Immigration Canada: What is Canadian Bridging Work Permit?

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January 30, 2014 by Jessica

Imagine you are in Canada on a work permit as temporary foreign worker from Pakistan and have applied for Canadian permanent residence under the Canadian Experience class. You are waiting for the final decision on your permanent residence application and your work permit will expire in a couple of months. If your case is not decided within the validity period of your work permit, you may have to leave the country and return only once you have the permanent residence.Immigration Canada has a remedy for such cases in the form of bridging work permit that allows you to stay in Canada while your application is being processed.

Bridging Work Permit:

Bridging Work Permit allows the foreign nationals currently in Canada who have received a positive eligibility decision under one of the Economic Class programs and whose work permits are due to expire to maintain their legal status and continue residing in Canada. Prior to the arrangement of Bridging work permit, the applicants had the option to apply for visitor visa and stay as visitor without being able to work or find an employer who will file an application for LMO and then work permit.

Eligibility:

The foreign nationals must meet the eligibility criteria before applying for bridging work permit.

The foreign national is currently in Canada;
They have valid status on a Work Permit that is due to expire within 4 months;
They are the principal applicant on an application for permanent residence under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program;
They have received a positive eligibility assessment on their Permanent Residence application under one of the Economic Class programs above; and
They have made application for an open Work Permit.

Validity:

The Bridging Work Permit is valid for the period of one year from the date it is issued. The foreign nationals may request to extend their stay on an open Work Permit, however, it will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Employment Location:

The open work permit is valid for employment at any location if it has been issued to the applicants of Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades Program.

However, if the applicant had applied for Provincial Nominee Program and was issued bridging work permit, then the work permit holder can only work in the nominating province.

Source: http://www.visato.com/canada/what-is-canadian-bridging-work-permit-20140130