What an open work permit is and who can get one
Canada issues two types of work permits: employer-specific permits, which name one employer, and open permits. An open work permit lets you work for any employer in Canada except an employer listed as ineligible on IRCC's list of non-compliant employers, or an employer that regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages. Because the permit is not tied to a job, your employer does not need a labour market impact assessment (LMIA), does not submit an offer of employment and does not pay the employer compliance fee.
IRCC says most people applying from outside Canada cannot get an open work permit, and most open-permit applicants must apply in Canada. IRCC groups the eligible situations as follows:
Students, graduates and youth
Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) applicants, International Experience Canada (IEC) Working Holiday participants and destitute students who can no longer pay for their studies.
Spouses and dependent children
Certain family members of work-permit holders, spouses of certain international students, sponsored spouses and partners in Canada, and family members of permanent residence applicants. These rules were narrowed on January 21, 2025.
Vulnerable people
Refugee claimants, Convention refugees and protected persons, workers on an employer-specific permit who are being abused or are at risk of abuse at work, and people covered by special crisis measures.
Permanent residence applicants and others
Bridging open work permits for eligible economic-class PR applicants, temporary resident permit holders (permit valid 6 months or more), Quebec investors, eligible Indigenous Peoples and groups named in a current public policy.
Restrictions still apply
An open permit can still carry conditions. If you have not completed an immigration medical exam, the permit may bar work in health care, child care, or primary and secondary schools; you can ask to remove that condition after a medical exam. Some open permits are limited to one province, for example a bridging open work permit for a provincial nominee, which is limited to the nominating province, or the Manitoba measure for prospective nominees. Read the printed conditions before you accept any job.
Each route has its own instructions
Every open-permit category has its own eligibility rules, documents and answers you must give in the IRCC online questionnaire. The table summarizes the main routes as of October 18, 2026.
| Route | Key condition | Status and caution |
|---|---|---|
| Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) | Eligible program at a designated learning institution (DLI), full-time study, application within 180 days of confirmation of completion, and language test results. | Cannot be requested at a port of entry. See the PGWP guide. |
| Spouses of workers | Worker in TEER 0 or 1, or a listed TEER 2 or 3 occupation, with work authorization valid at least 16 more months; wider rules when the worker is on an economic PR pathway. | Dependent children no longer qualify under the high-skilled measure (since January 21, 2025). See spousal and family permits. |
| Spouses of students | Student in a master's program of 16 months or longer, a doctoral program, a listed professional degree, or a listed provincial program. | Children of students do not qualify. |
| Sponsored spouses and partners | Living in Canada with the sponsor, valid temporary status, and an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) on the PR application. | Must apply online in Canada; not at a port of entry. |
| Bridging open work permit (BOWP) | Principal applicant in Canada whose PR application has reached the required stage (completeness check, eligibility assessment or approval in principle, depending on the program). | Express Entry profile or invitation alone is not enough. See the BOWP guide. |
| Vulnerable workers | In Canada on a valid employer-specific permit (or maintained status) and abused or at risk of abuse in the job. | No fee. Apply online only. See the vulnerable worker guide. |
| Refugee claimants | Claim found eligible to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board, immigration medical exam passed, and a need to work to support basic needs. Family members in Canada who are part of the claim may also qualify. | No fee while the claim is pending. See refugees and asylum. |
| Protected persons | Recognized as a Convention refugee or protected person. | Unrestricted open permit under R207. |
| IEC Working Holiday | Citizen of a partner country, age limits, invitation from the pool. | Iran is not an IEC partner country. |
| Manitoba prospective nominees | Temporary worker in Manitoba placed in the MPNP pool and given a support letter on or before December 31, 2025. | Open until December 31, 2027; work in Manitoba only, up to 2 years. Not for candidates who have already been nominated. |
| Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge | Public policy in force since July 6, 2026 for up to 2,700 workers: a Manitoba support letter (and pool placement) dated on or before December 31, 2025, a letter of employment from the current employer, and either a valid work permit, a permit that was valid on May 7, 2024 and has since expired, or a renewal filed by that date with maintained status. | Expires December 31, 2027 and can be revoked at any time. Applicants with an expired permit may also apply to restore status. Check the permit's validity and conditions on IRCC's policy page. |
General requirements every applicant must meet
- Fit one exact categoryIdentify the legal basis for the open permit and collect proof that you meet each condition of that category on the day IRCC receives your application.
- Meet temporary-resident requirementsA valid passport, truthful answers about your immigration and family history, enough money to support yourself and your family, and a credible plan to leave Canada when your authorized stay ends. Planning to apply for permanent residence later is allowed (dual intent) if your temporary plan is genuine.
- Hold the right status in CanadaMost in-Canada categories require valid temporary resident status, maintained status (you applied to extend before your status expired), or eligibility to restore status within 90 days of losing it.
- Address admissibility openlyPrior refusals, unauthorized work or study, overstays, removal orders, criminality, medical issues and any earlier misstatement must be dealt with directly. An application can be refused for misrepresentation, medical or criminal inadmissibility, or security reasons.
