Why apply for a Canada Open Work Visa?
 

• Freedom to work anywhere in Canada
• 'NO' job offer required 
• 'NO' LMIA approval required
• Earn up to CAD 60,000 per year
• Enjoy 25 paid leaves annually
• Direct access to the Canadian job market

The Canada Open Work visa gives you the freedom to work for any employer anywhere in Canada. It also gives you direct access to the Canadian job market, which has 1 million job vacancies across 20+ sectors. 
 

What is a Canadian Open Work Visa? 

Canada is one of the most sought-after places to work and migrate. The Canadian job market is booming, with numerous job opportunities across various in-demand job sectors. Foreign skilled immigrants willing to work in Canada must apply for a Canadian Work Permit.

Canada offers two types of work permits, They are:

• Open Work Permit
• Closed Work Permit

While a Closed Work Permit binds you to one employer, occupation, and location, an Open Work Permit in Canada lets you explore the job market and work under any employer from any location in the country. A Canadian Open work permit holder can take up employment under multiple Canadian employers anywhere in the country. 

Types of Canada Open Work Permits

Canada offers freedom to open work permit holders to work for any Canadian employer without having to change their work permit while switching jobs. Open work permits are advantageous to the Canadian job market, and labor market needs as it attracts versatile, skilled workers to migrate and work in Canada.

The country offers two types of Open Work Permits, which include:

• Unrestricted Open Work Permit: This permit allows a foreign immigrant to take up employment in any job role, under any employer, and in any location in Canada. Candidates who meet the minimum requirements mentioned below are eligible to apply for the unrestricted Open Work Permit in Canada:
  • Have passed the medical tests
  • Have no other means of support or belong to some specific group of PR applicants living in Canada

*Note: Exceptions are allowed for certain groups of PR applicants.

• Occupation-restricted Open Work Permit: This permit allows foreign workers to work under any employer-provided that the job role or the occupation specified in the work permit is the same while switching jobs. Healthcare professionals are exempted from applying for this type of open work permit in Canada. Candidates who have not cleared the medical tests can apply for occupation-restricted open work permit in Canada. Occupation-restricted work permit holders are not allowed to take up employment in the following sectors:
  • Primary or secondary school teaching
  • Childcare
  • Health services

Nationals from specific countries are not required to provide medical test results to enter Canada. If you belong to a country that does require medical test results, then you cannot apply for farming jobs as an occupation-restricted open work permit holder in Canada.

 

Canada Open Work Permits Categories

The following immigration streams issue Canadian Open Work permits:

• Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): This type of work permit is given to foreign students who hold a graduation degree from a Canadian university. PGWP holders can work for any Canadian employer for any amount of time from any location in Canada. The Visa has a validity of eight months to up to three years, depending on the job role and profile of the student. PGWP offers an excellent way of obtaining Canadian work experience, which can help while applying for Permanent Residence in Canada.
   
• Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP): This type of permit is given to spouses of students, employees, or PR applicants in Canada. It allows the visa holder to work in any Canadian location and under any employer but with a few restrictions. Spouses migrating to Canada on sponsorship are also eligible to apply for this type of work permit.
   
• International Experience Canada (IEC): Canada offers a set of visa programs that enable young nationals from certain countries to migrate and work temporarily in Canada. IEC has three separate programs, which include:
   
  • Working Holiday: Eligible candidates qualify for an open work permit in Canada
  • Young Professionals: Eligible candidates can get an employer-specific work permit in Canada
  • International Co-op Internship: Eligible candidates can get an employer-specific work permit to work for internships in Canada.
     
• Bridging Open Work Permits (BOWP): This type of work permit is issued to foreign nationals who have already applied for Canada PR and are waiting for their application to be approved. BOWP holders get an open work permit, which allows them to work in Canada while waiting for PR approval.

 

Eligibility for Canada Open Work Permit

Canadian Open Work Permits can be obtained from the different immigration streams offered by the country. The eligibility criteria vary depending on the type of Open Work Permit and the immigration stream chosen by the applicant. However, certain requirements are common to all kinds of Open Work Permit in Canada.
 

You would be eligible to apply for an Open Work Permit in Canada if you:

• Provide proof of legal residence in your home country for  canada open work visa
• Have proof of identity and civil status for  canada open work visa
• Have cleared the medical tests (varies country-wise)
• Have no criminal background for  canada open work visa
• Have sufficient financial resources for  canada open work visa
• Intend to leave Canada after the work permit expires

 

Who can apply for an Open Work permit in Canada?

