Last Updated On 24 December 2022, 9:57 AM EST (Toronto Time)
An open work permit is a work permit that is not job-specific and permit holder can work for any employer.
There is no requirement of LMIA or job offer from a Canadian employer to apply for open work permit.
An open work permit holder is eligible to work for maximum of 40 hours per week. However, not everyone can apply an open work permit.
As per IRCC, you are eligible to apply for open work permit if one of the following situation describes you:
- Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): International students who graduated from a designated learning institution (DLI) are eligible for an open work permit.
- Destitute Student: Student who’s no longer able to meet the costs of your studies.
- Employer-specific work permit holder being abused or at risk of being abused.
- Bridging Open Work Permit: Permanent resident applicants awaiting decision on their application.
- Dependent family member of someone who applied for permanent residence.
- Spouse or common-law partner of a skilled worker or international student.
- Spouse or common-law partner of an applicant of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
- Refugee, refugee claimant, protected person, or their family member
- You are under an unenforceable removal order (If your have filed federal judicial review, pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA), or humanitarian and compassionate considerations (H&C) in response to a removal order).
- Temporary resident permit holder who are otherwise inadmissible to Canada.
- A trader, investor, intra-company transferee or professional under the Canada – United States – Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
- Additionally, young workers participating in special programs.
How To Apply
Click here to get full instructions on how to apply for an open work permit.
Recently, Canada also started open work permit for citizens of Ukraine and it will be valid for up to 3 years. Ukrainians can apply for an open work permit from outside Canada or within Canada here.
Deportations From Canada Surge For Indian Nationals In 2026
Canada has already enforced more than 12,000 immigration removals in the first seven months of 2026, and one nationality stands dramatically ahead of all others on the latest Canada Border…
New Canada Child Benefit Payment To Be Sent On September 18
The Canada Revenue Agency is scheduled to deposit the next Canada Child Benefit payment earlier on Friday, September 18, 2026, delivering tax-free monthly support to millions of families across the…
New Express Entry Draw On September 15 Sent 2,000 Invitations For PR
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada invited 2,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence through a new Canadian Experience Class Express Entry draw on September 15, 2026.
How to Register or Move Your Business to Canada
Plenty of people arrive in Canada with a company already running somewhere else and a plan to keep running it here. Registration is rarely the obstacle. Canada makes creating a…
Latest Express Entry Draw On September 14 Issues 576 PR Invitations
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada conducted a new Provincial Nominee Program Express Entry draw on September 14, 2026, issuing 576 invitations to apply for permanent residence. The Comprehensive Ranking System…
New Canada CDB Payment Of Up To $354.20 In September 2026
The federal government has officially confirmed that eligible Canada Disability Benefit recipients will collect up to $354.20 in September 2026, combining the new indexed monthly maximum of $204.20 with a…
New Ontario Minimum Wage Increase Coming In October 2026
The minimum wage in Ontario will increase from $17.60 to $17.95 per hour on October 1, 2026, meaning a worker putting in 40 hours per week could earn $728 more…
Entry-Level CRA Jobs Hiring Now Across Canada, Salary Up To $73,595
The Canada Revenue Agency is actively recruiting through multiple hiring processes at tax centres, regional offices, and call centres from coast to coast, with several postings requiring nothing more than…
New Bell Canada Price Increase Coming In October 2026
Bell Canada is raising wireless plan prices by $6 per month for another wave of Mobility customers, with the higher rate set to appear on October 2026 billing statements. This…
Canada’s New Citizenship Law Is Creating An Unexpected Problem
When Ottawa rewrote one of the most consequential sections of Canada’s Citizenship Act in late 2025, federal officials told Parliament the change would generate manageable demand. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship…
New Canada Immigration Processing Times As Of September 2026
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published its September 2026 weekly processing time data on September 9, 2026, and the headline is staggering. Month-on-month Citizenship certificate processing times have now…
4 New Canada EI Rules Now In Effect Amid U.S. Tariffs
4 temporary Employment Insurance measures designed to support Canadian workers affected by U.S. tariffs and economic disruption are currently in effect across Canada.
These International Students In Canada Set To Face Increased Scrutiny
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is increasing scrutiny on study permit extension applications filed by international students whose original permits were processed through the now-cancelled Student Direct Stream. The shift…
New Ontario Trillium Benefit Payment Coming On September 10
Ontario residents who qualify for monthly provincial tax relief will see their next Ontario Trillium Benefit payment on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The September OTB payment is the third installment…
7 Big Express Entry Draw Changes Proposed In New Report
Canada’s flagship immigration selection system is under pressure, and one of the country’s largest banks is calling for a dramatic overhaul. The Royal Bank of Canada published a sweeping report…
New Canada Tariffs To Make These 629 Items More Expensive Effective September 8
Effective September 8, 2026, Canada is imposing new counter-tariffs on hundreds of U.S.-origin products that touch nearly every aisle of Canadian retail. The Department of Finance Canada initially published the…
New Service Canada Benefit Payments Coming In September 2026
Service Canada sits at the centre of the Canadian social network, administering monthly pension payments, disability income support, and employment insurance deposits that collectively deliver billions of dollars to residents…
10 New Ontario Laws and Rules In September 2026
September 2026 is delivering one of the busiest months for new provincial rules, policy shifts, and program changes Ontario has seen in years. Transit fares, rental laws, school grading, university…
New CRA Benefit Payments For Ontario Residents In September 2026
2 major Canada Revenue Agency – CRA benefit payments are scheduled for eligible Ontario residents during September 2026. The Ontario Trillium Benefit is scheduled for September 10, followed by the…
New Express Entry Draw On September 4 Sends 3,500 PR Invitations
Nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and dozens of other healthcare professionals received 3,500 invitations to apply for permanent residence through a new Express Entry draw on September 4, 2026.
New Canada Prescription Drug Rules Coming In October 2026
Health Canada is replacing the patchwork of federal regulations that currently govern prescription drugs containing controlled substances with a single consolidated framework that takes effect on October 1, 2026. The…
New Canada Immigration And Refugee Rules Effective September 7
Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board is introducing new rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in immigration and refugee proceedings effective September 7, 2026. Under the new Practice Notice, signed…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.