What Is Bridging Open Work Permit In Canada?
A bridging open work permit, or BOWP, is a type of open work permit issued to applicants who already have a permanent residence application in process with IRCC, and whose current work permit is running out before a decision is made. It is open, meaning the holder is not tied to one employer, job, or location.
A BOWP is not a path to permanent residence on its own. It exists only to prevent a gap in your authorization to work while your permanent residence application is being processed. If your PR application ends, your BOWP eligibility ends with it.
BOWP or Bridging Closed Work Permit, Which One Do You Need?
This is the single most common reason a bridging application gets refused. If you were nominated under a Provincial Nominee Program stream and your nomination is employer restricted, applying for a BOWP will not work. You need a Bridging Closed Work Permit instead, which requires an R204(c) letter from the province and an Offer of Employment your employer submits through the Employer Portal.
Before applying for anything, check your nomination letter for the field marked “Restrictions on employment.” If it says yes, a standard BOWP application is the wrong document and will be refused. If it says no, or your PR stream is not a PNP nomination at all, the BOWP is the correct route.
Not sure which permit applies to you?
Bridging Open Work Permit Eligibility Requirements
Confirm your eligibility with our team.
BOWP Fees, Processing Time and Validity
How Much Is a Bridging Open Work Permit?
| Application | Fee (CAD) |
|---|
| Work permit processing fee | $155 |
| Open work permit holder fee | $100 |
| Total government fee | $255 |
| Biometrics, if required | $85 |
These figures are confirmed against IRCC’s official fee list. Fees change, so verify the current amount at canada.ca before you pay.
How Long Does BOWP Processing Take?
IRCC’s own processing time tool estimates 90 to 120 days for a BOWP. In practice, current 2026 processing is running closer to 6 to 8.5 months for applications submitted inside Canada, driven by the volume of work permits expiring across the country this year. Plan around the real figure, not the official estimate alone.
Bridging Open Work Permit Validity
A BOWP is typically issued for up to 24 months, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. If your passport is expiring soon, renew it before applying. A short passport validity means a shortened BOWP that may not cover your full PR processing period.
Maintained Status While You Wait
If you submit your BOWP application before your current work permit expires, you enter maintained status automatically. You can remain in Canada and keep working under your previous conditions while IRCC processes the new application.
Maintained status is not the same as holding a valid work permit. You generally cannot travel outside Canada and expect to re-enter freely, and you generally cannot switch employers unless your previous permit allowed it. Apply within the four month window to limit how long you rely on maintained status alone.
Visitor Visa
For tourism, visiting family, or bringing a parent or grandparent to Canada under the Super Visa, which allows stays of up to five years per entry. A business visitor can also enter under this category to attend conferences or site visits without a work permit, as long as they aren’t entering the Canadian labour market. A visitor cannot work or study otherwise, and most stays are capped at six months unless an officer authorizes something longer. Our visitor visa page covers eligibility, documents, and the Super Visa in full.
How to Apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit
1
Confirm Your AOR and Your Permit’s Expiry Date
Confirm you have received your AOR and check how much time remains on your current work permit against the four month window.
2
Gather Your Documents
Collect the documents listed below before you start the application.
3
Submit Online and Pay the Fees
Most BOWP applications go through the IRCC secure portal. Pay the $255 government fee, plus biometrics if required, at submission.
4
Monitor Your File and Respond Promptly
Respond to any request IRCC sends before the deadline given. Brightlight monitors every file and handles IRCC correspondence on your behalf.
Documents Required for a BOWP Application
- Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) letter
- Completed work permit application form
- Valid passport, all pages
- Current work permit
- Proof of status in Canada
- Photographs meeting IRCC specifications
- Proof of fee payment
- Nomination certificate, if applying under PNP
- Certificat de sélection du Québec, if applying under the Quebec Skilled Worker Class
All documents not in English or French require a certified translation, with the original-language document attached.
Refused a Temporary Residency Application? You Still Have Options
A refusal isn’t necessarily the end of the road. If your application was refused from outside Canada, you can request reconsideration directly from the visa office, or file an Application for Leave and for Judicial Review with the Federal Court within 60 days of the decision. If the refusal happened inside Canada, that judicial review window is only 15 days, so speed matters.
Two situations carry stricter consequences. A finding of misrepresentation bars you from applying again for five years. Certain violations require Authorization to Return to Canada before you can apply for a new visa at all.
We start by reading your refusal letter with you line by line. Not to promise an outcome, but to find out exactly what an officer raised and whether it’s something a stronger application can address.
Does a BOWP Cover My Spouse or Children?
A BOWP itself does not extend eligibility to your spouse or dependent children. Your spouse may separately qualify for their own open work permit depending on your occupation and TEER classification, but this depends on rules that have changed twice in the past two years. Dependent children are not eligible for an open work permit through this measure at all.
For the current, full eligibility rules for your spouse, our spousal open work permit page covers every track in detail.
See How Brightlight Helped BOWP Clients, Real Client Stories
A client came to Brightlight ready to file a standard BOWP application after receiving his AOR under a Provincial Nominee Program stream. His nomination letter listed an employer restriction he had not noticed. A standard BOWP would have been refused.
Brightlight caught the restriction before submission and prepared the correct Bridging Closed Work Permit application, with the required employer support and R204(c) letter. His work authorization was maintained without a gap.
If you are not certain which application applies to your situation, that is exactly what we resolve before anything is filed.
No immigration consultant can guarantee a bridging open work permit will be approved. Brightlight guarantees an accurate assessment of which permit applies to your situation, honest guidance on your timing, and careful preparation so IRCC has no reason to ask questions.
Why Choose Brightlight for Your BOWP Application
| What matters | Brightlight | Unregulated agent | DIY |
|---|
| RCIC-licensed & CICC regulated | ✓ | ✕ | — |
| Correctly distinguishes BOWP from Bridging Closed Work Permit | ✓ | Variable | Risk |
| Confirms your four month timing before filing | ✓ | Variable | Risk |
| Responds to IRCC requests on your file | ✓ | Variable | Risk |
| Named consultant reviews your application | ✓ | Unlikely | — |
Ready to work with a licensed RCIC who reviews your file personally?
Your BOWP File Is Reviewed by Our Licensed RCIC
When you bring a bridging work permit file to Brightlight, it is reviewed by the founders, not handed to a junior assistant after your first call.
Loveneet Paneswar
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant with 14+ years of experience. Loveneet handles all PR, refusal, and complex-case files personally and reviews every document, supporting letter, and IRCC response herself.
Sumir Paneswar
Your first call and your ongoing contact throughout the process. Sumir keeps your file moving from the first assessment through to your Confirmation of Permanent Residence and answers the phone when you have questions in between.
10,700+Visas & PRs Handled
14+ YearsImmigration Practice
4.8 / 5 ★Google Review Rating
Bridging Open Work Permit Success Stories
These are real client files prepared by our Surrey team and reviewed by Loveneet Paneswar, RCIC. Slide through to find the situation closest to yours.
What Brightlight Clients Say
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Bridging Open Work Permit Canada, Frequently Asked Questions
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