Canada Open Work Permit Visa

About visa:

Open Work Permit

A type of work permit that allows a person to work for any employer in Canada

This visa was primarily introduced to attract the International Students to study in Canada. Foreign students going to Canada on a study permit will be able to get an Open Work permit in Canada with virtually no restriction on type of employment and no requirement of a job offer.

An open work permit allows a foreign national to work for any Canadian employer he/she wants over a specified period of time. Some open work permits may restrict the kind of job or place in which the foreign national may work. A worker may apply for an open work permit from outside of Canada, within Canada or at a Canadian port of entry.

Canadian Open work permits are only issued to certain individuals who are also exempt from the LMIA requirement.

Features:

• Allows a person to work for any employer in Canada.
• Introduced to attract the International Students to study in Canada.
• A worker may apply for an open work permit from outside of Canada, within Canada or at a Canadian port of entry.

Requirement:

According to the guidelines set by the Citizenship and Immigration, Canada (CIC) below mentioned category of foreign students, Spouses or Common Law partners are eligible for an Open Work Permit Visa in Canada:

In case of Foreign Student

• International students graduated from Post - secondary Institution in Canada are eligible for a 3 year work permit under the Open Work permit Category and they need not have a valid Offer of employment at the time of application
• The foreign students must be graduated from a public Post - secondary educational Institution or a private Post secondary educational Institution , provided the latter is 50% funded by the government
• The foreign students must apply for the Open work permit within 90 days of receiving the written confirmation from the respective academic Institution from where they have met the requirement of the program
• The foreign student must have completed his study and the program should be a minimum of 2 years or more than 8 months
• The foreign student must have completed his study and the program should be a minimum of 2 years or more than 8 months
• Lastly the foreign student must have a valid Study permit for Canada

In case of Spouse / Common Law partner

• Dependent spouse's partner in Canada must be studying full time diploma/degree or post graduation course with a valid study permit
• Dependent spouse's partner in Canada must be in a valid fellowship program or holder of valid work permit

Work Permit for Dependents

• Accompanying spouse of Canada Open Work Permit holders may also be able to work without any other individual work permit. However family members need to check if they are eligible for an open work permit.
• Open work permits allow spouse's to work in any job with any employer. Accompanying spouse's work permits will be valid for no longer than the duration of main applicant's work permit.
• The spouse's eligibility for open work permit depends on the skill level of main applicant's job profile and listing in National Occupational Classification (NOC) 0, A or B. Main applicant should be authorized to work in Canada for a period of at least 6 months.
• Accompanying family members need to apply for their own work permits and they should submit their application before entering Canada.

Spouse of Post-Graduation Work Permit holders need to attach a copy of the main applicant's work permit to get individual "Open Work Permit".

Other details pertaining to main applicant's employment has to be attached which includes the following:

A letter from main applicant's current employer confirming his/her employment

Or

A copy of main applicant's employment offer or contract

Or

Copy of pay slips of main applicant from the Canadian employer