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Refugee claimants · work permits

Refugee Claimant Work Permit Waiting for a hearing shouldn’t mean waiting to work.

Refugee claimants in Canada can generally apply for an open work permit while their claim is decided, usually with no processing fee. The usual delay is not the permit — it is the medical exam. Offices in Brampton and London.

Find my next step Talk to an RCIC

Asylum claims change on November 3, 2026. Unfinished IRCC Portal claims: submit by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 2. What to do →

  1. Claim
  2. Referral
  3. Medical
  4. Permit
  5. Work
An early-morning bus stop by the lake in Toronto, a work bag with a small red tag waiting on the bench

The usual hold-up

The permit is rarely what’s slow. The medical exam is.

A claimant work permit generally cannot be issued until an immigration medical exam has been completed by a panel physician. Booking it early is the single most effective thing you can do.

Next-step finder

What do you need to do next?

Claimant work permits stall for predictable reasons. Answer three questions and the route shows where you are and the exact next step.

  1. 01Has your claim been referred to the RPD?
  2. 02Have you completed the immigration medical exam?
  3. 03Do you already hold a work permit?

The sequence

From claim to working legally.

  1. Your claim is made and referred

    The work permit follows the claim. Referral to the Refugee Protection Division is normally what makes you eligible to apply.

  2. Complete the medical exam

    Book with a designated panel physician as early as possible. This is almost always the gating item.

  3. The permit is issued

    Asked for it in your online asylum application (answer “Yes” to the work permit question)? There is no separate application or extra fee: it is issued once steps 01 and 02 are done. Did not ask then? File a separate application; it is still fee-free while your eligible claim waits for a decision.

  4. Start working, then renew on time

    Once issued you can work for almost any employer. Apply to renew before expiry so you never stop working.

Who this is for

Who can apply.

For people who have claimed refugee protection in Canada and need to support themselves while it is decided.

  • Standard route

    Claim referred to the RPD

    Your claim has been found eligible and referred to the Refugee Protection Division.

  • Waiting

    Waiting on a hearing date

    Hearings take time. A work permit lets you earn a living while you wait.

  • Renewal

    Renewing an expiring permit

    Your claimant work permit is running out and your claim is still pending.

  • Family

    Family members in Canada

    Accompanying family members may also be able to apply in their own right.

  • Study

    Claimants who want to study

    Study authorisation is a separate question, and we can advise on both together.

  • After a decision

    After a decision

    What happens to your permit after a positive or negative decision, and what to do next.

Eligibility is decided on your own file. These are the situations we see most often, not a promise that a permit will be issued or that it becomes available at the same stage for everyone.

How it works

What the process involves.

  1. Your claim must be eligible and referred

    The permit follows the claim. If referral is unresolved, that must be dealt with first.

  2. An immigration medical exam

    Book with a panel physician early. This is normally what gates issuance.

  3. Fee exemption

    Claimants are generally not charged the processing fee, so cost should not stop you applying.

  4. An open permit, with limits

    You can work for most employers, though some jobs require additional medical clearance.

  5. Keep your address current

    Missed correspondence causes serious problems on claim files. Update changes promptly.

  6. Renew before expiry

    Apply to renew in time so you can keep working while the renewal is decided.

Source: IRCC, while you wait for your refugee claim decision.

Work permit help

Let’s get you working.

Tell us where your claim stands and a licensed RCIC will confirm whether you can apply now and what needs to happen first.

Contact us today to discuss your case Message on WhatsApp

Questions about claimant work permits? Eligibility, documents, timing, fees and processing are answered in the Help Centre.

Good to know

Questions, answered.

Can I work while my refugee claim is decided?
Generally yes. Once your claim is referred to the Refugee Protection Division you can apply for an open work permit, usually with no processing fee. The immigration medical exam is normally what gates issuance.
Why is my claimant work permit taking so long?
Almost always the medical exam. It must be completed by a designated panel physician, and appointments plus results take time. Booking early is the single most effective thing you can do.
What changes for asylum claims on November 3, 2026?
IRCC changes how asylum claims are submitted in the IRCC Portal on November 3, 2026. A claim started but not submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 2, 2026 needs new questions answered and old answers reviewed; IRCC says personal information is saved. Claims submitted by then need no new information unless IRCC asks. Our asylum claim changes page sets out each situation, with the canada.ca sources.
I claimed asylum at the border. Does the November 2026 change affect me?
It can. If the CBSA told you to complete your claim online and it is not linked to an IRCC Portal account by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 2, 2026, IRCC says the information the CBSA collected is not saved, and you must link the claim and enter details about you and any family again. A claim that is linked but not submitted by then needs new questions answered and old ones reviewed.
Is the CHK client portal where I file my asylum claim?
No. Asylum claims are filed in the IRCC Portal, the Government of Canada's online account. The client portal on our website is only for CHK clients' files with us and cannot submit a claim to IRCC.

More questions on this topic are answered in the Help Centre.

Related services

Explore your other options.

General information only, not legal advice. Rules, fees and processing times change — confirm current requirements on canada.ca before filing. Contacting us does not create a client–consultant relationship until a written retainer is signed. IRCC makes all final decisions.

Confidential · fee-exempt · nobody is contacted

Is your permit tied to an employer who is treating you badly?

An employer-specific permit can make leaving feel impossible. It is not. There is a permit built for this situation — free, prioritised, and your employer is never asked for permission.

Open work permit for vulnerable workers

Unpaid or withheld wages, threats about your immigration status, your passport held, excessive hours, or physical, sexual or psychological abuse.

No feeExpeditedEmployer not asked Check whether you qualify
In immediate danger? Call 911. Press Esc twice to leave instantly.

Next on your path

Keep your file moving.

The checklist, free tools and guides that usually come next.

  1. GuideAsylum claim changes 2026What the new rules mean for claimants.
  2. GuideRefugee travel documentsTravel papers for protected persons.
  3. Free toolMedical exam checkerWhether you need an IME, and when.
  4. GuideHumanitarian and compassionateWhen the regular rules don't fit your case.
  5. GuideVulnerable worker permitsLeave an abusive employer and keep working.

Work permit review

Can you work while your claim is decided?

Send a few details. A licensed RCIC reads your profile personally, then replies with the routes that genuinely fit, the ones that do not, and the consultation fee and next available times.

  1. 01Read personally by a CICC-licensed consultant
  2. 02A written shortlist of the programs you qualify for
  3. 03Fee-based; the fee and times come by reply

CHK Immigration Services, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (CICC). Offices in Brampton and London, Ontario. Submitting this form does not create a client–consultant relationship; IRCC makes all final decisions. Prefer to talk first? Call 647-948-7200 or book a paid consultation.