If you’re living in a country as an immigrant, especially in first world countries, there’s a need for you to apply and obtain the country’s Permanent Residency status often known as PR if you want to live in the country permanently. Obtaining PR is somewhat easy and flexible if you follow the due process.
On the subject of obtaining PR, one will usually stay and settle in the country before being granted the application. If you immigrate to a country as an employee, there’s a probability that you will have to obtain the country’s work permit.
However, before having the merits to obtain the permanent residency, foreign workers are sometimes registered on temporary residency and will have to vacate the country when their permit expires unless they extend it prior to the expiration date. Normally residency permit extension applications are lodged a few months before the application expires in order to complete the extension process before the stipulated expiring date.
Can I Extend my Work Permit while waiting for Permanent Residency?
The answer is “Yes”. The question of obtaining and extension of permit and PR are normally a line of confusion for many people. Of course you can live and work in a foreign country like Canada while you are on temporary residency status. As far as you have your work permit with you.
However after your contract agreement has been terminated, you will have to vacate the country if you did not extend your work permit or obtain the country’s permanent residency status.
This is why it is advisable that while processing your permanent residency in any country, you must be wary of your temporary residency status so as to reapply for extension when close to its expiring date. Noteworthily, the work permit extension can be extended subsequently until you finally obtain the permanent residency status.
One of the beauties of settling down in a country as a permanent resident worker is that you may stand a chance to apply for the country’s citizenship as long as you meet up with the country’s requirements and the criteria for being chosen. However there’s an exemption to that as some countries do not grant citizenship to foreigners.
In a country like Canada, temporary work permits last for only one year and an extension application must be filed before it expires. If you have applied for extension while in Canada, so far your application didn’t expire for the reapplying you’re entitled to stay and live in Canada before the application is being processed. Depending on the type of work permit, you may be allowed to or not allowed to work within the period of processing the application.
How to Extend Your Work Permit while Waiting for PR in Canada
Supposedly, you have known that one can easily extend a work permit while waiting for permanent residency PR to process. However, how do you obtain its extension? The work permit extension is very easy and flexible if you follow the guidelines properly.
It was worth noting that the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) is the most reliable way of extending your work permit while waiting for the processing of your permanent residency PR. This is a program designed to help foreign workers to live in Canada during their temporary work permit extension while waiting for their permanent residency application to be processed.
Established in 2019 by the Canadian government, the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) since its inception has been one of the most promising immigrants initiative program which gives foreigners a hurdle free time during the course of extending their PR.
The beauty of this initiative is that foreigners are now privileged to live and continue their work in Canada awaiting the processing of their extension of work permit. This is in contrast to the old time prior to the establishment of the program where foreign workers are restricted from working or to the length of being excused from the country until their extension application is processed.
Who can Apply for the Work Permit Extension through the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)?
The Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) has a certain eligibility to be qualified to apply for, below are they:
- That such applicants are currently living in the country at the moment of the application
- They must have applied for the Permanent Residency PR with confirmation that their application is being processed pending approval by the Citizenship and immigration Canada (CIC)
- That their temporary residency permit will expire within the next 4 months or less.
Documents required for applying BOWP
Below is the list of documents required for applying for Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).
- An online application form
- A passport
- Photograph
- Family Information Form (IMM 5645E)
- An application for the Temporary Resident Visa (IMM 5257).
Programs enlisted in the eligibility to Apply through the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
Almost all the programs in Canada allow one to be eligible to apply through Bridging Open Work Permit in Canada. They are listed below:
- The Canadian Express Entry Program
- The Canadian Experience Class
- The Provincial Nominee Program (PNPs)
- Federal Skilled Trained Program
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Home Child-Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot
How to Apply for Canadian Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
Applying for the Canadian BOWP is very easy and flexible if you follow the due process. It requires you to read through all the instructions on the types of documents required, the programs that offer the application services and your method of application should be properly tabled. Also the application fees and other petty fees which may be required should be budgeted.
To apply for the program, you can easily visit the Canada Immigration Citizenship (CIC) website to begin the application. You’re required to login to the website and fill in the appropriate form.
You’re to extensively read through the instructions and upload all the documents required. You will be required to take a medical exam. An exception to that are for those who have traveled to a certain country within the last 6 months or less. They will not be required to take any medical exam again.
After that you’ll be directed to the payment page where you’ll pay the sum of ($255) as the application fee. The payment is done through any method available on the Canada immigration Citizenship (CIC) website.
The application can also be done offline on papers by forwarding all the necessary documents and evidence of payments to any appropriate office of the Canada Immigration Citizenship (CIC).
