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By Sana Mirfattah | Bright Tomorrows Immigration Services | Updated October 7, 2026

Canada Bridging Open Work Permit 2026: Key Takeaways

A bridging open work permit (BOWP) lets eligible permanent residence applicants keep working in Canada while IRCC decides their PR file.
An Express Entry profile in the pool is not enough. You need a complete PR application that passed the completeness check, plus your acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter.
You must be the principal applicant, live in Canada when you apply for the BOWP (outside Quebec for most streams; Quebec rules differ), and have valid temporary status with a work permit, maintained status as a worker, or be eligible to restore status and get a work permit.
In most cases you pay the work permit processing fee (Can$155) and the open work permit holder fee (Can$100). Confirm fees on the IRCC fee list the day you file.
Leaving Canada after your work permit expires can stop you from working until a new permit is approved. You generally need valid temporary resident status in Canada when IRCC decides the BOWP.

What a BOWP is (and is not)

A BOWP is an open work permit. It is not tied to one employer the way many closed permits are. It is meant to bridge the gap between your temporary work authorization and a final PR decision.

A BOWP does not:

guarantee permanent residence
replace medicals, police certificates, or biometrics on your PR file
automatically cover a spouse or dependant (each person needs their own eligibility path)
fix an incomplete PR application

Who can apply: Express Entry (FSW, CEC, FST)

These rules cover Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades PR applications filed through Express Entry.

You must:

live in Canada and intend to live outside Quebec when you apply for the BOWP
hold valid temporary resident status and a valid work permit, or have an expired work permit but maintained status as a worker, or be eligible to restore your status and get a work permit
be the principal applicant on the PR application
have submitted a complete PR application that passed the completeness check
have your AOR letter in your IRCC account

Submitting an Express Entry profile alone does not open BOWP eligibility. You need an invitation to apply, a filed PR application, and AOR.

Documents for Express Entry BOWP

Include the checklist items for extending or changing a work permit, plus a copy of your AOR. Online applicants usually upload the AOR under Client information.

Who can apply: PNP through Express Entry

Same core status and principal-applicant rules as federal Express Entry, plus:

no employment restrictions as a condition of your nomination
complete PR application that passed the completeness check
AOR letter
copy of your nomination letter (upload with AOR under Client information when filing online)

Who can apply: PNP not through Express Entry

For base PNP PR applications (outside Express Entry), IRCC looks for:

residence in Canada, intend to live outside Quebec
valid status and work permit, maintained status as a worker, or restore eligibility
principal applicant
no employment restrictions on the nomination
a complete PR application that passed the eligibility assessment (not only a completeness check)
AOR for the PNP permanent residence application
nomination letter

IRCC notes that the AOR does not mean BOWP processing has started. They wait until they confirm you meet basic PNP PR eligibility before processing the BOWP.

Quebec skilled worker and Quebec investor

Quebec skilled workers generally need to:

live in Canada and intend to live in Quebec
hold a valid CSQ (or a CSQ that was valid when PR was filed)
be the principal applicant
have passed a PR completeness check
meet status / work permit / maintained status / restore rules

Supporting documents typically include the CSQ and the letter with the permanent application number (starts with E). On the form, answer yes when asked whether an IRCC office told you that you are approved in principle for PR, then select open work permit and pay both fees.

Quebec investors follow a similar CSQ and status pattern. Confirm the live IRCC page before you file.

Caregiver and Agri-Food paths

Home Care Worker Immigration pilots (opened 2025): IRCC states you are not eligible for a BOWP under those pilots. Use the work permit options IRCC lists for that program instead.
Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot (2019-2024): BOWP may be available if you are approved in principle, prove 6 months of qualifying work experience, and meet status rules.
Caring for children / high medical needs classes: closed June 18, 2019. BOWP may still apply if you were approved in principle and meet status rules.
Agri-Food Pilot: principal applicant, approved in principle, status rules, and the approval-in-principle letter as support.

Fees (confirm before you pay)

From IRCC’s public fee list (as of September 2026 listings):

Work permit processing fee: Can$155
Open work permit holder fee: Can$100
Typical combined cost for a standard BOWP: Can$255

If you must restore status as a worker, restore plus a new work permit is listed separately (restore Can$246.25 + work permit Can$155). Always recheck fees before payment.

How to apply

Confirm you have AOR (or approval in principle, where that program requires it) and that you are the principal applicant.
Confirm status: valid work permit, maintained status, or restore eligibility.
Follow IRCC instructions to extend or change conditions on a work permit.
Select Open work permit as the type.
Pay the work permit fee and the open work permit holder fee.
Upload AOR (and nomination letter, CSQ, or approval-in-principle letter as required) under Client information when filing online.

Most applicants must apply online. Paper is only for people who cannot apply online under IRCC’s alternate-format rules.

Travel while the BOWP is in process

You can leave Canada while PR is processing. If your work permit expires while you are outside Canada, or you leave after it expires, you can lose temporary resident status. If you return as a temporary resident, you generally cannot work until a new work permit is approved. IRCC also states you must be in Canada with valid temporary resident status when they decide the BOWP, or the application may be refused.

If you are not eligible for a BOWP yet

Do not wait for an invitation to apply while your work permit runs out. Extend the current work permit when you can. Your employer may need a new LMIA or a new offer of employment for a closed extension.

Common refusal and delay risks

Filing BOWP before AOR or before the PR file is complete
Spouse or dependant applying as if they were the principal applicant
Missing nomination letter on PNP files
Applying after status has lapsed without restore eligibility
Travel timing that leaves you outside Canada without valid work authorization
Selecting the wrong work permit type or skipping the open work permit holder fee

Talk to Bright Tomorrows

BOWP timing often collides with LMIA expiry, PGWP end dates, and maintained-status windows. Book a consultation with Bright Tomorrows Immigration Services if you want a licensed review of status, AOR readiness, and the right work-permit path before you file.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm eligibility, fees, and forms on IRCC before you apply.

Canada Bridging Open Work Permit 2026: Eligibility, AOR, and Fees