Canada has temporarily changed the rules for some applicants who have applied for permanent residence through the Provincial Nominee Program — Provincial Nominee Program, or PNP.
Starting June 9, 2026, some applicants currently in Canada may apply for a work permit even before receiving official confirmation that their application for permanent residence has been accepted—the Acknowledgment of Receipt, or AOR.
The new rules are intended to help people who have already received a provincial nomination and applied for permanent residence but have been waiting months for their AOR due to lengthy document completeness checks. Without this letter, they previously could not obtain certain types of work permits and risked losing the opportunity to work legally in Canada.
At the same time, it’s important to understand the changes correctly. This is not about simplifying the criteria for obtaining permanent residence, nor is it about automatic approval of PR. The federal government has only temporarily allowed the use of alternative documents in place of the AOR while certain work permit applications are being processed.
What Is an AOR and Why Did It Become a Problem?
An AOR is an official letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirming that an application for permanent residence has been reviewed for completeness and accepted for further processing.
This letter typically includes the application number and confirms that the application has passed the initial review in accordance with the requirements of Section R10 of the Canadian Immigration Regulations.
The AOR should not be confused with the standard automated notification that documents have been uploaded via the online portal. The electronic confirmation is sent immediately after the application is submitted, whereas the official AOR is issued only after the application package has been verified for completeness.
Due to longer processing times for this review, some applicants had to wait a long time for their AOR. During this time, their current work permit or even their provincial nomination could have expired.
As a result, an applicant might have already submitted an application for permanent residence but was unable to use it to apply for a new work permit because they had not yet received the required official letter.
What Has Changed Since June 9
According to the new temporary guidelines, IRCC staff may accept alternative proof that an application for permanent residence has indeed been submitted.
Instead of an AOR, the applicant may provide:
- a copy of an email or notification confirming the submission of the PR application through the online portal;
- proof of payment of the applicable fees for processing the permanent residence application.
Another option is for an IRCC officer to check the internal system and confirm that the PR application has been received and is still under review.
Any one of these methods may be sufficient to confirm that the application was submitted if the official AOR has not yet been issued.
Who Is Affected by the New Rules
The temporary changes apply to candidates who are in Canada and have applied for permanent residence through the Provincial Nominee Program.
This category includes applicants under both the main PNP streams and provincial programs linked to Express Entry.
The following alternative documents may be accepted in lieu of an AOR during the processing of such applications:
- a bridging open work permit for PNP candidates — Bridging Open Work Permit;
- an employer-specific work permit, if the provincial nomination has already expired;
- an open work permit for the spouse or partner of the principal PNP applicant, provided all other requirements are met.
This means that the changes do not apply to all immigration applicants or all types of work permits.
For example, they do not automatically apply to people who have applied for permanent residence (PR) through another federal or family-class program.
You No Longer Need to Wait for an AOR to Apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit
One of the most significant changes is the ability to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit, or BOWP, without waiting for an official AOR.
A BOWP is an open work permit that allows you to continue working in Canada while your application for permanent residence is being processed.
Previously, the AOR was one of the main documents used to confirm that a PR application was under review. Due to delays in issuing the AOR, some applicants were unable to submit their BOWP application before their current permit expired.
Until December 31, 2026, eligible PNP applicants will be able to use the online submission confirmation from the portal along with their fee payment receipt.
However, the applicant must still meet all other requirements for the BOWP. The temporary rule replaces only one document and does not waive the other criteria.
What Will Happen to Employer-Specific Permits
The changes may also help PNP candidates who are applying for a work permit to work for a specific employer.
In some cases, a provincial nomination may expire before the federal immigration agency issues an AOR. Previously, this could have forced the province to reissue the nomination or request additional documents.
Now, IRCC officers may accept alternative proof of a PR application, even if the nomination certificate has already expired.
However, this does not mean that any expired nomination automatically entitles the applicant to a new work permit. The applicant must still meet all other requirements for the relevant category.
Spouses of PNP candidates can also benefit from the changes
This temporary relaxation also applies to certain applications from the spouses and partners of primary PNP candidates.
If a spouse is eligible for an open work permit as the partner of a permanent residence applicant, the absence of the primary candidate’s AOR will no longer necessarily block the submission of documents.
Instead, applicants may submit proof of having filed a PR application and paid the fees.
However, an open work permit for spouses is not issued automatically. Applicants must verify their relationship, the principal applicant’s status, and meet other conditions set by IRCC.
If the AOR has already been received, you must submit it
The temporary option to use alternative documents is intended only for applicants who have not yet received an official AOR.
If the AOR is already available at the time of submitting the work permit application, the applicant must include that specific letter. You should not use the electronic confirmation of submission and payment receipt in its place.
In other words, the federal government has not abolished the AOR or changed its significance. It has merely allowed a temporary alternative for people who are forced to wait a long time for this document.
The changes apply only to applications processed in Canada
One of the main conditions is that the applicant must be in Canada, and their work permit application must be processed as an in-Canada application.
For work permit applications submitted from outside Canada, the AOR requirement remains in effect.
Therefore, a person who is abroad cannot automatically take advantage of the new rules simply because they applied for permanent residency (PR) through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Will the new rules allow you to continue working after your work permit expires
If a person applies to renew or change their work permit before their current permit expires, they may be granted maintained status.
Under certain conditions, this status allows them to remain in Canada and continue working under the previous terms while IRCC reviews the new application.
This is why the timing of the application is crucial. An application submitted after the work permit has expired does not automatically grant the same right.
Applicants should check the expiration date of their status in advance and not wait until the last day.
What Happens If a PR Application Is Deemed Incomplete
Receipt of submission confirmation does not mean that the permanent residence application has already passed a completeness review.
IRCC specifically emphasizes: the new rules do not replace the R10 review and do not guarantee PR approval.
If the federal agency later determines that the application was incomplete, it may be returned. This could also affect the applicant’s future eligibility for a work permit.
That is why it is important not only to submit the documents on time but also to ensure that the permanent residence application package was completed correctly and included all necessary forms and supporting documents.
How Long Will the Temporary Rules Remain in Effect
The new guidelines took effect on June 9, 2026, and will remain in effect until December 31, 2026.
Unless IRCC issues additional decisions or extensions, the standard requirement to submit an AOR will apply again after that date.
Therefore, candidates affected by the new rule should check for the latest information immediately before submitting their application.
What This Means for PNP Candidates
For some provincial nominees, this is a truly significant change. It resolves a situation where an individual has already completed the main steps, submitted an application for permanent residence, and paid the fees, but was unable to obtain a work permit solely due to a delay in the issuance of the AOR.
The new rules can help avoid gaps in employment, loss of temporary status, and the need to reapply to the province due to the expiration of the nomination.
However, it would be incorrect to call this a general relaxation of the requirements for permanent residence. The PNP criteria, completeness checks, work permit requirements, and applicant eligibility assessments remain in effect.
In fact, Canada has not temporarily changed the rules for obtaining PR, but rather the method of confirming that an application for permanent residence has already been submitted.
For candidates whose work permits are about to expire, this may provide an opportunity to submit their documents earlier and avoid waiting months for an official AOR.