Canada announces new one-time open work permit for recent PR applicants
If you qualified for the recently opened pathway to permanent residence in Canada, here’s an update for you. Beginning July 26, 2021, candidates will be eligible for an open work permit while awaiting the results of their application, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced.
On May 6, 2021, the pathway to PR was opened to international students who graduated from a Canadian institution, health care workers, and those in other designated essential occupations. To qualify, individuals must be legally working in Canada at the time of their application and maintain their temporary resident (TR) status until a decision is made on their PR application.
This new open work permit ensures that those who have been playing critical roles throughout the pandemic can continue their extraordinary service – Marco Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Recognizing the potential disruption and uncertainty for applicants who have an expiring work permit, the IRCC has announced this one-time open work permit. Those eligible can extend their work permit under existing programs or receive a new permit under one of the temporary measures put in place as a result of the pandemic, such as the public policy for post-graduation work permit holders.
“Our new path to permanent residence for 90,000 essential workers and international graduates is a major step forward—the size, speed, and scope of which is unprecedented. This new open work permit ensures that those who have been playing critical roles throughout the pandemic can continue their extraordinary service,” says immigration minister Marco Mendicino.
To qualify for this one-time open work permit, the applicants must show that they:
- have successfully submitted an application under one of the new permanent residence pathway’s streams
- held a valid work permit, or were authorized to work without a work permit, at the time their permanent residence application was submitted
- hold a valid work permit that is set to expire within the next 4 months
- have temporary resident status, maintained status, or are eligible to restore their status at the time their open work permit application is submitted
- are in Canada at the time their open work permit application is submitted
- were employed in any occupation at the time their permanent residence application was submitted
- meet the language requirements of the stream under which they applied at the time their permanent residence application was submitted
An applicant’s spouse or common-law partner and dependent children 18 years or older may also be eligible to apply for an open work permit under this policy if they are also in Canada.
Important dates to note
- IRCC will share further details on how to apply on July 26, 2021.
- Work permits issued under this policy will be valid until December 31, 2022.
Those who have applied to extend their work permit before their current one has expired may maintain their status and have the authorization to work without a permit under the same conditions as the original while the new permit is being processed.
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