IRCC allows PNP candidates to get a work permit without the AOR until December 2026 | ImmigraCan

Anyone who's a provincial nominee and has already lived through the ordeal of a work authorization expiring while waiting months for a simple letter from IRCC just got some good news. As of June 9, 2026, eligible candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can request certain work permits without needing the AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt) for their permanent residence application.

What changed

Until now, in many cases the lack of an AOR held everything up: without that letter, no Bridging Open Work Permit, no extension of an employer-specific work permit, and no open work permit for a spouse. The result was people losing their job or legal status because of an administrative delay.

Operational Bulletin 699 opened a temporary window. Instead of the AOR, a candidate can present the email confirming submission of the PR application plus proof of fee payment — and the officer can also confirm eligibility by checking directly in IRCC's systems that the PR application is registered and pending.

Who benefits

The measure applies only to requests made inside Canada, in the following categories:

• Employer-specific PNP work permits (code T13), including when the nomination certificate has already expired;
• PNP Bridging Open Work Permits (code A75);
• Open work permits for spouses and partners of principal PNP applicants.

Requests made from outside Canada are not covered. And there's an important detail: if you've already received the AOR, you need to present it as usual — the alternative only applies to those who haven't received it yet.

Why IRCC did this

The reason was the system's own bottleneck. IRCC looked at a group of PNP candidates who applied in late November 2024 and found that none of the 141 had received their AOR by October 2025 — nearly a year just for a confirmation letter. The measure is temporary and is set to remain in effect until December 31, 2026, with no confirmation of an extension.

What to do about it

If you're in Canada with a provincial nomination and your work permit is close to expiring, it's worth gathering the alternative documentation now (PR submission email + proof of payment) before the deadline gets tight. And if you're still planning your path toward a nomination, check which provincial programs fit your profile and calculate your CRS to understand your starting point.

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*This content is informational and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. ImmigraCan is not affiliated with the Government of Canada or IRCC. Always confirm official data at canada.ca and, for your specific case, consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or lawyer.*