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Bridging Open Work Permit: How To Apply For BOWP! All Details Here!

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Immigrating to Canada always appears to be an easy and uncomplicated process as long as the better scenario is considered.

Unfortunately, life often goes according to plan, which means you must plan and prepare for various contingencies and challenges when considering applying for Canadian permanent residency and after you have completed and submitted your application.

Consider the following scenario. You are in Canada on a work permit and submit your permanent residence application.

While your permanent residency application is still pending, but your work permit is only valid for fewer than four months.

Once your work permit expires, you will lose your legitimate right to stay in Canada. Stay in Canada with an expired work permit is a serious violation of the law and will endanger your PR application.

However, packing up and returning to your home country is not a viable option since this may also negatively influence your PR application.

This is where the assistance of an immigration professional may be incredibly valuable. Rather than picking between two bad choices, you should concentrate on a third—the Bridging Open Work Permit.

Understand BOWP(Bridging Open Work Permit)

As the name implies, the BOWP enables you to fill the gap between the expiration of your present work permit and the decision on your permanent residency application.

Eligibility Criteria For BOWP

Unlike a regular work permit or perhaps an open work permit, the BOWP is not open to all applicants. To be eligible to apply, you must meet the following criteria.

  • You have already registered for permanent residence in Canada via Express Entry, Quebec, a PNP stream, or a different PR scheme in Canada.
  • You are in Canada at the time of application and possess a valid work permit.
  • Your work permit is valid for less than four months, which will expire within that period.
  • If you meet these criteria, you may apply for a BOWP that will stay valid until your PR application is approved.

If you got Permanent Residence, your Certificate of Permanent Residence would prove your legal status in Canada. You will not be required to obtain a work permit or any other paperwork to work, live, or reside in Canada.

If your Permanent Residence application isn’t approved, the duration of the BOWP will expire as well, and you will lose your legal rights in Canada unless you seek and get a work or study permit or a Temporary Resident Permit. If you do not comply with this requirement or your application is denied, you will have to leave Canada.

Some Essential Facts About BOWP

Obtaining an ITA will not be enough. You must have filed your PR application together with all essential documentation, and a final decision on your case must be pending.

The ‘final judgment’ part is critical since it implies that you cannot be eligible for a BOWP by filing an incomplete PR application and claiming the period during which the government seeks full details and all necessary details to remain in Canada.

If you are a PNP candidate, your nomination must be conditional on employment.

The BOWP is only valid in the region you have been nominated for. Since the BOWP is an open work permit, you may work with any employer within the province from where you were nominated for permanent residence.

Until recently, Quebec did not have access to the BOWP. However, the most recent laws enable applicants to Quebec’s PR programs to use the BOWP to expand their legal status in Canada until a final decision on their PR application.

Contact CAN Pathways for more details!

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