Canada offers a fee-free work permit to eligible workers facing abuse

Check the permit you hold and the workplace circumstances

Temporary foreign workers in Canada who are experiencing abuse or face a risk of abuse connected to their employment may qualify for a vulnerable-worker open work permit. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada directs workers to check whether they hold a valid employer-specific permit or applied to extend it before expiry and are awaiting a decision. Section 207.1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations ties the renewal situation to continuing authorisation to work. Check both the existing permit and the confirmation of any renewal application before relying on that provision.

The IRCC eligibility guide includes physical, sexual, financial and psychological abuse as well as reprisals. It describes examples such as threats, forced unsafe work, an employer taking part of a worker’s wages or penalising someone for cooperating with an inspection. Evidence should explain what happened and how it relates to the job. The legal test is whether there are reasonable grounds to believe the worker is experiencing abuse or is at risk of it.

Prepare the explanation and evidence you can access safely

IRCC’s application guide points to Form IMM 0017 for the explanation of the situation. A worker can set out the employment, what happened, when it happened and why it creates a risk. Add documents that corroborate the account when available. The guide gives examples including a sworn statement, a letter from a support organisation or health professional, and a copy of an official report. The worker can use relevant messages or pay records to explain a particular incident, where those records can safely be accessed.

For example, if a worker says their employer took back part of each payment, a pay statement and related messages could help show what was paid and what the employer asked for. Explain what each document shows and provide a clear sequence of dates. The permit process and a report about the employer have different purposes. Service Canada’s separate confidential reporting page gives an online form and a phone line at 1-866-602-9448. If someone is in immediate danger in Canada, the page directs them to call 911.

The online reporting form also accepts reports from other people, including those outside Canada. Service Canada says it keeps the identity of the reporter from the employer and may pass information to other Canadian agencies that can help. The form lets the reporter decide whether to supply their own contact details for a follow-up. Use the IRCC account for the permit application.

Use the vulnerable-worker application and fee instructions

IRCC says there is no fee for this work permit and directs applicants to the online route. Use the specific application guide when answering the account questionnaire, since the answers determine the document checklist and fee prompts. The guide identifies IMM 5710 as the worker form. Prepare digital copies of the evidence and keep the application confirmation. IRCC excludes applications at a port of entry. Check current status and any expiry promptly if you are close to losing your current work authorisation.

The department’s after-application guidance says it may ask for further information or an interview. Check the online account using a device and contact method you can access safely. Keep a copy of the information you submitted so you can identify the facts or document an officer asks about. Public instructions give no assurance of a specific individual decision date.

Read the grant before starting another job

If approved, check the new permit’s conditions and expiry. The department’s open permit guidance describes exceptions for employers listed as ineligible and certain businesses in the sex industry. The route is temporary and the after-application guide says the permit cannot be renewed. A worker who wants to remain in Canada after expiry should check other permit options while the authorisation is still valid. Family members who accompanied the worker to Canada may also be eligible for their own open work permits if the worker is approved. They can submit their own applications together with the worker’s application. IRCC also says it can inspect the employer after a permit is granted and that providing additional information for the inspection is optional.