A new open work permit has been introduced in Canada that enables certain economic class applicants to maintain their status and continue working in the country while they wait for a final decision on their permanent residence application. This will make the country’s immigration system faster and more flexible and cut red tape for the skilled immigrants Canada’s economy needs to grow and thrive, according to Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
‘The new Bridging Open Work Permit provides those who are transitioning to permanent residency with better opportunities to integrate into Canada’s labour market to the benefit of our economy and all Canadians,’ he said. The bridging work permit is available immediately and is valid for one year from the date of issuance. Qualifying foreign nationals who have submitted an application for permanent residence under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) may be considered for an open work permit. Applicants must already be in Canada on a valid work permit that is about to expire and must have received confirmation from CIC that their permanent resident application is eligible.
Previously, applicants who were awaiting a decision on their permanent residence application could find their temporary work permits expiring before their application was processed. As a result, these individuals would no longer have been authorised to work in Canada unless their employer applied for and received a Labour Market Opinion from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) and the applicant then applied for an extension of status. Open work permits are already available for other in Canada immigration streams, such as live-in caregivers, spouses or common law partners. Kenney said that this improvement will result in consistent treatment for other applicants already in Canada.
