Due to the war in Israel, the Canadian Immigration Ministry has launched a special program granting open work permits to Israeli citizens and those residing in the territory at the time of the conflict. The open work permit will be issued for three years. Initially, the program was open until June 12, but on the last day, it was extended for another year!
Who can apply for this type of work permit:
- Israeli citizens with an Israeli passport who are currently legally in Canada.
- Citizens of other nationalities who were residing in Israel at the time of the conflict and have Canadian relatives (Canadian citizens or permanent residents). Canadian relatives include spouses, children under 22 years old, and their children, if any. These applicants must have resided in the conflict zone and left it after October 7, 2023, and must be legally present in Canada at the time of application.
You can apply for an open work permit or a student visa in Canada. You do not need to pay consular fees for processing. Note that you must be in Canada at the time of application and throughout the processing period, and you will need to undergo a medical examination upon request. The open work permit is valid for up to 3 years, depending on the validity of your passport and your biometric data (fingerprints are valid for a maximum of 10 years and need to be retaken afterward).
When entering Canada, keep in mind that it is highly recommended to show a return ticket, and you may be asked about your financial means while waiting for your work permit.
Important Tip:
In the document package, the work permit form appears as “extension of an existing work permit,” and THIS IS CORRECT (!!!). This allows the file to be processed within Canada, applying the Ministry of Immigration’s program for Israeli citizens already in Canada.
Applications for the open work permit are submitted online.
