New Open Work Permit for TR to PR Applicants

The original public policy supporting these open work permits was signed on July 4, 2021. A replacement policy took effect on June 6, 2022 and allowed permits to be issued until December 31, 2024. That date has been superseded.

Under the current public policy, applications for this open work permit are accepted until December 31, 2026, and permits issued under it cannot carry a validity date past that day. The current policy also confirms that eligible family members can apply from inside or outside Canada, which removes the earlier requirement that every family member already be in the country.

Two practical consequences follow. First, if your permanent residence decision is still pending and your work authorization is running out, this is the route to use now. Second, because permits under this policy stop at December 31, 2026, anyone whose PR file is likely to remain open past that date should be planning a second option well before the deadline rather than after it.

Is the TR to PR Pathway Still Open for New Applicants?

No. The temporary resident to permanent resident pathway closed to new permanent residence applications on November 5, 2021. It was a limited-time program created for foreign workers in essential occupations, workers in health and health services, and recent graduates of Canadian post-secondary institutions, along with French-speaking versions of those streams.

This open work permit public policy is a support measure for people whose 2021 applications are still in progress. You cannot use it to enter the pathway now, and you cannot rely on it if you applied for permanent residence through any other program.

Who Can Apply for the TR to PR Open Work Permit

Eligibility splits into two groups with different rules: the principal applicant, and their accompanying family members.

Eligibility Requirements for Principal Applicants

As the principal applicant, you must meet five requirements:

• Residency. You must live in Canada.
• A TR to PR pathway application. You must have applied under one of the six pathway streams and hold the IRCC email confirming your permanent residence application was successfully submitted, or the letter issued by the Client Support Centre if you used an alternative format application.
• Authorization to work at the time of your PR application. When you applied for permanent residence, you must have been legally authorized to work, whether through a valid work permit, an authorization to work without a work permit, or an authorization to work under a public policy.
• Language requirements. You must have met the language requirements of your stream and held valid results from an approved test at the time you applied. French-stream applicants must have results from an approved French test.
• Immigration status when you apply for the work permit. You must hold valid temporary resident status, have applied to extend your status before it expired (maintained status), or be eligible to restore your status.

One point causes constant confusion: holding a work permit that expires within four months is not a general eligibility condition. It affects when you may apply, not whether you qualify. That distinction is covered in the next section.

Open Work Permit Eligibility for Family Members in Canada and Abroad

A spouse, common-law partner or dependent child of a principal applicant can apply for their own open work permit if all of the following are true:

• They are 18 years of age or older.
• They are inside or outside Canada.
• They apply online.
• The principal applicant has applied for, and is eligible for, an open work permit under this same public policy.
• They were included as an accompanying family member on the principal applicant's permanent residence application.

Family members who are already in Canada must additionally hold valid temporary resident status, have applied to extend their status before it expired, or be eligible for restoration. Family members applying from outside Canada are not held to that status condition.

The most common fatal error here is filing the family member's application when the principal applicant has not applied for an open work permit under this public policy. That application will be refused.

When to Apply for Your TR to PR Open Work Permit

If you currently hold a valid work permit, you can apply up to four months before it expires. Your family members do not have to wait for that window; they can apply at any point after your permanent residence application has been submitted.

If you do not hold a valid work permit, you can apply at any time provided you have maintained your status, are eligible to restore your status, or are the spouse, common-law partner or dependent child of a principal applicant.

Timing matters more than most applicants assume. Applying before your current permit expires keeps you on maintained status, which generally allows you to keep working while IRCC processes the new application. If your status has already lapsed, you move into restoration, which normally must be requested within 90 days of expiry and which does not allow you to work while it is pending.

How to Apply for an Open Work Permit Under the TR to PR Public Policy

You must apply online. This permit cannot be requested at a port of entry, and family members can submit their applications at the same time as the principal applicant. The full official instructions are published by IRCC on the Government of Canada's open work permit page for the TR to PR pathway.

Fees: You Are Exempt From the Open Work Permit Holder Fee

Applicants under this public policy are exempt from the CAD $100 open work permit holder fee and should not pay it. You still pay the CAD $155 work permit processing fee, and if your status has expired you also pay the restoration fee.

Because a fee exemption applies, you must pay before you start the online application and upload the receipt with your documents. When the system asks whether you are paying fees or are fee exempt, you select the fee-exempt option, since the exemption covers the holder fee only.

How to Fill Out the Work Permit Form Correctly

In the "Details of intended work in Canada" section of the form:

• Select Open work permit as the permit type.
• In the Job title box, enter TRPR pathway PP OWP for a first permit under this policy, or TRPR pathway PP OWP-EXT if you are extending one.
• In the Brief description of duties box, enter the name of the permanent residence stream you applied under. Family members enter the principal applicant's unique client identifier instead.
• For the end date, request a date no later than December 31, 2026, and no later than the expiry of your passport or your biometrics results.

Applicants who need restoration must also select the option to restore their status as a worker and indicate that restoration is required in the personal details section.

Documents You Need to Upload

For a first permit, principal applicants generally upload the fee receipt, proof they were authorized to work when they applied for permanent residence, proof of language test results, proof that they applied to the TR to PR pathway, a copy of every page of their passport, and a digital photo.

For an extension, the list is shorter: the fee receipt, a copy of the current work permit, the passport copy and a digital photo.

Family members add a copy of the IMM 0008 generic application form submitted by the principal applicant, showing their name listed as an accompanying family member, plus proof of relationship such as a marriage certificate, a common-law declaration or a birth certificate naming both parents. Family members outside Canada may also face visa office requirements for their country.

How Long Is the TR to PR Open Work Permit Valid?

Permits issued under this public policy run until December 31, 2026 at the latest, or until an earlier date if your passport or biometrics expire sooner. The longer duration exists specifically so applicants do not have to file repeated renewals while their permanent residence file sits in processing.

If your permanent residence application is approved before that date, the work permit becomes irrelevant once you become a permanent resident. If a decision has not been made by the end of 2026, your work authorization under this policy ends, which is why planning ahead of the deadline is essential rather than optional.

Common Reasons These Open Work Permit Applications Are Refused

• The principal applicant has not applied for an open work permit under this specific public policy, which automatically sinks the family member's application.
• The family member was not listed as an accompanying family member on the permanent residence application.
• The applicant was not authorized to work at the time they submitted their permanent residence application.
• Language test results were not valid when the permanent residence application was filed.
• Status had already expired and the restoration window had closed.
• The application was submitted at a port of entry instead of online.
• The form used the wrong job title code, or requested an end date beyond December 31, 2026.
• The $100 open work permit holder fee was paid despite the exemption, or the receipt was not uploaded.

Get Help With Your TR to PR Open Work Permit

We have helped applicants through the transition from temporary to permanent status for years, including files that have been in processing since the 2021 intake. If your work permit is approaching expiry, if your status has lapsed, or if your family members are still outside Canada, the sequence in which the applications are filed determines whether they succeed.

Contact us HERE to review your file before the December 31, 2026 deadline.

If you are not a Canadian permanent resident yet and you are not sure which route fits your situation, fill out our assessment form HERE and we will get back to you with your options.

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