Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP): Keep Working While Your PR Processes

Quick Answer

The Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) lets you keep working while IRCC processes your permanent residence application. You qualify if you have a PR application in process under Express Entry, PNP, or certain other economic programs, AND you have a valid work permit, maintained status as a worker, or are eligible to restore your worker status. IRCC’s current instructions do not require your permit to be close to expiry. The BOWP is open (any employer) for most streams and typically issued for 24 months. Fee: $255 total ($155 + $100 open permit holder fee).

Who Qualifies

Requirement	Detail
PR application stage	Express Entry: e-APR submitted and passed completeness check (you have your Acknowledgement of Receipt). PNP/other paper streams: application approved in principle or AOR received depending on stream
Current status	Valid work permit, OR maintained status as a worker, OR eligible to restore your status as a worker
Location	You must be in Canada when you apply
Eligible PR programs	Express Entry (FSW, CEC, FST), PNP, Agri-Food Pilot, caregiver pathways, Quebec skilled workers (with CSQ)

Older guides mention a “4-month window” before your permit expires; IRCC’s current BOWP instructions no longer include it. The timing that matters is that you have an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) for a complete PR application, and that you apply before your current permit expires — after expiry you have a restoration problem.

This guide explains general BOWP rules. It is not legal advice. BOWP timing interacts with maintained status, PR processing stages, and PNP nomination conditions in ways that are case-specific. A refused BOWP while your work permit lapses can leave you unable to work for months — if your situation has any complication, spend the money on an RCIC consultation before applying.

BOWP vs. Regular Extension: Which One?

If you have a PR application in process, the BOWP is almost always better than extending an employer-specific permit:

• Open — you can change employers, take a second job, or survive a layoff without losing status
• No LMIA — your employer does nothing and pays nothing
• Long validity — typically 24 months, which covers most PR processing timelines

One exception: PNP nominees with employment-restricted nominations. If your provincial nomination requires you to work for a specific employer, your BOWP will carry that same employer restriction. Changing jobs could breach your nomination and unravel your PR. Check your nomination conditions first.

Step-by-Step Application

1. Confirm your e-APR has passed the completeness check (you have the AOR in your account)
2. Confirm you have your AOR letter and that your current permit is still valid (or you are on maintained status)
3. Log in to your IRCC secure account and apply for a work permit from inside Canada
4. In the form, select that you are applying for an open work permit and identify the BOWP category (the questionnaire routes you based on your PR application)
5. Upload: passport, current work permit, AOR letter or nomination documents, digital photo
6. Pay $255 ($155 work permit + $100 open work permit holder fee); biometrics usually already valid from your earlier applications
7. Submit before your current permit expires — maintained status protects your right to keep working under your current conditions while the BOWP processes

Spouses and the BOWP

Your spouse’s open work permit does not automatically renew with your BOWP. They generally remain eligible for a spousal open work permit while you hold a valid permit and meet skill-level conditions — apply for both at the same time so the timelines stay aligned.

Common BOWP Refusal Reasons

• Applying before the AOR / completeness check (the PR application is not yet “in process” for BOWP purposes)
• Applying before the PR application has passed the completeness check (no AOR yet)
• PNP nominee applying for an unrestricted BOWP when the nomination is employer-restricted
• Applying from outside Canada
• PR application returned as incomplete after the BOWP was filed — the BOWP basis disappears

What Happens After PR Approval

When your PR is approved and you land (or complete the inland virtual landing), your BOWP becomes irrelevant — permanent residents do not need work permits. Do not pay to extend a BOWP if your PR is weeks from finalization; check your IRCC account messages or the processing-time tool to judge.

Can I Keep Working While My BOWP Is Processing?

Official rule: if you apply for a BOWP before your current work permit expires, you have maintained status: you can keep working under the conditions of your current permit until IRCC decides. Since April 2026, IRCC’s extension letter (WP-EXT) is valid for 365 days and can be shown to employers.

• If your current permit is employer-specific, you can only keep working for that employer until the BOWP is approved.
• If your permit has already expired, you cannot work; see restoration of status.
• Showing proof to your employer: maintained status proof for employers. Travel while waiting can end your maintained status: travelling on maintained status.

FAQ

My work permit expires in 5 months. Can I apply now?
Generally yes, if you already have your acknowledgement of receipt for a complete PR application and meet the other conditions. IRCC’s current instructions do not set a minimum time before expiry. Check that a BOWP makes sense compared with the time left on your current permit.

Can I get a BOWP if my PR application is spousal sponsorship?
Inland spousal applicants have their own open work permit category (SOWP under the inland sponsorship stream), which works similarly but is a different permit with different criteria. Don’t apply under BOWP rules for a sponsorship case.

How long does BOWP processing take?
It follows general inside-Canada work permit timelines — several months in 2026. Maintained status covers you the whole time if you applied before expiry.

Canadianow is an independent publisher, not a law firm. Last reviewed: June 2026.

Sources

• IRCC — Bridging open work permit program delivery instructions
• IRCC — Open work permit fees and eligibility

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Written by Caglar Aybas. Last reviewed: June 2026.

For official, up-to-date details, see IRCC.