Open work permit
An open work permit is a Canadian work permit that is not tied to one employer. IRCC says it lets you work for any employer in Canada, except those it excludes, and that no job offer is needed to apply. Most applicants must apply from inside Canada.
IRCC says an open work permit lets the holder work for any employer in Canada, with exceptions it sets out, and that you do not need a job offer to apply. A buyer meets the term when a seller’s staff or a foreign owner-operator holds one.
Who can apply
IRCC says most people applying from outside Canada cannot get an open work permit, most applicants must apply in Canada, and an open work permit is available only in specific situations. An employer-specific permit, by contrast, is the other type IRCC names.
What to check
- The permit’s expiry date and any listed conditions.
- Whether the holder fits a category IRCC lists.
- Whether continued work depends on a status that could change.
Under the International Mobility Program, IRCC lists some workers as open-permit holders. See what employment liabilities a buyer inherits.
Sources
This definition is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaGovernmentOpen work permits
- 02Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaGovernmentWho you can hire under the International Mobility Program
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