Canada offers many different ways in which foreign nationals can live and work in the country legally. For some people, the best route for immigrating to Canada is by obtaining an open work permit. A Mississauga immigration lawyer can help you achieve this goal in Ontario.
What Is an Open Work Permit?
An open work permit is a document that allows people who are not Canadian citizens to work in the country. Unlike some work permits, an open work permit is not specific to or contingent upon any specific job. If a foreign national is offered a specific job in Canada, he or she will go through a different process.
Who Qualifies for an Open Work Permit
In order to qualify for an open work permit in Ontario, an applicant must be one of the following:
- A recent graduate from a designated learning institution who qualifies for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program
- A young worker who signs up for certain specialized work programs
- A student who needs to work in order to make ends meet
- A temporary resident permit holder
- A current worker under a job-specific permit who is being abused or at risk of abuse in the current role
- A foreign national with an unenforceable removal order
- An applicant for permanent resident status
- A refugee, refugee claimant, or similarly protected person or loved one
- A family member of a permanent residency applicant
- The spouse or common-law partner of any of the following types of people:
- applicant for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
- International student
- Skilled worker
If you meet one of these descriptions, there may be certain other criteria you need to meet as well. A Mississauga immigration lawyer can help you determine your eligibility.
Restrictions on Open Work Permits
Open work permits come in two forms: unrestricted and restricted. Unrestricted open work permits allow foreign nationals to work in any qualifying occupation anywhere in Canada. On the other hand, restricted permits can limit the scope of the permit to certain occupations or locations.
All foreign nationals who obtain open work permits are restricted from working for certain types of employers. These include organizations that regularly provide erotic services. The Canadian government regularly updates a list of banned employers for foreign nationals.
How to File for an Open Work Permit
Open work permit applicants must use the IMM 5710 form. However, the way in which an applicant answers the questions on that form depends on where they live, if they are applying as a spouse, as well as many other factors. That’s why it’s important to have expert advisors on your side. The amount of time that the government takes to process these applications varies, so it’s important to start the process as soon as possible.
Hire a Mississauga Immigration Lawyer
Navigating Canada’s immigration laws can be difficult, even in the most straightforward cases. The professionals at Nanda & Associate Lawyers have the skills and expertise to help. We can communicate in 15 different languages, including English, French, Tamil, Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu, Gujarati, Italian, Chinese, and Bangla. If you need an experienced Mississauga immigration lawyer, contact us today.
