Canada’s Open Work Permit

It is a known fact that to  work in Canada, you must have the necessary authorization and permit. For many countries across the globe , you must have to obtain this authorization in the form of a valid work permit.

A work permit is a document that legally allows you to work for an employer, or for yourself. Some work permits ties you to one job and one employer, and some to different employers.

What is Open Work Permit?

Open work permit is the type that allows foreigners to work in Canada without necessarily obtaining a job offer first. And as a temporary resident in Canada, it does not tie you to a specific job.

This type of work permit does not tie you to any specific employer or location in Canada. Which you can work for multiple employers in a different location within Canada at any time.

For the fact that this work permit is not tied to any specific employer or job, some of the requirement for obtaining a work permit in Canada may be ignored. Requirements such as not requiring a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or the need to provide proof of a job offer.

Some of the immigration programs through which open work permit is issued include:

• Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP)
• International Experience Canada (IEC)
• Inland Spousal or Common-Law Sponsorship
• Bridging Open Work Permits (BOWP)

Who is Eligible For Open Work Permit?

Those who are eligible includes:

• A permanent resident in Canada.
• A dependent child or family member of a permanent resident.
• Some Temporary residents
• Those who have a working holiday visa or other special programs. And
• Refugees or refugee claimants whose cases are still pending or protected persons and their family members.

Advantages Of Open Work Permit

Obtaining an Open Work Permit gives the holder a level of freedom to work anywhere and from any location. Other permit ties an individual to a specific job and to a specific employer.

Obtaining an open work permit gives you an opportunity to take up several jobs thereby improving your Canadian work experience. So, with a Canadian work experience especially on different expertise gives you an edge when applying for a Canadian permanent residency.

Types Of Open Work Permit

There are mainly two types of open work permit:

Unrestricted:

The unrestricted work permit allows the foreigners to take any kind of job in any location or place

Restricted:

This type restricts individuals from certain jobs or locations due to health, or locational restriction due to the type of visa or application they entered with.

this entails that  a person who has a bridging work permit who is also a provincial nominee class candidate will be restricted to a province.