Eligibility, evidence and support from HV Global Immigration
By HV Global Immigration Ltd | Updated September 18, 2026
A job in Canada should not leave you feeling trapped by threats, unpaid wages, harassment or unsafe conditions. When your work permit names one employer, leaving a harmful workplace can raise urgent questions about income, immigration status and your family’s future.
The Vulnerable Open Work Permit, commonly called a VOWP, may help eligible workers facing employment-related abuse or a risk of abuse. This guide explains who can apply, what evidence can help, what happens after submission and how HV Global Immigration can support you through the process.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or local police.
What is a Vulnerable Open Work Permit
IRCC calls this an open work permit for vulnerable workers. It is a temporary measure designed to help eligible workers leave an abusive employment situation and find other work in Canada.
Once issued, it generally permits work for most employers across Canada. Employers on the government’s ineligible list and businesses regularly offering specified adult entertainment services are excluded. Check all conditions printed on the permit before starting a job.
IRCC overview of the open work permit for vulnerable workers
Who can apply for a VOWP
You must be in Canada and experiencing abuse, or a risk of abuse, connected to your employment in Canada. You must also hold either:
- A valid employer-specific work permit, including a qualifying LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt permit; or
- Maintained work authorization after applying to renew a qualifying employer-specific permit before it expired, while awaiting a decision.
The program includes eligible Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program participants. An application cannot be made from outside Canada or at a port of entry. A visitor record, study permit or ordinary open work permit alone does not satisfy the employer-specific permit requirement.
Legal eligibility requirements under section 207.1
What counts as workplace abuse
Abuse does not have to involve a physical injury. Financial pressure, sexual harassment, intimidation and retaliation can also matter. The application should explain what happened and how it relates to your employment.
| Type of abuse | Examples to explain in an application |
| Physical | Violence, confinement, pressure to perform dangerous work, or unsafe employer-provided accommodation. |
| Sexual | Unwanted sexual touching or comments, or pressure to provide sexual favours. |
| Psychological | Threats, humiliation, intimidation, isolation or control over where you go and whom you see. |
| Financial | Taking your earnings, withholding wages, or exploiting you through deceptive recruitment promises. |
| Reprisals | Threatened or actual dismissal, demotion or punishment because you reported violations or cooperated with an inspection. |
IRCC examples of abuse and risk of abuse
Employment-related abuse can involve a recruiter or coworker. You may already have left the abusive job and still qualify. A fair layoff or ordinary permit expiry alone is insufficient.
Prior unauthorized work does not automatically disqualify an otherwise eligible applicant. Qualifying permit or maintained-status requirements and other applicable conditions still apply.
IRCC guidance on assessing the employment context
Your employer does not control your immigration status
An employer cannot deport you, change your immigration status, keep your passport or work permit, or punish you for reporting mistreatment. Temporary foreign workers have legal workplace protections in Canada. Employers must follow applicable employment standards and make reasonable efforts to provide a workplace free of abuse.
For example, a threat to “cancel your visa” if you ask about unpaid wages should be documented accurately. Keep the actual message if you can access it safely and explain the circumstances in your own words.
Government of Canada information on foreign worker rights
Explain the risk as well as past events
If you fear further abuse, describe the specific events behind that fear. Identify who was involved, what was said or done, and why the risk remains. Separate what you experienced or witnessed from what someone else told you. A clear account helps the officer understand the situation without having to guess.
A disagreement at work and an abusive situation are not always the same. An individual assessment should consider both the conduct and the surrounding circumstances before deciding whether this is the appropriate immigration application.
Evidence for a Vulnerable Open Work Permit
Start with a truthful account of your situation. IRCC encourages applicants to use its Letter of Explanation form, IMM 0017. Organize events by date and explain the effect on your work, safety or ability to leave.
Documents that may help
- Passport copies, your work permit and proof of a timely extension application if relevant.
- Messages, emails, photographs or witness accounts connected with the incidents.
- A statement from a support organization or health professional, where available.
- A complaint or report already made to an enforcement agency, if you have one.
- A digital photograph and relevant marriage or birth certificates for accompanying family applications.
IRCC vulnerable worker fact sheet and document examples
Employment contracts, pay records, schedules and bank transactions can help explain financial concerns. Label each attachment and connect it to the relevant event. If a date is approximate, say so. Explain missing records instead of inventing details or altering documents.