Candidates who meet at least one of the following conditions can apply for an Open Work Permit in Canada

• A legal resident of Canada or your home country
• A PR applicant in Canada 
• An immigrant residing in Canada for humanitarian reasons
• Students and young workers participating in certain exchange programs
• Immediate family members of people employed in the Canadian army or foreign representatives in Canada 
• Professional sports person
• Spouses of skilled immigrants working in Canada
• Spouses of international students for Open Work Permit Canada.
• Canadian work Permit holders who have applied for Canada PR via:
  • Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
  • Canadian Experience Class (CRC)
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
  • Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Spouse or Common Law Partner of a PR can apply if:

• The applicant's spouse or partner is a citizen of Canada or a Canada PR holder
• The applicant and the spouse share the same residence
• The applicant has a temporary Resident status at the time of application
   

Canada Open Work Visa Requirements 

The following are the documents required to apply for a Canada Open Work Visa:

• A valid passport with a minimum validity of 6 months from the date you arrive in Canada, along with photocopies
• Recent passport-sized photographs
• Employment contracts for Canada Open Work Visa
• Proof of nationality and civil status
• Updated resume or CV for Canada Open Work Visa
• Academic qualifications and certificates
• Medical test results for Canada Open Work Visa
• Police clearance certificates for Open Work Visa Canada.
• Certificate of marriage (if applicable)
• Certificate d’acceptation du Quebec (CAQ) (if working in Quebec)
• Other documents specified by the Consulate of Canada

You will also be required to submit the following forms depending on the type of Open Work permit you have chosen:

• IMM 1295 (if applying from outside Canada)
• Schedule 1: Application for Temporary Resident Visa
• IMM 5409- Statutory Declaration Form (if applicable)
• IMM 5645- Family Information Form
• IMM 5475- Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (if applicable) 
• IMM 5476- Use of Representative Form (if applicable)
   

How to get a Canadian Open Work Visa?

The following are the steps to apply for a Canadian Open Work Permit:

Step 1: Check your eligibility for the type of open work permit you can apply for

Step 2: Gather all the documents required according to the checklist

Step 3: Fill out the online application form

Step 4: Complete the fee payment

Step 5: Apply for an Open Work Permit

Step 6: Fly to Canada upon approval
 

Canadian Open Work Visa Fees 

The table below has the breakdown of fees for Canadian Open Work Permit:
 

Type of fees	Amount (in CAD)
Initial Work Permit application fees	$155
Open Work Permit	$100
Biometric fee	$85
Total	$340

 

Canada Open Work Permit Processing times 

The processing time for a Canada Open Work Visa varies on the type of open work permit chosen. The table below has the details of the processing time for different types of Open Work Permits in Canada:
 

Type of Open Work Permit	Processing time
Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)	3 to 5 months
Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP)	1 to 4 months
IEC Working holiday	4 to 5 weeks
IEC Young professionals	1 to 2 months
IEC International Co-op	4 to 6 months
Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)	4 to 5 months

IRCC notifies selected candidates that their application has been approved via the email ID provided by the candidates. This may take around 6 weeks or 30 business days.

 

Bringing dependents on a Canada Open Work Visa
 

Canadian Open Work visa holders can bring their spouse, common-law partner, or children under 21 years old if the primary applicant mentions them on his Open Work Permit application form. However, you must apply for dependent visas to bring your dependents to Canada.

The steps to apply for a dependent visa to Canada are:

Step 1: Check if you and your dependents meet the eligibility criteria

Step 2: Gather and upload the required documents

Step 3: Apply for the Visa

Step 4: Wait for approval

Step 5: Fly to Canada with your dependents

Eligible spouses can apply for a Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) after entering Canada on a Dependent Visa.

 

How can Y-Axis help you?

As the world's No. 1 overseas immigration consultancy, Y-Axis has provided unbiased and personalized immigration assistance for 25+ years. Our team of visa and immigration experts will assist you with the following:

• Arranging the immigration document checklist
• Filling out application forms
• Documentation and petition filing
• Getting your updates and follow-ups
• Finding relevant jobs with Y-Axis Job Search Services
• Obtaining Canadian Permanent Residence