Temporary public policies: Open work permits for applicants under the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway
If you applied under the temporary resident to permanent resident (TRPR) pathway, you may be eligible to apply for an open work permit under a temporary public policy.
On this page
Who can apply
Principal applicants in Canada
To be eligible for an open work permit, you must meet 5 requirements:
1. Residency
You must live in Canada.
2. Application for a temporary resident to permanent resident pathway
You must have applied under one of the temporary resident to permanent resident pathways.
You must have received one of the following:
- an email from IRCC confirming that you’ve successfully submitted your permanent residence (PR) application for 1 of the following:
- Workers with recent Canadian work experience in essential occupations (health and non-health)
- French-speaking workers with recent Canadian work experience in essential occupations (health and non-health)
- Recent international graduates from a Canadian post-secondary institution
- French speaking international graduates from a Canadian institution
- the letter the Client Support Centre gave you when you requested an alternative format application (such as a paper copy, Braille or large print)
3. Authorized to work
When you applied for the PR pathway, you were legally authorized to work with 1 of the following:
- a valid work permit
- an authorization to work without work permit
- an authorization to work under any public policy
4. Language requirements
When you applied for the PR pathway, you met the language requirements for the pathway you’re applying for.
You must have had valid results from an approved language test when you applied.
5. Immigration status
When you apply for your work permit, you must either:
- have valid temporary resident status
- have applied to extend your status before it expired (“maintained status”)
- be eligible to restore your status
Family members in Canada
You’re eligible for an open work permit if you meet all of the following:
- you’re a spouse/common-law partner or a dependent child of a principal applicant for the PR pathway
- you must be 18 years of age or older
- you’re in Canada
- you apply online
- the principal applicant is eligible for an open work permit for this public policy
- the principal applicant included you as an accompanying family member in the PR application
When you can apply
If you have a valid work permit
You can apply up to 4 months before your current work permit expires. Your family members can apply at any time.
All other applicants and their family members
You can apply at any time if any of the following apply:
- you’ve maintained your status
- you’re eligible to restore your status
- you’re a spouse/common-law partner or a dependent child of a principal applicant for the PR pathway
How to apply
You must apply online for the open work permit. You can’t apply at a port of entry.
Family members can apply online at the same time as the principal applicant.
If you can’t apply onlineYou don’t have to apply online if either
- you can’t apply online because of a disability, or
- there’s a problem with the online application
Step 1: Make sure you have what you need
To apply online, you need
- a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents
- a valid credit or debit card
Step 2: Pay your fees
You’re exempt from paying the open work permit holder fee (CAN$100). Don’t pay this fee.
You must pay the work permit processing fee (CAN$155).
Because you’re exempt from paying one of the fees (open work permit holder fee), you need to pay your fees before you apply online.
Keep your receipt
After you pay your fee, keep a copy of the receipt. You’ll need to upload it when you apply online for your work permit.
Step 3: Create your online account or sign in
You need an account to apply online. You can use your account to
- submit your application forms
- check your status
How to start your application
Once you sign in to your account, you need to
- go to the Start your application section on the account welcome page
- click “Apply to come to Canada”
- on the next page, scroll down to the I do not have a personal reference code section
- click on the “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit” button
- on the next page, select “Work”
Step 4: Get your document checklist
You must answer some questions to create a personalized document checklist.
Make sure you answer these questions correctly
- You would like to work temporarily—more than 6 months.
- Workers and students must select “Worker” when asked What is your current immigration status in Canada?
- For students, this is a temporary measure while we update the application system.
If you need to restore your status
- When asked What is your current immigration status in Canada?, select “Worker”.
- When asked When does your status in Canada expire?, enter the date that your status expired.
- Answer “yes” when asked: Does one of the following apply to you?
- I am subject of a removal order that is unenforceable
- I applied for a study or work permit before entering Canada which was approved, but not issued at a port of entry
- I am in primary or secondary school, or a visiting or exchange student, in Canada with visitor status
- I am applying for an open work permit under an active public policy or pilot program announced by IRCC
- I am a student who has completed a program of study that is a prerequisite to my enrolment at a designated learning institution with visitor status in Canada
- I applied for permanent residence and was found eligible (first stage approval) under one of the following classes:
- Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada
- Humanitarian and Compassionate cases
- Protected Persons in Canada
- Live-in Caregiver in Canada
- Answer “No, I am exempt from paying fees for the application” to the question There are fees associated with this application. Will you be paying your fees or are you fee exempt?
- You’re exempt from paying only the open work permit holder fee. See Step 2: Pay your fees.
Step 5: Fill out the forms
Read the instruction guide before you complete your application.
- Once you get your document checklist, fill out the application form and supporting documents.
- The guide will explain how to complete each field on the form.
Special instructions for the open work permit for this public policy
When you fill out the Application to Change Conditions or Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker work permit application form [IMM 5710] enter the following in the ‘Details of Intended work in Canada’ section:
- Box 1: What type of work permit are you applying for?
- Select “Open Work Permit”
- Box 4: Job title and Brief description of duties
- Enter “TRPR pathway PP OWP” in the Job Title box
- Enter the name of the PR stream you applied under in the Brief description of duties box.
- For example: Public Policy for foreign nationals in Canada with recent Canadian work experience in essential occupations
- For Duration of expected employment, we need to know how long you’d like your permit to be valid.
- Enter the date you’d like to start working as the Start date.
- You can ask for an End date that’s no later than December 31, 2022.
- You can’t ask for a date beyond the expiry date of your passport.
If you need to restore your status
- For question 3 in the first section, I am applying for one or more of the following:, make sure you also choose:
- Restore my status as a worker
- For question 7 In the Personal details
- Under Status, select “Other”
- Under Other, type in “Requires restoration”
- Leave the From and To boxes blank
Instructions for family members
In general, these instructions also apply to family members who are eligible for this open work permit.