Do you need a police report or perfect evidence
A police or employment-standards complaint is not required. Your credible explanation may suffice without other evidence. IRCC still needs reasonable grounds to believe abuse or risk exists.
IRCC instructions on evidence and complaints
How to apply for a VOWP
Apply online through the vulnerable-worker application route and complete IMM 5710. Follow the personalized checklist. Combine your explanation and supporting evidence into the Client Information upload, with a table of contents.
Documents outside English or French need translations meeting IRCC requirements. Your family or immigration consultant cannot translate them. Paper applications are permitted for specified disability or online-system difficulties.
IRCC application steps and translation requirements
Fees and biometrics
There is no work permit processing or open permit holder fee for a VOWP. Current online instructions defer biometrics until requested and explain the fee-exempt selection at submission. Follow any later IRCC instructions. Translation, medical and separately agreed professional costs may still arise.
IRCC current submission and biometrics instructions
After submitting your VOWP application
Processing time and interviews
IRCC’s fact sheet states an aim to contact applicants within five business days. This is a contact target, not a promise of approval within five days. A decision may take longer. IRCC may request information or an interview.
IRCC fact sheet on what happens after applying
Check your account and agreed contact channel regularly. Keep copies of the submission and correspondence. If asked to clarify an incident, answer the specific question and identify supporting records. Tell your representative promptly if your address, safety concerns or immigration circumstances change.
Can you work for a new employer while waiting
Submitting a VOWP application does not immediately give you an open work permit. Until approval or separate work authorization, an employer-specific permit continues to restrict where you may work.
A qualifying application filed before expiry may maintain your status and work authorization while you remain in Canada, but existing work conditions continue. This does not require you to remain in an unsafe workplace. It means that permission to start a different job must be confirmed separately.
IRCC maintained status and work authorization rules
Will IRCC contact your employer
IRCC’s instructions prohibit contacting the employer to verify your application information. After approval, an employer inspection may occur. If asked to provide additional information for that inspection, your participation is optional. Discuss safe communication and possible workplace reactions with your adviser; do not assume an inspection will remain unnoticed.
IRCC information on employer inspections
Can your spouse and children apply
Eligible family members accompanying you in Canada may apply for their own open work permits. Each needs an application, which can be submitted with yours; approval depends on the vulnerable worker’s approval and applicable requirements.
Eligible working-age dependent children can qualify. Family permits share the worker’s expiry, subject to passport validity, and the same permit-fee exemptions. Younger children’s visitor or study status also needs review.
IRCC family application information
IRCC detailed family provisions
Medical examinations and work restrictions
A medical examination may be required, depending on your circumstances and intended work. Jobs in health care or involving children can have medical requirements. Some applicants qualify for an exemption from a repeat examination. Check your eligibility and any occupational restrictions before accepting work.
IRCC in-Canada work permit and medical guidance
How long does a VOWP last
Duration is discretionary; officers may consider 12 months, limited by passport validity. IRCC describes the permit as non-renewable. A subsequent VOWP is possible only in narrow circumstances, including a still-valid or maintained employer-specific permit and continuing abuse-related eligibility.
IRCC duration and subsequent application guidance
Plan your next qualifying work permit before expiry. The VOWP provides temporary protection and flexibility; it does not automatically provide permanent residence. Any permanent residence strategy requires a separate eligibility assessment.
IRCC next steps after VOWP approval
Preparing for the next immigration step
Use the period after approval to review realistic work permit options, passport dates and family needs. A new employer-specific permit may require employer documentation. Another open work permit category has its own eligibility rules. Do not assume that finding a job alone extends your permission to work.
Create a calendar covering permit and passport expiries, application preparation and family deadlines. Keep your employment history accurate and retain future contracts and pay records. Early planning gives you time to address missing documents before a deadline becomes urgent.
What if your permit has already expired
An expired printed permit may still be supported by maintained work authorization if a qualifying application was filed on time. If you lost status, restoration is a separate process, generally subject to a 90-day deadline and other conditions. Applying for restoration does not itself establish VOWP eligibility or normally permit work. Have the complete timeline assessed promptly.
What if the VOWP application is refused
Read the reasons and obtain advice promptly about any correction, new application or legal review that may be appropriate. Recheck your status and work authorization immediately. If you relied on maintained status and the underlying permit has expired, a refusal can end that authorization. Do not assume that submitting another application allows continued work.
