Bridging open work permits without a gap in status
Eligibility for a bridging open work permit, timing around your current permit expiry, and how to keep working legally.
- Apply before your current work permit expires.
- Maintained status does not automatically authorise work; check the conditions on your application.
- The bridging permit depends on a valid permanent residence application.
- Keep proof of your application with your employer.
What a bridging permit does
A bridging open work permit helps eligible permanent residence applicants keep working while their application is processed. It is open, which means you are not tied to one employer, but it is not available to every applicant or every immigration program.
The permit is linked to your permanent residence application. If that application is refused, withdrawn or incomplete, the bridging permit can be affected.
Timing the application
Apply before your current work permit expires. Applying early is usually safer, but applying too early can create problems if your permanent residence application is not yet in the required stage.
If your permit expires while the bridging application is pending, you may have maintained status. Maintained status allows you to remain in Canada, but it does not always allow you to continue working. Read the conditions attached to your specific application and ask an authorised representative if you are unsure.
Documents to prepare
You will normally need proof of your permanent residence application, your current work permit, a passport and evidence that you meet the program-specific conditions. Some applicants also need a provincial nomination or an acknowledgement of receipt.
Give your employer a copy of the application and explain that the bridging permit is pending. Employers often need this evidence for their records even when your right to work continues.