• Posted 04-May-2022

Open Work Permit

An open work permit is a work permit that is not job specific. An open work permit allows a foreign national to work for any Canadian employer he/she wants over a specified period of time. Some open work permits may restrict the kind of job or place in which the foreign national may work. A worker may apply for an open work permit from outside of Canada, within Canada or at a Canadian port of entry.

you will not need the following when you apply for your work permit:

•    A Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada
•    proof that an employer has submitted an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee 

You may be eligible for an open work permit if you

•    An international student who graduated from a designated learning institution and are eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program
•    if you have applied for Spousal Sponsorship within Canada
•    Have an employer-specific work permit and are being abused or at risk of being abused in relation to your job in Canada
•    Applied for permanent residence in Canada
•    are a dependent family member of someone who applied for permanent residence
•    Are the spouse or common-law partner of a skilled worker or international student
•    are the spouse or common-law partner of an applicant of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
•    are a refugee, refugee claimant, protected person, or their family member
•    are under an unenforceable removal order
•    are a temporary resident permit holder
•    a young worker participating in special program

Conditions for Open Work Permit
Some conditions will be written directly on your work permit.

These may include:
•    the type of work you can do,
•    the employer you can work for,
•    where you can work, or
•    how long you can work.

There are also standard conditions that apply to all work permit holders. Even if you have no specific conditions on your work permit, you still must:

•    not work for an employer in a business where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation of some workers, specifically:
•    strip clubs,
•    massage parlours, and
•    escort agencies,
•    leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.

There are two kinds of open work permits: Unrestricted open work permits and Occupation-restricted open work permits.

Under unrestricted open work permit, a foreign national can work in any job, in any place and for any employer. An unrestricted open work permit will be given to eligible workers who have passed the medical exam.

Under an occupation-restricted open permit, an eligible person may work for any employer but the job in which the person must work will be specified. The job restriction is since occupation restricted open permits are given to eligible workers who have not completed a medical exam.