04-01-2013
Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced a new open Work Permit, whereby foreign nationals whose current Work Permit is about to expire could actively request an open Work Permit which allows qualifying applicants to maintain their status and continue working in Canada, while waiting for the final decision of their Permanent Resident application. This program serves as a bridge for foreign nationals who currently hold a Work Permit that is set to expire but want to continue working in Canada.
Prior to this program, foreign nationals whose Work Permit was set to expire would attempt to persuade their current employer to resubmit a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) or find a new employer altogether. Applicants were also faced with the choice of extending their status as a visitor but would be unauthorized to work. If these options failed, foreign nationals would inevitably be sent back home as they would no longer have status in Canada. This program allows for greater flexibility for foreign nationals to maneuver through the Canadian labour market while waiting for a Permanent Resident decision. This program allows eligible applicants to maintain their status in Canada and continue working at their current workplace.
In order to qualify for the open Work Permit, eligible applicants must be currently working in Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Program or Federal Trades Program and their current Work Permit is set to expire within 4 months. The applicants must also receive a positive eligibility decision on their Permanent Resident application.
Among facilitating the immigration process for foreign nationals, this program is also expected to improve productivity, as unnecessary requests to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) for renewed labour market opinions (LMO) would be eliminated.
Foreign nationals who are interested in applying for open Work Permit or seek more information about this new program should contact FWCanada for free consultation, we would be happy to represent you.
