of your permit.
• Maintained status: If you applied before your permit expired and stay in Canada, you can keep working under the same conditions until IRCC decides.
• Approved BOWP: Follow the conditions stated on the permit once it is issued.

Travel can affect your work authorization and plans to return to Canada. Check your passport validity before applying and consider whether it may affect your permit planning.

Prepare the application and verify the current fees

Use the official BOWP instructions and the document checklist generated for your application. Depending on your pathway and situation, prepare your PR acknowledgment, current work permit details, passport, and pathway evidence such as a nomination certificate or CSQ; a PNP nomination with employment restrictions may also require a provincial support letter.

Submit through the current IRCC online process for applicants in Canada. Confirm the pathway milestone first, answer the application questions accurately, follow the forms and document checklist the system provides, upload the requested pathway evidence, and pay the required fees. Save the submitted application, confirmation of submission, and payment receipt.

IRCC lists a $155 work permit processing fee and an additional $100 open work permit holder fee for an open work permit application. Biometrics, when required, cost $85 per person, up to $170 per family applying together; check the official fee list when filing because fees and payment requirements can change.

Our application preparation and planning service prepares a work permit application and plans what follows, such as an extension, a post-graduation work permit, or permanent residence. For broader case planning, our online consultation reviews a person’s situation, possible programs, next steps, timelines, and file concerns. Our CSQ guide covers the federal stage for Québec-selected workers.

Plan for permit expiry, family members, and changes to the PR application

A refusal, withdrawal, or material change to a PR application can affect whether a pending BOWP still meets its eligibility basis. If IRCC refuses or you withdraw the PR application, do not assume a pending BOWP will be approved; keep following the conditions and expiry date of any work permit you already hold.

If your work authorization ends, stop working unless you have another valid authorization. Apply to extend or change status before your current status expires where eligible; if you have lost status, the restoration window is 90 days, and restoration does not itself authorize work while pending. For help with a refusal, see our information on visa refusals or complex cases.

A spouse or dependent child does not automatically receive work authorization through the principal applicant’s BOWP. A spouse must qualify separately under an open work permit category with its own conditions; our article on spousal open work permit rules covers them. A dependent child does not qualify for an open work permit solely because a parent holds a work permit.

If IRCC refuses your BOWP, check whether your original work permit remains valid and whether you have another eligible route. If no work authorization remains, stop working; apply for an eligible status or permit before expiry, or, if status has already expired, follow the restoration rules and deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a bridging open work permit from outside Canada?

No. A BOWP application is for an eligible applicant who is in Canada when applying. If you are outside Canada, you need to assess a different work permit route and meet its separate application requirements.

Do I need a job offer to apply for a bridging open work permit?

No job offer is required for a BOWP because it is an open work permit. You must still meet the BOWP and PR pathway conditions, and any restrictions attached to a provincial nomination can affect which permit route is available.

Can I extend my bridging open work permit if my permanent residence application is still being processed?

You may be able to apply for another work permit if your PR application remains active and you continue to meet the applicable requirements. An extension is a separate application, so do not treat a pending PR file as an automatic renewal.

If my passport expires soon, should I renew it before applying for a bridging open work permit?

A permit is generally not issued beyond your passport’s validity, so renewing first can help you avoid a shorter permit. If you apply with your current passport, a permit issued for a shorter period does not automatically become longer when you later renew the passport.

How long does a bridging open work permit take to process?

There is no fixed processing duration for every BOWP. Check IRCC’s processing-time tool for the current estimate for work permits applied for from inside Canada. Processing time does not itself authorize work; your existing permit and any maintained-status rules determine whether you may continue working.

Can I get an open work permit while waiting for spousal permanent residence?

Possibly, but not as a BOWP. A person applying under the in-Canada spouse or partner sponsorship class may qualify for a separate spousal open work permit, with its own conditions. A pending sponsorship application alone does not authorize work.

See also: work permit, PSTQ, PEQ, Express Entry, CSQ received: next steps, 12-month permit for PSTQ applicants.

Conclusion

A bridging open work permit while waiting for permanent residence depends on the applicant’s PR program, the completeness milestone, current status, and timing. Confirm the exact pathway requirements, apply before your current permit expires when possible, and keep the distinctions between temporary status, work authorization, and travel clear.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 11, 2026:

• IRCC — Bridging open work permit for permanent residence applicants