A Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) keeps you working in Canada while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) decides your permanent residence application. This guide walks you through how to apply BOWP under the rules in force in 2026: who qualifies, what counts as a valid Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR), the IRCC portal steps, the CAD $255 in standard fees, and the realistic 2025-2026 processing timeline. If your current work permit is within four months of expiring and you have already submitted a PR application, this is the page that gets you across the gap.
Key Takeaways
- A BOWP is an open work permit for in-Canada principal applicants whose permanent residence application is already in the IRCC system. It lets you work for any Canadian employer (with two exceptions for PNP and Quebec applicants) for up to 24 months.
- You can apply only after you receive your Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) for the PR application. Express Entry and Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) applicants must also have passed the section R10 completeness check.
- Total IRCC fees for a standard BOWP application in 2026: CAD $255 (CAD $155 work permit processing fee + CAD $100 Open Work Permit Holder fee). Add CAD $85 for biometrics if yours are not still valid from a previous application.
- The four-month timing rule was removed in 2021. You can apply as soon as you have an eligible PR application on file, but you only need to apply once your current work permit is approaching its expiry.
- Processing time in late 2025 and early 2026 sits in the 5 to 7 month range according to the IRCC processing tool, longer than the historical 3 to 4 months because of the post-2024 work permit volume surge.
- A BOWP application submitted before your current work permit expires puts you on maintained status, so you keep working under your old permit conditions until the new one is decided.
- If IRCC refuses your PR application, the BOWP stays valid until its own expiry date unless IRCC takes separate action. Refused PR does not automatically cancel the BOWP.
How to Apply for BOWP: The 50-Word Answer
To apply for a BOWP, submit an in-Canada work permit application through your IRCC secure account, select “Open Work Permit” as the type, attach your PR Acknowledgement of Receipt and supporting documents, pay CAD $255 in fees, and provide biometrics if required. You must already hold a valid work permit or be on maintained status.
What a BOWP Is and Who It Is For
The Bridging Open Work Permit was introduced by IRCC under section R205(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations as a public policy permit. The point is narrow: keep skilled workers already inside Canada employed while their permanent residence file is decided. Without it, a Canadian Experience Class candidate whose work permit expires while their Express Entry application sits in queue would have to stop working, switch to a visitor record, or leave the country.
A BOWP is open. With one valid permit you can work full-time, part-time, for any employer, in any sector, anywhere in Canada. Two restrictions apply:
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants must work in their nominating province or territory only.
- Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) applicants must work in Quebec only.
A BOWP is not a path to permanent residence by itself. It is a status-preservation tool for people who already have a PR application in the system. If you are a study permit holder, PGWP holder, or LMIA-based work permit holder waiting on a CEC, FSWP, FSTP, PNP, or QSW decision, this is the permit that keeps your paycheque coming.
Eligibility: Who Can Apply for a BOWP in 2026
A BOWP applicant must clear five conditions. Missing any one of them produces a refusal, and IRCC does not refund the processing fees on a refused BOWP application.
1. You Must Be in Canada With Valid Work Authorization
You have to be physically present in Canada and you must hold one of the following:
- A valid work permit at the time you apply.
- Maintained status because you submitted an eligible work permit renewal before your previous permit expired (formerly called “implied status”).
- Eligibility to restore your temporary resident status with work authorization, applied for within 90 days of permit expiry.
Visitor status alone does not qualify. Study permit holders cannot apply for a BOWP unless they also hold a co-op work permit or a separate work permit at the time of submission.
2. You Must Be the Principal Applicant on an Eligible PR Application
You have to be the principal applicant, not a spouse or dependent. The eligible permanent residence programs as of 2026 are:
| Eligible PR Program | Stream Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | Express Entry | No employment restrictions on the BOWP |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | Express Entry | No employment restrictions on the BOWP |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Express Entry | No employment restrictions on the BOWP |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | Express Entry or paper-based | BOWP restricted to the nominating province or territory; nomination must not include employer restrictions |
| Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSW) | Quebec selection | BOWP restricted to Quebec; available since August 31, 2021 |
| Agri-Food Pilot | Pilot program | No employment restrictions on the BOWP |
| Home Child-Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot | Caregiver pilot | Replaced the older caregiver streams; see also pre-June 2019 row |
| Caring for Children Class or Caring for People With High Medical Needs Class | Closed caregiver stream | Only PR applications submitted before June 18, 2019 still qualify |
If your PR application is under any other stream (humanitarian and compassionate, family sponsorship, refugee resettlement, the Atlantic Immigration Program in some configurations, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot in 2025, or the closed Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot), the BOWP is not the right permit. Different IRCC public policies cover open work permits in those cases.
