Open work permits
An open work permit is not tied to a job offer, an employer, or an LMIA. It is the most flexible authorization in the system — and you can only get one if you fall into a defined category.
Open permits are tied to your situation, not an employer. Answer what applies and see the route and its condition.
Rules as published by IRCC: Open work permits (IRCC).
Quick answers
Straight answers to the questions we hear most, checked against IRCC on October 26, 2026.
An open work permit lets you work for almost any employer in Canada without a job offer or an LMIA. IRCC issues it only in set categories, such as recent graduates, permanent residence applicants and eligible spouses. Employers on IRCC’s non-compliant list, and businesses that regularly offer striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massage, are excluded.
Source: IRCC →The main routes are a post-graduation work permit, a bridging open work permit while your permanent residence application is processed, a spousal open work permit through an eligible worker or student, International Experience Canada, and a permit for workers facing abuse in their job. Each route has its own rules.
Source: IRCC →IRCC charges $155 for the work permit plus the $100 open work permit holder fee, so $255 per person. Biometrics, at $85, may also apply. The fee is paid online when you submit the application.
Source: IRCC →Yes, for most categories, if you hold valid status or are on maintained status. Apply before your current permit expires: you can then keep working under its conditions while IRCC decides. If your status has already ended, you may be able to apply together with restoration of status.
Source: IRCC →From the blogPGWP expiring before PR: can a BOWP bridge the gap? · Spousal open work permit when your partner is on a PGWP
With limited exceptions, open permits are an in-Canada mechanism. If you are outside Canada, an employer-specific route is usually the realistic option — unless you fit a specific category such as IEC.
Who qualifies
There is no general-purpose open work permit. IRCC lists specific open work permit categories, each with its own rules. These nine are the ones most people use.
Graduates of eligible Canadian programs, once only, within 180 days of completion.
Of certain foreign workers, and of students in a master’s whose proof of enrolment shows 16 months or more, a doctorate or a listed professional degree, who are not in their last term (Source: IRCC, verified October 9, 2026).
Applicants at a qualifying stage of a permanent residence application.
Workers on employer-specific permits experiencing abuse. Free and expedited.
Working Holiday participants receive an open permit under youth mobility agreements.
Claimants awaiting a decision, generally with the fee waived.
Spouses being sponsored from within Canada may qualify while the sponsorship is processed.
Students who can no longer meet the costs of their studies through no fault of their own.
Limited routes exist for nominees of certain provinces to start working sooner.
What to know
“Open” is not unlimited. Read the fine print — and then read the permit itself, because conditions can be printed on it.
Employers on the non-compliant list, and certain adult-entertainment sectors, are excluded from all open permits.
Work in healthcare, childcare, or agriculture generally requires an immigration medical exam first.
Some open permits are issued with conditions limiting occupation or location. Read the permit itself.
A PGWP follows program length; a bridging permit follows your PR stage. Plan for the expiry date.
You apply under a specific category, and the evidence must match that category exactly.
Applying before your current status expires is what protects your ability to keep working.
New · 4 September 2026
days left to study for up to six months without a study permit · the measure runs to 31 December 2027
How we help
We identify which open permit category you actually fit, and whether more than one is open to you.
Each category needs different evidence. We build the file the officer expects to see.
We time the filing so you keep working under maintained status wherever possible.
Open permits expire. We map what follows, including the route to permanent residence.
Eligibility review
Tell us your situation and a licensed RCIC will confirm which open work permit category you qualify under, if any — usually the same business day.
Question 1 of 4
A licensed RCIC will review your details and reach out, usually the same business day.
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The questions we hear most on this topic, answered by our consultants. The full list is in the Help Centre.
More questions on this topic are answered in the Help Centre.
Next on your path
The checklist, free tools and guides that usually come next.
Free, fee-exempt options exist. Your employer or partner is not asked.
Want to know where you stand on immigration? A licensed RCIC can review your situation in confidence. Call 647-948-7200 when it is safe, or book a private consultation.
