Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP): Who Qualifies and How to Apply in Canada (2026)
- Ansari Immigration
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
A bridging open work permit (BOWP) lets you keep working in Canada while IRCC processes your permanent residence application. You qualify once you have applied for PR through an eligible economic program, passed the completeness check, and received your acknowledgement of receipt letter, all while holding valid or maintained work status in Canada.
The point of a BOWP is simple: it closes the gap between the day your current work permit expires and the day IRCC decides your PR application, so you do not have to stop working while you wait.
Who can apply for a bridging open work permit
To be eligible for a bridging open work permit, IRCC's official guidance says you must:
Be living in Canada when you apply (and, outside Quebec, intend to live outside Quebec).
Either hold valid temporary resident status with a valid work permit, hold an expired work permit but have maintained your status as a worker, or be eligible to restore your status and get a work permit.
Be the principal applicant on your permanent residence application.
Have submitted a complete PR application that has passed IRCC's completeness check. Submitting an Express Entry profile to the pool is not the same as applying for PR.
Have your acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter, which IRCC sends to your account after it receives your PR application.
Which PR programs make you eligible for a BOWP
A BOWP is not open to every PR applicant. Per IRCC, you may qualify if you applied under Express Entry (the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades Program), the Provincial Nominee Program (through Express Entry or not), the Quebec skilled worker class, the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot, the caring-for-children or high-medical-needs classes, the Agri-Food Pilot, or as a Quebec investor. Some of these streams require an approval in principle rather than only an AOR, so confirm the requirement for your specific program on IRCC's official bridging open work permit page.
How to apply for a bridging open work permit
You apply for a BOWP the same way you apply to extend or change the conditions on a work permit. In most cases you must apply online through your IRCC secure account. When you apply:
Select "Open work permit" as the type of work permit.
Pay the work permit processing fee of $155 and the open work permit holder fee of $100, for a government total of $255 (confirmed on IRCC's fee list, updated July 2, 2026). Biometrics or other fees may apply to your situation.
Upload your acknowledgement of receipt letter (and, for PNP applicants, your nomination letter) in the "Client information" field.
Submit before your current work permit expires, so you keep your status and your right to work while the BOWP is processed.
From Amir's desk: the BOWP mistakes that put both files at risk
In practice, a bridging open work permit is only for people whose PR application is already in process, so you should have your AOR in hand before you apply. The trap I see most often is timing. If you are relying on restoration because your permit already lapsed, do not start working again until your BOWP is actually issued. Working without authorization can damage both your work permit and your PR application at once. And check one detail almost everyone overlooks: the information on your BOWP application must match your PR application exactly. Any discrepancy between the two files, from job titles to addresses, can trigger questions on both at the same time. Clients who come to us mid-panic are usually people who let their permit expire without maintaining status, or who assumed the profile they put in the Express Entry pool counted as an application. It does not.
Not sure whether you are on maintained status or need to restore before you apply? That is a 30-minute question you can put directly to Ansari Immigration's licensed RCIC ($80). Ask Ansari Immigration.
If you have been through this stage, keep it general and tell us in the comments what tripped you up: the AOR wait, the fees, or the online form. It helps others timing their own application.
Fees, timing, and travel
Because a BOWP is an open work permit, you pay both the work permit processing fee and the open work permit holder fee noted above. On timing, IRCC does not publish a separate service standard for BOWPs on the bridging page, and processing times change frequently, so check the current estimate on IRCC's official processing times tool rather than relying on figures from other sites. The reassurance that matters most: if you apply for the BOWP before your current permit expires, maintained status lets you keep working under your existing conditions while your BOWP is processed.
Travel is where people get stuck. You can leave Canada while your PR application is processed, but if your work permit expires while you are outside Canada, or you leave after it expires, you lose your temporary resident status and cannot work until a new permit is approved. IRCC also states that you must be in Canada with valid status when it decides your BOWP, or your application may be refused.
Why this matters for your immigration application
A BOWP is the bridge that keeps Metro Vancouver workers, from Burnaby to Surrey, employed while their PR file moves through the system, which protects both your income and the Canadian work experience many programs reward. It is a distinct category from a general open work permit, and it depends on getting your status right. If your permit is close to expiring and you have not yet received an invitation to apply, your safer move is usually to extend your work permit or protect your maintained status rather than wait and risk a gap. Whether you are on the Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, or another eligible pathway, the sequence has to line up before a BOWP is even an option.
Frequently asked questions about bridging open work permits
How long does a bridging open work permit take to process?
IRCC does not list a separate BOWP timeline on its bridging page, and work permit processing times change often. Check the current estimate on IRCC's official processing times tool. If you apply for the BOWP before your current permit expires, you are on maintained status and can keep working while you wait.
Who can apply for a bridging open work permit?
The principal applicant on an eligible PR application (Express Entry, PNP, Quebec skilled worker, the caregiver and Agri-Food pilots, or Quebec investor) who is in Canada, holds valid or maintained status, and has their acknowledgement of receipt or approval in principle.
Can I travel outside Canada on a bridging open work permit?
You can travel, but if your work permit expires while you are abroad or you leave after it expires, you lose your status and cannot work until a new permit is approved. IRCC also requires you to be in Canada with valid status when it decides the BOWP.
Do I have to pay the open work permit holder fee for a BOWP?
Yes. A BOWP is an open work permit, so you pay the $100 open work permit holder fee plus the $155 work permit processing fee when you apply, per IRCC's fee list.
Is putting my profile in the Express Entry pool the same as applying for PR?
No. IRCC states that submitting a profile to the pool is not the same as applying for permanent residence. You are only eligible for a BOWP after you submit a complete PR application and receive your acknowledgement of receipt.
Why work with Ansari Immigration: flat fees from $750 for open work permits, quoted upfront, with additional family members quoted separately. Every Ansari Immigration file is handled personally by the firm's licensed RCIC, start to finish, with all forms, IRCC correspondence, and follow-ups included and direct access to your consultant throughout. No juniors, no call centers. If your permit is expiring and you are unsure whether a BOWP fits your file, book a 30-minute consultation ($80), and tell us in the comments what stage you are at, keeping it general. For advice on your specific case, use a consultation. Book with Ansari Immigration.
Related Posts
Open Work Permit in Canada: Who Qualifies, How to Apply, and Processing Times (2026) — The full guide to open work permits, including the categories a BOWP sits inside.
What Is Implied Status in Canada? — How maintained (implied) status lets you keep working after your permit expires while a new application is pending.
Work Permit Expiring in Canada: What Happens and What to Do (2026) — Your options and deadlines when your work permit is close to running out.
This article is for general information only. It is not legal advice. Program criteria, requirements, processing times, and selection approaches can change without notice. Always confirm details on official government websites or consult a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) for advice specific to your situation.
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