Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) Canada

The Bridging Open Work Permit is one of the most strategically important documents available to foreign workers in Canada who are on the path to Permanent Residence. If your work permit is expiring while you wait for a final decision on your PR application, the BOWP allows you to keep working — for any employer, without restriction — until that decision is made. Without it, you may be forced to stop working legally at precisely the moment when your immigration file is most active and your continued employment most matters.

The BOWP is not a pathway to Permanent Residence in itself. It is a bridge — a mechanism that prevents a gap in your work authorization during what can be a lengthy PR processing period. Timing your BOWP application correctly, submitting it with the right documentation, and understanding the specific eligibility requirements for your PR stream are all critical to making sure the bridge holds when you need it.

At Magellan Immigration, we prepare and submit BOWP applications as part of a coordinated PR strategy — making sure your work authorization is maintained seamlessly throughout the entire process.

Who Can Apply for a BOWP

The BOWP is available to workers in Canada who have submitted a complete Permanent Residence application and are waiting for a final decision. Eligibility varies by PR stream. The main categories are:

Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades Program To be eligible you must live in Canada and intend to live outside Quebec at the time of application, hold a valid work permit or have maintained status as a worker or be eligible to restore your status, be the principal applicant on your PR application, have submitted a complete PR application that has passed the completeness check, and have received your Acknowledgement of Receipt letter from IRCC.

Provincial Nominee Program — via Express Entry Same requirements as Express Entry above, with the additional condition that you have no employment restrictions as a condition of your nomination. You must also include a copy of your nomination letter with your BOWP application.

Provincial Nominee Program — Not via Express Entry Same core eligibility as above — valid or maintained worker status, principal applicant, no employment restrictions on your nomination — but the completeness check requirement is not listed as a condition. You must include your nomination letter and the Acknowledgement of Receipt letter from your PNP PR application.

Quebec Skilled Worker Class You must live in Canada and intend to live in Quebec, hold a valid Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) that was valid when you applied for PR, be the principal applicant, have passed the completeness check, and hold a valid or maintained worker status or be eligible for restoration.

A Critical Timing Point — Don't Wait for Your ITA

One of the most common mistakes workers make is allowing their work permit to expire while sitting in the Express Entry pool waiting for an Invitation to Apply. Submitting an Express Entry profile is not the same as applying for Permanent Residence. You cannot apply for a BOWP until you have received your ITA, submitted a complete PR application, and received your Acknowledgement of Receipt letter.

If your work permit is expiring before you reach that stage, you must extend your work permit through the normal extension process — which may require your employer to obtain a new LMIA or submit a new offer of employment. Do not let your work permit expire while waiting for an ITA.

Travelling Outside Canada on a BOWP

You can leave Canada while your BOWP application is being processed. However, if you leave Canada after your work permit expires — even if your BOWP application is pending — you cannot work until your new application is approved. Plan any international travel carefully around your work permit expiry date and your BOWP application status.

What We Do

 

  • Assess your BOWP eligibility based on your specific PR stream and current work permit status

  • Coordinate your BOWP application with your PR application timeline

  • Prepare and submit your complete BOWP application with all required supporting documents

  • Advise on work permit extensions to bridge the gap while waiting for an ITA

  • Advise on travel implications during BOWP processing

  • Handle restoration of status where work authorization has already lapsed