Last verified: August 29, 2026 · Official source: canada.ca/BOWP
General information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer.
What is a BOWP?
A BOWPBOWP: Bridging Open Work Permit — a temporary open work permit that lets you continue working legally in Canada while your permanent residence application is being processed, if your current work permit is about to expire. is a temporary open work permit that bridges the gap between your current work permit expiry and the final decision on your permanent residence application.
Without a BOWP (or maintained status), you would have to stop working once your PGWP or other permit expires — even if your PR application is pending and you have done nothing wrong.
Who qualifies?
You need all of the following:
- You live in Canada and intend to live outside Quebec.
- You have valid status and a valid work permit. An expired permit still counts if you are on maintained status or eligible to restore your status.
- You are the principal applicant on the PR application. Accompanying family members do not use this route.
- You submitted a complete PR application, passed the completeness check, and received your acknowledgement of receipt letter.
- You applied through one of the eligible PR streams below.
Eligible PR streams
- Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Provincial Nominee Program — both through Express Entry and not through Express Entry
- Quebec skilled worker, Quebec investor
- Agri-Food Pilot
- Home Child Care Provider Pilot, Home Support Worker Pilot (the older pilots that ran from 2019 to 2024)
- Caring for children class, caring for people with high medical needs class
If you applied through a Provincial Nominee Program without going through Express Entry, two more conditions attach. Your nomination must carry no employment restrictions, and you must pass the eligibility assessment.
🔴 If you applied under the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots, you are not eligible for a BOWP. The name is close enough to the older pilots listed above to cause confusion, but they are treated differently.
There is no remaining-validity requirement right now
The old rule was that your current permit had to expire within 4 months before you could apply. The current IRCC page states no remaining-validity requirement at all.
Practically, judge it this way. If you have your acknowledgement of receipt letter and your current permit has not expired, apply — do not wait for the expiry date. Applying before expiry puts you on maintained status, so you keep working while the application is assessed.
⚠️ BOWP eligibility rules are detail-sensitive and they change. Confirm current requirements on canada.ca before applying.
The Express Entry BOWP scenario (most common)
If you are on a PGWP and have submitted an Express Entry PR application:
- You received an ITA from Express Entry.
- You submitted your PR application within 60 days.
- IRCC acknowledged receipt of your PR application.
- Your PGWP is approaching expiry.
- Apply for a BOWP — you can continue working while your PR is processed.
Maintained (implied) status
If your current work permit expires while you have a pending application to renew or extend it, you may have maintained (implied) status — meaning you can legally continue doing what your current permit allows (working) while waiting for a decision, as long as you applied before your permit expired.
Maintained status is different from a BOWP — maintained status applies when you've applied to renew or extend your work permit itself (e.g. another PGWP extension or a different permit), not when you're waiting for PR.
⚠️ Confirm whether maintained status applies to your exact situation — it does not always apply and depends on when and how you applied. An error here can leave you working without authorization.
How to apply for a BOWP
- Gather documents: current work permit, PR application acknowledgement, AOR (acknowledgement of receipt from IRCC), proof of identity.
- Apply online through the IRCC portal — choose "Work permit — Bridging open work permit."
- Apply while your current permit is still valid. If it expires while your BOWP application is pending, maintained status may let you continue working — but confirm this with IRCC or an advisor.
- Pay the application fee — confirm the current fee on canada.ca.
BOWP length
A BOWP is generally issued until a decision is made on your PR application. The official IRCC page does not state a length. It is an open work permit — no specific employer required.
You can leave Canada while the application is assessed. But if you leave after your work permit has expired, you cannot work when you return until the new permit is approved.
What about your spouse?
The BOWP page says nothing about spouses. Your spouse goes through a separate route, the family open work permit. Family members of a worker who has applied for PR through an economic program can apply with no occupation restriction, provided the principal applicant's permit has at least 6 months of validity left when the application is received. Dependent children are covered too.
The TEER restriction and the 16 month requirement that apply to spouses of ordinary workers do not apply here. Having a PR application in progress works in your favour on this point.
→ Open work permits for family members of foreign workers
What if your PR application is refused?
If your PR application is refused while you are on a BOWP:
- Your BOWP typically becomes void.
- You would need another basis to remain in Canada (a new work permit, study permit, visitor status, or leave Canada).
- You can appeal or reapply for PR if you are still eligible.
Get advice from a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer before your situation reaches this point — there is usually time to prepare.
→ PGWP — full guide → Express Entry Overview & CRS → Canadian Experience Class (CEC) → Study → PR Pathway Map