IRCC guidance on status while awaiting a decision
Frequently asked questions about Vulnerable Open Work Permits
Do I need a new job offer or LMIA
No new job offer or LMIA is required for the VOWP itself. You still need to satisfy its eligibility requirements.
IRCC VOWP approval requirements
Can I travel outside Canada
A work permit is not a travel document. A visa or eTA may also be needed, and re-entry is not guaranteed. Travel while an application is pending can affect maintained work authorization. Obtain advice before departure, especially if your existing permit has expired.
IRCC guidance on travel during a work permit application
Who can apply for a Vulnerable Open Work Permit in Canada?
Workers in Canada facing employment-related abuse or a risk of abuse may qualify if they hold an eligible employer-specific permit or qualifying maintained work authorization. A visitor record or ordinary open permit alone is insufficient.
Can unpaid wages or threats qualify as abuse?
They may. Abuse can be financial, psychological, physical or sexual, and can include retaliation. Explain the conduct and its employment connection; an ordinary workplace disagreement or fair layoff alone does not establish eligibility.
Do I need a police report to apply?
No. A police complaint is not mandatory. Give a truthful, detailed explanation and available supporting evidence, such as messages or pay records. Explain missing documents; a credible account may be sufficient depending on the circumstances.
Can I apply after leaving the abusive workplace?
Potentially, yes. Leaving the job does not itself disqualify you, provided the qualifying permit or maintained work authorization and the other requirements still apply when you submit.
Can I start working for another employer immediately after applying?
No. Filing does not grant open work authorization. Until approval or separate authorization, respect your existing work conditions. You do not have to remain in an unsafe workplace while seeking help.
Will IRCC contact my employer about my application?
IRCC does not contact your employer to verify your application. After approval, an employer inspection may occur. Providing additional information for that inspection is optional.
Will my spouse and children automatically receive permits?
No. Eligible accompanying family members in Canada need their own applications. They may submit them with yours, but eligibility and approval must be assessed separately.
Can I renew a VOWP or use it to obtain permanent residence?
It is temporary and is not routinely renewable. Narrow rules govern subsequent VOWP applications. Permanent residence requires a separate qualifying pathway. Plan your next status or permit application before expiry.
How can HV Global help with a vulnerable worker application?
We can assess eligibility, organize your incident timeline and evidence, prepare the application and assist with IRCC requests within our agreed scope. Tell us which contact methods are safe for you. Contact hvglobal.ca; call 911 for immediate danger.
How HV Global Immigration can help vulnerable workers
At HV Global Immigration Ltd, we can help you understand your immigration position and prepare a clear application. We start by listening to your circumstances and identifying practical next steps.
A careful assessment of your situation
We can review your permits, application dates and employment concerns to assess eligibility and urgent deadlines. Tell us whether calls, emails or voicemail are safe for you.
A clear account supported by relevant documents
We can help organize an incident timeline, identify evidence and explain missing records. Your account remains your own. We also help address difficult details, including employment gaps or pressure to work outside permit conditions.
Application preparation and follow up
Our assistance can include forms, document review, submission preparation and responses to IRCC within the agreed scope of representation. We can also help you prepare to explain your experience honestly at an interview.
Family needs and planning after approval
We can review family members’ documents and assess the next work permit or longer-term immigration options. IRCC decides each application; approval and processing speed cannot be guaranteed.
Connecting immigration help with other support
We can help identify referrals for employment-law advice, health care, emergency housing or migrant-worker support. A work permit application does not itself recover unpaid wages or replace immediate safety assistance.
Where to get additional help
You can report suspected abuse under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to Service Canada at 1-866-602-9448. Reports can be anonymous; Service Canada says it will not identify you to your employer.
Service Canada reporting options and current hours
For migrant-worker support in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the government directory lists Calgary Catholic Immigration Society at 1-888-331-1110. It also provides provincial employment and safety contacts.
Find migrant-worker support and employment contacts
Speak with HV Global about your options
Worried about workplace abuse and your work permit? Contact HV Global Immigration to request a consultation. We help clients in Calgary, elsewhere in Alberta and across Canada assess their immigration options. Professional fees and the scope of assistance are discussed separately from government permit-fee exemptions.
General information based on official guidance checked on September 18, 2026. Individual eligibility and immigration options depend on the facts and rules in effect when you apply.
