An open work permit lets you work for almost any employer in Canada, without a job offer and without a Labour Market Impact Assessment. Getting one depends entirely on which of several categories your situation falls under. This page helps you find yours before you apply for the wrong thing.
An open work permit lets a foreign national work for any employer in Canada. There is no job offer requirement and no LMIA involved, which is the whole point of the category and the thing that distinguishes it from an employer-specific work permit.
Two exclusions apply regardless of which category you qualify under. You cannot work for an employer listed as non-compliant with IRCC’s conditions, and you cannot work for a business that regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services, or erotic massage.
Not every open work permit is unrestricted. Some are occupation-restricted, meaning a medical exam is required before you can work in certain roles. Others are location-restricted, meaning your work is tied to a specific province. Whether either restriction applies to you depends on which category got you the permit in the first place.
Category | Who it’s for | Maximum validity | Next step |
Post-Graduation Work Permit | Graduates of eligible Canadian institutions | Up to 3 years | Covered below |
Spousal Open Work Permit | Spouses of certain workers and students | Length of principal applicant’s permit | Full details on our dedicated page |
Bridging Open Work Permit | PR applicants with an expiring permit | Up to 2 years | Full details on our dedicated page |
IEC Working Holiday | Youth aged 18 to 35 from eligible countries | Up to 2 years | Covered below |
PNP-candidate OWP | Provincial nominee candidates with a support letter | Up to 2 years | Covered below |
Refugee claimant OWP | Refugee claimants awaiting a decision | Up to 2 years | Covered below |
Two of these categories already have their own full page on our site, since they involve enough detail to deserve one. The rest are covered below.
You need to have completed a program at least 8 months long at an eligible designated learning institution, maintained full-time status through your studies, and submitted your PGWP application within 180 days of receiving confirmation that you completed your program. Your study permit must have been valid at some point during that 180-day window.
General interest courses and English or French as a second language programs don’t qualify. A field-of-study restriction applies to some program types but not others, graduates with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree are generally exempt from it. Getting your program classification wrong is one of the most common reasons a PGWP application gets refused.
As of January 21, 2025, spousal eligibility depends on the principal applicant’s own situation. Spouses of foreign workers are eligible if the worker holds a job in NOC TEER 0 or 1, which qualifies automatically, or in select TEER 2 or 3 occupations within specific industries. Spouses of international students are eligible only if the student is enrolled in a graduate-level program or one of a limited number of professional degree programs.
Not sure if your situation qualifies? Our Spousal Open Work Permit page covers every current requirement, document, and timing detail in full.
This category is for temporary workers already in Canada who have submitted a complete permanent residence application under an eligible economic immigration program and whose current work permit is expiring before a decision is made. You need a valid or maintained work permit status and confirmation that your PR application has passed the required completeness check.
Already have a PR application in process and a permit that’s running out? Our Bridging Open Work Permit page covers eligibility, timing, and how to apply.
You need to be a citizen of one of the countries with a reciprocal youth mobility agreement with Canada, generally aged 18 to 35 depending on your nationality, with valid health insurance covering medical care and repatriation, and you cannot be accompanied by dependents.
The IEC fee is $184.75, plus the $100 open work permit holder fee. This is different from the standard $155 work permit processing fee charged to most other open work permit categories.
Certain provincial nominee candidates can apply for an open work permit under a current public policy, if you’re in an active pool or have submitted an application under a participating province, hold a letter of employment, and have an open work permit support letter from that province.
An open work permit is available once you’ve submitted a refugee claim and a decision has been made on the eligibility of that claim. You’ll need to complete an immigration medical exam, provide biometrics, and demonstrate that you require the work to support yourself financially.
| Category | Government fee | Maximum validity |
|---|---|---|
| Standard open work permit | $155 plus $100 open work permit holder fee | Varies by category |
| IEC Working Holiday | $184.75 plus $100 open work permit holder fee | Up to 2 years |
| Biometrics, if required | $85 | Not applicable |
These figures are confirmed against IRCC’s current fee list. Confirm the exact amount for your category at canada.ca before you pay, since fees are adjusted periodically.
Some open work permits carry conditions listed directly on the permit itself. Occupation restrictions generally require an upfront medical exam before you can work in roles involving health services, childcare, or primary and secondary education, otherwise your permit is issued with medical conditions attached. Location restrictions typically apply to permits linked to a provincial nominee class, tying your work authorization to a specific province rather than anywhere in Canada.
An open work permit lets you work for any employer. A closed work permit, also called employer-specific, ties you to one named employer, role, and location. If your situation actually involves an employer sponsoring your job through LMIA or through the Francophone Mobility program, you’re looking at a closed permit, not an open one. Our Work Permit page covers the full picture across both permit types if you’re still working out which one applies to you.
Canadian work experience gained on an open work permit strengthens your eligibility for Express Entry streams, particularly the Canadian Experience Class, and can support a provincial nomination through the Provincial Nominee Program as well.
A recent graduate came to Brightlight unsure whether her program qualified for a PGWP, since her diploma combined two fields of study and the online guidance she’d read gave conflicting answers. Her 180-day application window was closing in under three weeks.
Brightlight reviewed her transcript against the current field-of-study rules and confirmed she qualified under the general degree exemption, since her credential was a recognized bachelor’s-level program. Her application was filed with time to spare.
If you’re unsure whether your own program or situation qualifies, that uncertainty is worth resolving before your window closes, not after.
No immigration consultant can guarantee an open work permit will be approved. What Brightlight guarantees is an accurate identification of which category applies to your situation, and careful preparation so IRCC has no reason to ask questions.
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An open work permit lets you work for any employer in Canada, without a job offer or LMIA. An employer-specific, or closed, work permit ties you to one named employer, role, and location, and usually requires an LMIA or an LMIA exemption. Changing employers under a closed permit requires a new application. An open permit does not.
Most categories cost $155 plus a $100 open work permit holder fee, $255 total, with an additional $85 if biometrics are required. IEC Working Holiday applicants pay $184.75 instead of $155, plus the same $100 holder fee. These figures are confirmed against IRCC's current fee list, which is updated periodically, so verify the exact amount before paying.
Almost any employer, with two exceptions. You cannot work for an employer on IRCC's list of non-compliant employers, or for a business that regularly offers adult entertainment services. Some open work permits carry additional restrictions listed directly on the permit itself, tied to occupation or province, depending on which category you qualify under.
Not directly, but Canadian work experience gained on one strengthens your eligibility for several permanent residence pathways, particularly the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry, and can support a provincial nomination. The permit itself is temporary. Building toward permanent residence generally requires a separate application once you've gained qualifying experience.
It depends on your situation, recent graduation, a spouse's job or study program, a pending PR application, your age and citizenship, or a provincial nomination. Each category has its own eligibility rules and documents. Reviewing your specific circumstances against the current requirements for each category is the only reliable way to confirm which one actually fits.
Have a question not answered here? Speak directly with our licensed RCIC.
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