3. Your PR Application Must Have Reached the Right Processing Stage
This is where most BOWP refusals come from. Receiving an AOR is necessary but not always sufficient.
- Express Entry applicants (CEC, FSWP, FSTP) and Quebec Skilled Worker applicants must have passed the section R10 completeness check. The R10 check is what IRCC runs after the AOR to confirm the application is complete on its face. The R10 result is what unlocks the BOWP.
- Non-Express Entry applicants (PNP paper-based, Agri-Food Pilot, caregiver pilots) must have received a positive eligibility assessment on the PR application before submitting the BOWP.
In practice, Express Entry candidates get the AOR within minutes of submitting the eAPR and receive the R10 confirmation as part of the same notice cluster. PNP paper-based applicants may wait weeks or months after AOR before the eligibility assessment lands. Submitting the BOWP after AOR but before the R10 or eligibility result is the most common reason IRCC refuses a BOWP and keeps the fees.
4. You Need an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR)
The Acknowledgement of Receipt is the IRCC letter confirming your PR application has been received and is in the system. It carries your unique application number and is the document IRCC matches against your BOWP file. You upload a copy of the AOR with the BOWP application.
For Express Entry, the AOR arrives in your IRCC secure account within minutes of submission. For paper-based PNP, Quebec, or caregiver pilot applications, the AOR is mailed or emailed by IRCC after a manual intake step. Keep the digital and printed copies. Without the AOR you cannot move forward.
5. You Must Pay the Required Fees and Provide Biometrics If Asked
Fee structure for a 2026 BOWP application:
| Fee | Amount (CAD) | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit processing fee | $155 | Always |
| Open Work Permit Holder fee | $100 | Always |
| Biometrics fee | $85 | If you have not given biometrics in the last 10 years for an immigration application |
| Total (no biometrics) | $255 | Most renewals from inside Canada |
| Total (with biometrics) | $340 | First-time biometrics or re-collection after 10 years |
Biometrics from any prior IRCC application (study permit, work permit, prior BOWP, prior visitor visa) are reusable for 10 years from the date of collection. The IRCC fee payment portal flags whether you owe the biometrics fee for this specific file.
How to Apply for BOWP: The Eight-Step IRCC Portal Walkthrough
The application is online-only for almost every applicant. IRCC processes paper BOWP applications only in narrow circumstances (a documented disability that prevents online submission, for example). Assume online unless you have written IRCC guidance saying otherwise.
Step 1. Confirm You Are Within the Right Window
You can apply for a BOWP at any time after AOR (or AOR + R10 / positive eligibility, depending on stream), but most applicants submit when their current work permit has less than four months left. Apply too early and you waste the BOWP duration that runs from the date IRCC issues it. Apply too late and you risk your current permit expiring before IRCC processes the file. Roughly four months out is the sweet spot.
If your work permit has already expired, switch tracks. You may have 90 days to apply for restoration of status alongside the BOWP. Talk to a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or a Canadian immigration lawyer before doing anything else.
Step 2. Sign In to Your IRCC Secure Account
Go to Canada.ca’s Sign in to your IRCC account page. Use the same account you used for your PR application if possible. Linking the two files in one account makes future status checks easier.
Step 3. Start a Work Permit Application From Inside Canada
In the dashboard, choose “Apply to come to Canada” or the work permit extension menu, then select Work Permit (extension) for applicants already in Canada. The system will run an eligibility questionnaire. Answer truthfully. If you are still inside Canada and you have a PR application on file, the questionnaire routes you to the correct application form (IMM 5710).
Step 4. Choose “Open Work Permit” as the Permit Type
When the form asks for the type of work permit, select Open Work Permit. Do not select employer-specific or LMIA-based options. Selecting the wrong permit type is a common, costly mistake; it leads IRCC to assess the file under the wrong rules and refuse it for missing an LMIA the BOWP does not need.
