Open Work Permit

Open Work Permit

An Open Work Permit permits a foreign national to work for any Canadian employer. For a specified period of time when the candidates want. There are also some open work permits which restrict the kind of job or place in which the foreign national worker wants to work. A worker can apply for an open work permit from outside of Canada, within Canada, or even at a Canadian port of entry.

Canadian Open work permits are issued to candidates who are not from the LMIA requirement. 

The category of the following listed candidates are eligible for Open Worker Permit:

• – The individual with no other means of support.
• – Some of the permanent resident applicants living in Canada.
• – The participant of the Canada World Youth Program.
• – Foreign nationals living in Canada because of some humanitarian reasons.
• – If an applicant is a participant in certain international student and young worker exchange programs.
• – If the candidates’  family members are from military personnel and foreign representatives who are exempt from the LMIA requirement
• – Spouses of skilled worker residents
• – Spouses of foreign students
• – Professional athletes entering Canada who requires other work to support themselves while playing for a Canadian team
• – Foreign national worker currently in Canada whose work permit will soon expire and who have submitted an application for permanent residence under:
  •      – The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
  •      – The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
  •      – A Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
  •      – The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
  •      – Foreign nationals who have submitted an application for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class (SCLPC). Applicants under this class will be able to get an open work permit if:
    •      – If an applicant has submitted a Permanent Residence Application under the SCLPC class
    •      – If the applicant’s spouse/partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
    •      – If the applicant’s spouse/partner has submitted a sponsorship application on the applicant’s behalf
    •      – If an applicant SCLPC resides at the same address as the sponsor/spouse/partner
    •      – The SCLPC applicant has valid temporary resident status as a visitor, student,  or worker

There are basically two kinds of open work permit:

• – Unrestricted Open Work Permit.

• – Occupation Restricted Open Work Permit.

In an unrestricted open work permit, a foreign national worker can work for any  job, in any place, and for any employer. An unrestricted open work permit will only be given to the eligible workers who have passed the medical exam.  An unrestricted open work permit can also be given to the following listed eligible workers:

• – If an applicant failed in his/her medical exam AND
• – Either has no other means of support or belongs to certain groups of permanent resident applicants who are living in Canada.

In an occupation-restricted open permit, a foreign national worker can  work for any employer but in a specific job. The candidates of occupation-restricted open permits are not allowed to work in jobs related to health because of no medical exam.

The workers from the countries which doesn’t require a medical exam and having the occupation restricted open permit are not allowed to work in the following streams:

• – Health services
• – Primary or secondary school teaching
• – Childcare

The workers from the countries which requires a medical exam and have occupation restricted open permit are not allowed to work in the following streams:

• – Health services
• – Farming
• – Childcare
• – Primary or secondary school teaching