Claim referred to the RPD
Your claim has been found eligible and referred to the Refugee Protection Division.
Standard route Refugee claimants · work permits
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.
Usually fee-exempt Open permit Brampton & London
Next-step finder
What do you need to do next?
Claimant work permits stall for predictable reasons. Tell us where you are and we will name the exact next step.
Your claim
Two questions.
The sequence
From claim to working legally.
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.
Complete the medical exam
Book with a designated panel physician as early as possible. This is almost always the gating item.
File the work permit
A complete application with the fee exemption claimed correctly, so it is not returned or delayed.
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.
Waiting on a hearing date
Hearings take time. A work permit lets you earn a living while you wait.
Renewing an expiring permit
Your claimant work permit is running out and your claim is still pending.
Family members in Canada
Accompanying family members may also be able to apply in their own right.
Claimants who want to study
Study authorisation is a separate question, and we can advise on both together.
After a decision
What happens to your permit after a positive or negative decision, and what to do next.
How it works
What the process involves.
Your claim must be eligible and referred
The permit follows the claim. If referral is unresolved, that must be dealt with first.
An immigration medical exam
Book with a panel physician early. This is normally what gates issuance.
Fee exemption
Claimants are generally not charged the processing fee, so cost should not stop you applying.
An open permit, with limits
You can work for most employers, though some jobs require additional medical clearance.
Keep your address current
Missed correspondence causes serious problems on claim files. Update changes promptly.
Renew before expiry
Apply to renew in time so you can keep working while the renewal is decided.
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.
Questions about claimant work permits?
We keep every common question — eligibility, documents, timing, fees and processing — answered and updated in one place.
Related services
Explore your other options.
Vulnerable Worker PermitLeave an abusive employer
Humanitarian & CompassionatePR on H&C grounds
Work Permits & LMIAEvery route to working here
Refugee Travel DocumentTravel as a protected person
Temporary Resident PermitEnter despite inadmissibility
Resource LibraryChecklists & deadline tools
General information only, not legal advice, and current as of July 2026. 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.
In immediate danger? Call 911.
Press Esc twice to leave instantly.