Are you currently in Canada on a temporary work permit and wish to extend your stay or transition to permanent residency? The Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) might be the solution for you. It is also known as bridging visa. BOWP is a welcome innovation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada foreign nationals. Designed to bridge the gap between your current permit and your application for permanent residency, the BOWP allows you to continue working legally in Canada while your application is being processed.
A Bridging Work Permit is a temporary permit that allows eligible applicants to continue working in Canada while awaiting a decision on their application for permanent residency. It provides continuity of employment, allowing skilled workers to remain in Canada and contribute to the Canadian workforce during the immigration process. Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) will prevent immigrants from facing unnecessary disruptions, who are already on good terms with the country and already successfully contributing to the Canadian economy.
● Continuity of employment: The Bridging Work Permit allows you to continue working in Canada while your application for permanent residency is being processed, ensuring continuity of employment and income.
● Eligibility for provincial health care: Depending on the province or territory in which you reside, you may be eligible for provincial health care coverage while holding a Bridging Work Permit.
● Pathway to permanent residency: By maintaining legal status in Canada and continuing to work, you are one step closer to obtaining permanent residency and potentially citizenship in the future.
● Applicants should have completed e-APR (electronic application for permanent residence), submitted it under Express Entry and have an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) letter.
● He must meet the eligibility criteria for the immigration program under which he had applied for permanent residency.
● He should reside in Canada when you apply for BOWP.
● He must currently hold a valid work permit that is set to expire within four months or less. This ensures that he is eligible for bridging to a new work permit while his permanent residency application is in progress.
● His passport validity should be for six months or more.
● He should be a principal applicant on permanent residence application under one of the economic categories:
– Permanent residence using Express Entry
– Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
– Quebec skilled workers
– Home Child-Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot
– Caring for children class or caring for people with high medical needs class
– Agri-Food Pilot