Before you start
- Use only your own government account.
- Never share government or email credentials.
- Confirm fees, deadlines and checklists when you act.
CHANGING CONDITIONS
Open-work-permit categories and family, graduate or application-linked conditions can change quickly; recheck the exact category before filing.
REVIEWED STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Responsibilities, outputs and checkpoints
- 01RESPONSIBLEApplicant
Name the exact open-permit category
Use the current IRCC open-work-permit categories to identify the one category being considered, such as an eligible graduate, spouse, youth, vulnerable worker or another listed applicant.
- Expected output
- A dated record of the exact open-permit category and trigger.
- Checkpoint
- The category appears on the current official page and is not inferred from a desire to work for any employer.
Official source reviewed · 2026-07-13Open work permits: eligibility, restrictions, and application · www.canada.ca - 02RESPONSIBLEApplicant
Verify category-specific conditions
Open the linked category instructions and record the required status, relationship, program, application or vulnerability facts and the period for which the category applies.
- Expected output
- A category-condition checklist tied to current official instructions.
- Checkpoint
- Every required trigger has a current factual source or remains marked unresolved; no eligibility verdict is generated.
Official source reviewed · 2026-07-13Open work permits: eligibility, restrictions, and application · www.canada.ca - 03RESPONSIBLEApplicant
Prepare category and status evidence
Prepare passport and current status plus the exact school, family, principal-person, PR-application, employment or protection records named by the selected category.
- Expected output
- A category-specific evidence set with current status records.
- Checkpoint
- Evidence belongs to the applicant and any linked person or application identifiers match the official records.
Official source reviewed · 2026-07-13Open work permits: eligibility, restrictions, and application · www.canada.ca - 04RESPONSIBLEApplicant
Open the correct official checklist
Answer the live IRCC account questions for the selected category and retain the resulting work-permit checklist before completing forms.
- Expected output
- A current account-generated open-work-permit checklist.
- Checkpoint
- The checklist names the intended category or application context and is not a generic work-permit list from another case.
Official source reviewed · 2026-07-13Open work permits: eligibility, restrictions, and application · www.canada.ca - 05RESPONSIBLEApplicant
Submit and answer official requests
Complete the application in the applicant’s own account, upload category evidence, pay IRCC directly and complete biometrics, medical or document requests by their dates.
- Expected output
- A submission confirmation and dated response file.
- Checkpoint
- The submitted category and linked facts remain current through the decision.
Official source reviewed · 2026-07-13Open work permits: eligibility, restrictions, and application · www.canada.ca - 06RESPONSIBLECanada
Review open-permit restrictions
Read the issued permit for occupation, employer-sector, location, medical, expiry and passport-linked restrictions before starting or changing work.
- Expected output
- A verified open work permit and restriction record.
- Checkpoint
- Open does not mean unrestricted; work stays within every printed and current legal condition.
Official source reviewed · 2026-07-13Open work permits: eligibility, restrictions, and application · www.canada.ca
DOCUMENT PREPARATION SUMMARY
What this procedure organizes
- Prepare the exact category instruction and trigger evidence, passport and status records, any linked school/family/principal-person/PR/employment identifiers, the personalized IRCC checklist, forms, receipts, account requests and issued permit restrictions.