The Bridging Open Work Permit is the best alternative to let a worker continue working in Canada while he has applied for permanent residency status in Canada. The application is processed by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and it takes time to make the final decision. So, the waiting time is crucial for any applicant, and BOWP is a sure-shot way to keep working in Canada until the decision is made.
A brief description of BOWP
Suppose you happen to apply for permanent residence in Canada and need to wait for the decision about your application from the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Canadian Citizenship). In that case, you can stay and work in Canada during the waiting period with the help of the Bridging Open Work Permit.
The applicants must seek permanent residence in Canada under an eligible immigration pathway. He must have a valid work permit, have a properly maintained status, and be authorized to work under a new work permit renewal. He should also be assigned to restore temporary residency status while working through the work permit.
If you are a foreign national worker who wants to continue working in Canada, you must already legally work in Canada and apply for permanent residence in Canada. You must use it through the economic immigration programs, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Quebec Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Program, and Agri-Food Pilot Program. Doing this will allow you to continue working in Canada during the waiting period for the decision about your Canadian permanent residency application.
Suppose this allows the foreign workers to continue staying and working in Canada during the waiting period, it will benefit them and the federal government, communities in Canada, and employers in Canada. This approach will also prevent applicants and dependent family members from leaving Canada. This will also prevent applicants and dependent family members from leaving Canada. They will also not have to live in Canada as a visitor and work hard toward finding an employer willing to get through the LMIA procedure. Those acknowledged as eligible for permanent residency in Canada and are currently employed in Canada can benefit greatly through the Open Work Permit. This work permit type will allow the employees to work under any kind of employer of their choice, allowing for a flexible approach to navigating the Canadian labor market.
Meeting the eligibility for Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
There are specific parameters that you are obligated to fulfill to meet the eligibility requirements of BOWP:
- The foreign national must be currently living in Canada as an authorized permanent resident in the country.
- The foreign national must hold a valid work permit.
- As per IRPR’s (Immigration, Refugees, Protection and Regulated) section 180 (u), he must have a prior maintained status resulting from the application submission for renewal of a work permit-Subsection R201{1}.
- He must be authorized to work through a work permit and must also be eligible to restore the status of permanent residency in Canada.
There are several stages for applying for permanent residence and completion of these stages largely depends upon the program being applied to. It is essential to have completed at least one of the following stages while applying for permanent residency in Canada:
- You must be able to pass the completion check under IRPRs section 10 concerning your permanent residency application through the Express Entry system.
- Passing the completion check under IRPRs section 10 application process concerning the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.
- After submitting the APR online, the applicant must receive a positive eligibility assessment receipt under Agri-Food Pilot Program, Non-Express Entry (PNP stream), and Caring Class for Children. This receipt is received online via mail.
Other eligibility conditions for BOWP- Spouse, Common-law partner & Dependents
There are other specific conditions under BOWP that need to be met by the spouse, common-law partner, and dependents, which are as follows:
- The spouse or dependent must have a valid work permit with authorization to work without having a work permit under IRPRs 186 (W) section.
- He must be allowed and authorized to work for a minimum period of 6 months after he obtains the Spousal Open Work Permit application.
- He must be observed to be working in jobs under the NOC category of skills A, O, and B.
- He must apply under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (NOC O, A, B & C).
- Employment under any occupation but having a Provincial Nomination certificate is a must.
- Employed under any occupation but he must officially hold the Quebec Selection Certificate.
- Must be already living in Canada or has plans of physically residing in Canada in the future while being employed.
- He must have an authentic relationship with the spouse and common-law partner.
Dependent children are not permitted to receive the Open Work Permit and they must have an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) or they must be officially exempt from LMIA owing to their circumstances for being able to apply for a work permit.
Employment rules concerning location
Certain rules for specific applicants are recognized when it comes to the location of their employment, they are given below:
Employment location under PNP for BOWP applicants
The BOWP applicants under the PNP must be issued an employment location that is restricted to the province under nomination. Selecting the province of destination must be done first followed by selecting the city of destination to display the territory or province.
Employment location under Quebec- BOWP applicants
Those candidates who have been selected as skilled workers by Quebec must be issued a BOWP for permanent residence with their employment residence as Quebec on their work permit.