1. Open vs Closed Work Permits
A closed (employer-specific) work permit restricts the holder to working for the single employer named on the permit, in the occupation and location specified. Changing employers requires a new work permit. Most LMIA-based work permits are closed.
An open work permit allows the holder to work for any eligible employer in Canada, in any occupation (unless the permit has specific conditions), and in any province or territory. No LMIA is required, and no job offer is needed to apply in most categories. Open work permits are issued under specific regulatory pathways — not every foreign national qualifies for one.
Open work permits are issued under the International Mobility Program (IMP), not the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). This distinction matters for the employer — IMP employers are subject to a compliance fee ($230 per position) and registration requirements for most IMP work permit categories, rather than the LMIA process.
2. All Open Work Permit Categories
1. Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
The PGWP is the most widely used open work permit in Canada. It is available to graduates of eligible Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs) who completed a program of at least 8 months full-time. Duration: equal to program length for programs of 8 months to 2 years; 3 years for programs of 2 years or more. Application must be submitted within 180 days of receiving the completion letter or final transcript. See our complete PGWP guide for full eligibility rules.
2. Spousal / Partner Open Work Permit
Spouses and common-law partners of certain skilled workers and international students qualify for an open work permit. The key eligibility rules as of 2026:
- Spouse of a skilled worker: Principal must hold a work permit in a TEER 0 or 1 occupation, or hold certain LMIA-exempt work permits
- Spouse of an international student: Principal must be enrolled full-time in a degree-level program at a university or designated college — diploma and certificate programs at most colleges no longer qualify for spousal OWP since the 2024 policy change
- Duration: Tied to the principal's permit duration
- Application: Can be made at the same time as the principal's permit application or separately
3. International Experience Canada (IEC) — Working Holiday
Young people from 35+ eligible partner countries can obtain an open work permit of 12–24 months through the IEC Working Holiday stream. Age limits vary by country (most 18–35; some 18–30). Applications are submitted during pool periods; eligible candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) through a random draw process. The resulting work permit is open and employer-unrestricted. See our IEC Working Holiday guide for current country quotas and pool opening dates.
4. Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
The BOWP is one of the most practically important — and frequently overlooked — open work permits in Canada. It is available to temporary residents in Canada whose:
- Current work permit is about to expire (or will expire before a PR decision is made)
- Permanent residence application has been submitted and is pending (not yet decided)
- PR application is in one of the eligible streams: Express Entry (FSW, CEC, FSTP), PNP (Enhanced or Base), Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada, or certain other inland programs
Critical timing rule: The BOWP application must be submitted before the current work permit expires. Applications submitted after expiry are ineligible. The BOWP bridges continuous legal work authorization from the expiry of the current permit until a PR decision is made.
Once a BOWP application is submitted before the work permit expires, the applicant maintains implied status — the right to continue working while the BOWP application is processed — even if the permit technically expires during the wait.
5. Protected Persons and Refugee Claimants
Foreign nationals who have received a positive refugee determination (Convention Refugee or Person in Need of Protection) are eligible for an open work permit while they await the processing of their permanent residence application. Refugee claimants with a pending refugee determination hearing may also be eligible for a work permit under separate provisions. Duration is typically 1 year, renewable pending PR processing.
6. Significant Benefit — IRPA R205 C-11
Under IRPA Regulation 205(a), workers whose employment in Canada provides a significant benefit to Canadians — artists of international renown, researchers conducting original research, visiting professors, and certain other exceptional profiles — may qualify for an LMIA-exempt open work permit under the "significant benefit" exemption. This category is assessed case-by-case and requires demonstrated cultural, intellectual, or social benefit to Canada.
7. Vulnerable Workers
Foreign workers in Canada who are experiencing abuse or being threatened with abuse by their current employer are eligible to apply for an open work permit under the vulnerable worker provisions. Eligibility requires evidence of abuse or threat of abuse by an employer or employer's representative. This pathway is administered to allow the worker to leave the abusive employment situation immediately without losing their ability to work in Canada.
8. Atlantic Immigration Program and Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Participants
Endorsed candidates in the Atlantic Immigration Program and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot may be eligible for open work permits while their permanent residence applications are pending, under specific bridging provisions applicable to these programs.
3. Open Work Permit vs Work Permit Exempt
An "open work permit" is not the same as being "work permit exempt." Some foreign nationals in Canada do not need any work permit to work — they are work permit exempt. Examples include: Canadian citizens, permanent residents, certain business visitors engaging in international business activities, and diplomats/consular officers.
Work permit exempt status is governed by IRPA Regulation 186 and is narrower than it appears. A foreign national who begins working without the required work permit — even if they believed they were exempt — is in violation of their status and may face serious immigration consequences. When in doubt, seek advice before beginning work without a permit.
4. LMIA-Exempt but Employer-Specific Work Permits
Some work permit categories are LMIA-exempt but still employer-specific (closed). These are commonly confused with open work permits. Examples:
- CUSMA Professional: Employer-specific, tied to the named employer and role, LMIA-exempt
- Intracompany transfer: Employer-specific (the company), LMIA-exempt
- CETA / CPTPP intracompany or professional: Employer-specific, LMIA-exempt
These are processed under the IMP (not TFWP) and do not require an LMIA, but they are not "open" — the holder cannot change employers without a new work permit application.