- Complete a medical exam when requiredA medical exam is generally needed if you will stay more than 6 months and lived 6 months or more in a designated country in the past year, or if you will work where public health must be protected (health care, child care, schools). Some in-Canada applicants with a recent low-risk exam (within 5 years) are exempt under a policy extended to October 5, 2029.
- Apply separately for each family memberA spouse or child does not receive a work permit automatically. Each person needs an application and must meet the family-member rules of the category.
Where you can apply
| Place | When it may be available | Key caution |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Canada | The normal place for most open permits: extensions, changes of conditions, and initial applications by people IRCC allows to apply in Canada (for example holders of a valid work or study permit and their spouses, PGWP-eligible graduates, refugee claimants, protected persons, sponsored spouses, TRP holders with 6 months or more). | Being in Canada as a visitor does not by itself allow you to apply for a work permit from inside Canada. |
| Outside Canada | Limited open-permit categories, for example IEC Working Holiday or a spouse applying with a principal worker. | Approval gives a port-of-entry letter of introduction, not the permit. The border officer issues the permit after examining you on arrival. |
| Port of entry | Only visa-exempt travellers who are eligible for the category. | Not possible for people who need a visitor visa, non-US IEC applicants, PGWP applicants, sponsored-spouse permits or vulnerable worker permits. Leaving to the U.S. and returning only to apply ("flagpoling") is no longer possible, except for limited groups. |
Documents
- The right application formIn-Canada applications use the Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker (IMM 5710). Outside-Canada applications use the Application for Work Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1295). Follow the personalized checklist in your IRCC account, not an old saved list.
- Identity and statusPassport pages, a digital photo, and proof of your current status in Canada (permit, visitor record or proof of maintained status).
- Proof of the categoryFor example the PGWP completion letter, the principal worker's permit and job details, the student's enrolment letter, the PR acknowledgement of receipt, a nomination letter, or evidence of abuse. Upload it in the "Client information" field when the instructions say so.
- Relationship evidenceMarriage certificate, or the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409), and children's birth certificates showing both parents. The Family Information form (IMM 5707) is optional for in-Canada work-permit applicants.
- Translations and explanationsDocuments not in English or French need a certified translation (or a translator's affidavit). A family member or your representative cannot translate. Explain gaps in status, earlier refusals and inconsistencies in a short letter.
From application to permit
- Apply onlineMost applicants must apply online. Paper is allowed only in limited cases, such as a disability that prevents online filing or an IRCC system problem. Answer the questionnaire exactly as the category instructions say, pay all fees and keep the submission confirmation.
- Give biometrics and do the medical examRespond to biometrics and medical requests quickly and watch your account for requests for documents or procedural-fairness letters.
- Receive the decisionInside Canada, the permit is mailed to you. Outside Canada, approval produces a port-of-entry letter of introduction; carry it with your passport and supporting documents, because the border officer makes the final entry decision and prints the permit.
- Check the permitCheck your name, dates, permit type and any conditions (location, occupation, medical). If IRCC made an error, ask to amend the document.
- Keep your statusApply to extend before the permit expires. IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days early; an online application must be submitted before midnight Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on the expiry date. A permit cannot be issued beyond your passport's expiry date.
Fees
IRCC fees as of October 18, 2026, in Canadian dollars. Some categories are fee-exempt. A visitor visa, medical exam, police certificate or translations cost extra.
| Item | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit (including extension) | $155 per person | Paid for each applicant. |
| Open work permit holder fee | $100 | Added to the $155 for most open permits (total $255). |
| Restore status as a worker with a new permit | $401.25 | Restoration ($246.25) plus the work permit fee; add $100 if the new permit is open. |
| Biometrics | $85 per person; $170 maximum per family | Only when biometrics are required. |
| Vulnerable worker open permit | No fee | Family members in Canada are also exempt from the processing fee. |
| Refugee claimant open permit | No fee | While an eligible claim is pending. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an open work permit just because I have a job offer?
No. A job offer leads to an employer-specific permit (with an LMIA or an LMIA exemption). An open permit depends only on fitting a listed category.
Can I apply for an open work permit while visiting Canada?
Usually not. A visitor can apply from inside Canada only if a rule allows it, for example as a sponsored spouse with an acknowledgement of receipt, or as the spouse of a work or study permit holder who meets the family rules.
Can I change employers on an open work permit?
Yes. Open-permit holders can change employers at any time while the permit is valid, as long as they respect any conditions printed on it.
What happens if I leave Canada while my extension is pending?
You can usually re-enter as a visitor, but you cannot work until the new permit is approved, unless you qualify to apply at the port of entry.
Official sources
- IRCC: Open work permits
- IRCC: Work permits with special instructions
- IRCC: Applying for a work permit from inside Canada
- IRCC: Applying at a port of entry
- IRCC: Extend or change the conditions of your work permit
- IRCC: Restore your status and get a work permit
- IRCC: Changing jobs or employers
- IRCC: Travelling outside Canada during an extension
- IRCC: Medical exams for visitors, students and workers
- IRCC: Open work permit for prospective Manitoba nominees
- IRCC: Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy
- IRCC: Work while you wait for a decision on your asylum claim
- IRCC: Fee list
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.