Step 5. Fill Out IMM 5710 With Your PR Application Details
IMM 5710 is the in-Canada work permit application form. Key fields for a BOWP applicant:
- Employment details: write “Open” for employer name and address. Do not list your current employer here. The BOWP is open by definition.
- Type of work permit: Open Work Permit.
- Reason for applying: select the option that matches your stream (BOWP applicants under Express Entry, PNP, QSW, Agri-Food Pilot, etc.).
- Permanent residence application reference number: copy this from your AOR.
- Status in Canada: your current valid status (worker, student with co-op authorization, maintained status from a prior renewal).
Step 6. Upload the Required Documents
The exact checklist is generated by the IRCC portal based on your answers. A BOWP applicant typically uploads:
- A copy of the Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) letter for the PR application.
- A copy of the R10 completeness confirmation or positive eligibility assessment, depending on stream.
- A copy of your current work permit (or maintained status documentation).
- A copy of the biographic page of your passport plus any pages with stamps or visas.
- A digital photo that meets IRCC’s photo specifications.
- For PNP applicants, a copy of the provincial nomination letter confirming there are no employer restrictions.
- For QSW applicants, the IRCC acknowledgement showing the PR application is on file as a Quebec stream.
- A completed family information form (IMM 5645) if requested.
Upload everything as PDF. Use the document checklist in your IRCC account as the source of truth, not third-party blog posts, since the checklist updates automatically with policy changes.
Step 7. Pay the IRCC Fees
The portal sends you to the secure fee payment page after you upload documents. Pay the CAD $155 work permit fee, the CAD $100 Open Work Permit Holder fee, and the CAD $85 biometrics fee if applicable. Save the receipt PDF. The receipt number is also stored in your account.
Step 8. Submit, Then Watch for the Biometrics Letter
After submission, IRCC issues a Biometrics Instruction Letter (BIL) within a few days, if biometrics are required. You have 30 days from the BIL to give biometrics at a Service Canada location or designated Visa Application Centre. If you have valid biometrics already, the BIL will say so and you do nothing.
After biometrics (or after the BIL skip notice), IRCC processes the file. Decisions arrive in your IRCC account. The BOWP itself is mailed to your Canadian address.
Check Out How Does A Bridging Open Work Permit Work?
When to Apply: Timing Matters
The four-month timing rule was eliminated in 2021. You can technically file the BOWP the day after you receive your R10 or eligibility confirmation. But there is no advantage to filing too early.
The IRCC tool that estimates work permit extension processing showed roughly 5 to 7 months for in-Canada BOWP files in late 2025 and into early 2026. That is up from the historical 3 to 4 months because IRCC absorbed a large work permit volume increase in the year following the November 2024 reforms. Approximately 1.4 million Canadian work permits are scheduled to expire in 2026, and BOWP volume tracks with that.
The practical rule:
- Five to six months before your current work permit expires, prepare the BOWP file.
- Three to four months before expiry, submit it.
- Apply before your current work permit expires so you fall onto maintained status and keep working without interruption while IRCC decides.
If you submit after expiry, you cannot work during the processing window even if the BOWP is later approved. That is the operational catastrophe to avoid.
Maintained Status: The Reason You Apply Before Expiry
If you submit your BOWP before your current work permit expires, IRCC puts you on maintained status. You keep working under the conditions of your old permit (same employer if it was employer-specific, same occupation, same location) until IRCC decides the BOWP file. Once the BOWP is issued, the open conditions take effect.
If your current permit was open (a PGWP, for example), maintained status preserves that openness. If your current permit was employer-specific (an LMIA-based work permit), maintained status keeps you locked to that employer until the BOWP is issued, even if processing takes seven months.
What Happens If IRCC Refuses Your PR Application
A refused PR application does not automatically cancel a BOWP that has already been issued. Two scenarios:
- PR refused after BOWP issued. The BOWP remains valid until its printed expiry date unless IRCC issues a separate cancellation. You can keep working while you decide whether to reapply for PR, switch to another permit, or leave Canada before the BOWP expires.
- PR refused before BOWP issued. The BOWP refusal follows quickly, since the BOWP is contingent on the PR file. Fees are not refunded.
A BOWP is not extendable on its own. If the PR file is refused and your BOWP runs out, you have to qualify for a new permit (employer-specific work permit, study permit, restoration, or another open work permit category) or leave the country before the BOWP expires.
Spouse and Common-Law Partner Open Work Permits
If you are getting a BOWP, your spouse or common-law partner can usually get an Open Work Permit alongside you, with two conditions: your principal-applicant BOWP must remain valid for at least six months from their application date, and the principal applicant must be working in a qualifying occupation.
| Principal Applicant Stream | Spouse OWP Eligibility |
|---|---|
| CEC (Canadian Experience Class) | Spouse OWP available, no occupational skill-level requirement |
| FSWP | Spouse must be working in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation |
| FSTP | Spouse must be working in a NOC TEER 2 or 3 occupation tied to the trade |
| PNP | Spouse OWP duration matches the principal’s, no skill-level test for the spouse |
| QSW | Spouse OWP available, restricted to Quebec |
| Agri-Food Pilot | Spouse OWP available under the pilot’s family policy |
Family-class OWP rules tightened in early 2025 for the spouses of foreign workers in general, but the BOWP-linked spouse track was preserved. Apply at the same time as the principal BOWP using the same IRCC portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to apply for a BOWP in Canada?
The standard IRCC fee for a Bridging Open Work Permit in 2026 is CAD $255: a $155 work permit processing fee plus a $100 Open Work Permit Holder fee. If you need to give biometrics, add CAD $85, which makes the total CAD $340. Biometrics from a prior immigration application within the last 10 years are reusable.
How long does it take to get a BOWP in 2026?
Most BOWP applications in late 2025 and early 2026 are taking 5 to 7 months according to the IRCC processing tool. The historical 3 to 4 month figure no longer reflects the workload IRCC carries after the 2024-2025 work permit volume increase. Check the IRCC processing time tool for your application type before assuming a timeline.
Can I apply for a BOWP without an AOR?
No. The Acknowledgement of Receipt is mandatory. For Express Entry and Quebec Skilled Worker applicants, IRCC also needs the section R10 completeness confirmation before it will approve the BOWP. Submitting between AOR and R10 is the most common reason BOWP applications get refused without a fee refund.
Can I apply for a BOWP after my PGWP expires?
Only if you are inside the 90-day restoration window and you apply for both the BOWP and restoration of status at the same time. You cannot work while restoration is pending. The cleaner option is to submit the BOWP before your PGWP expires so you keep working on maintained status. Read more about the Canadian Experience Class pathway PGWP holders use to qualify for PR.
Can I work while my BOWP is being processed?
Yes, if you applied before your current work permit expired. You stay on maintained status under the conditions of your old permit until IRCC decides the BOWP file. If you submitted after expiry, you cannot work during processing, even if the BOWP is later approved.
What happens to my BOWP if my PR application is refused?
A BOWP that has already been issued stays valid until its printed expiry date unless IRCC takes separate action to cancel it. A PR refusal after the BOWP is issued does not automatically end your work authorization. A PR refusal before the BOWP is decided usually leads to a BOWP refusal as well, and IRCC does not refund the processing fees.
Are PNP applicants eligible for an open work permit before they get nominated?
Under a temporary IRCC public policy that began in early 2025, some PNP candidates were able to apply for an open work permit before the formal nomination. That public policy is separate from the BOWP regime and has its own eligibility window and fee structure. The BOWP itself still requires a completed PR application and a valid nomination with no employer restrictions.
Final Word: Apply Once, Apply Right
The Bridging Open Work Permit is one of the few IRCC programs where the eligibility math is binary. You either have an AOR (and an R10 confirmation, where required) or you do not. You either submit before your current work permit expires or you do not. Get those two things right and the application itself is straightforward: one form, the documents on the IRCC checklist, $255 in fees, and a few minutes in the secure portal.
Where applicants run into trouble is timing. Apply too early and the file is refused for missing the R10 stage. Apply too late and you lose the ability to work during processing. Five to six months out from your current work permit’s expiry is when to start preparing. Three to four months out is when to submit.
If your situation is more complicated than the standard CEC or FSWP track (a refused PR file, a permit that has already expired, a PNP nomination tied to a single employer, or a Quebec Skilled Worker file routed through MIFI), this is the moment to talk to a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant or a Canadian immigration lawyer. The cost of an hour of professional review is small next to the cost of a refused BOWP and the lost weeks of work that follow.
You have the AOR. You have the R10. You have the right window. Now you have the steps. Open the IRCC account and file the application.