AIP Work Permit: How the C18 Closed Permit Works for Atlantic Immigration

One of the practical advantages of the Atlantic Immigration Program is the ability to work in Canada while your permanent residency application is being processed. This is possible through a Temporary Work Permit under the C18 LMIA exemption code — but it's not the same as the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) used in other immigration pathways, and confusing the two leads to refusals.

Here's how the AIP work permit actually works.

The C18 Work Permit: What It Is

The C18 is a closed, employer-specific work permit that allows AIP-endorsed candidates to work for their designated employer while their federal PR application is in progress. "Closed" means it's tied to a specific employer and position — you can't use it to work for a different company or in a different occupation.

Key characteristics:

• LMIA-exempt: No Labour Market Impact Assessment is required because the employer is already AIP-designated.
• Employer-specific: Valid only for the AIP employer that sponsored your endorsement.
• Typically valid for two years: Long enough to cover most PR processing windows.
• Available before or after PR submission: You can apply for the work permit once you have the provincial endorsement, even before your federal PR application is submitted.

The Bridging Open Work Permit Misconception

The Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) is a well-known tool for people already in Canada on a work permit — it allows them to keep working while a PR application is in process, and it's open (not tied to one employer). It's commonly used by Express Entry applicants and PNP nominees.

AIP applicants are not eligible for the BOWP. This is explicitly stated in guidance from several provincial offices, including New Brunswick. Attempting to apply for a BOWP as an AIP candidate is a wasted application that will be refused.

The C18 is the AIP-specific alternative. It's more restrictive than a BOWP (because it's employer-specific), but it serves the same core purpose: keeping you working legally in Canada while PR processes.

What You Need to Apply for the C18 Work Permit

Three documents beyond the standard work permit application are required:

1. Provincial Referral Letter. Issued by the province alongside your Certificate of Endorsement when the endorsement is approved. The Referral Letter is what tells IRCC that you've been endorsed by the province and are entitled to apply under the C18 exemption.

2. Offer of Employment Number. Your employer must log into the IRCC Employer Portal and submit a formal Offer of Employment online. This generates a unique reference number. The employer must pay a $230 employer compliance fee to generate this number — this is the employer's cost, not yours. The number is then provided to you for inclusion in the work permit application.

3. IMM 0156 (Undertaking). A signed form committing you to apply for permanent residency within 90 days of submitting the work permit application. If you don't submit the PR application within that 90-day window, you're in violation of the undertaking.

Additional standard work permit requirements:

• Valid passport
• Work permit application form (IMM 1295 or online equivalent)
• Passport photos
• Application fee: $155

If you're outside Canada and need entry, you may also need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) depending on your nationality.

The 90-Day Undertaking: What It Means

The IMM 0156 Undertaking is a formal commitment that you will submit your PR application within 90 days of the work permit application date. This is not the date you receive the work permit — it's the date you submit the application.

The reason this matters: some applicants receive the work permit and then spend many months gathering documents for the PR application. The undertaking deadline is calculated from submission, so you should have your PR documents substantially ready before you apply for the C18 permit. Violating the undertaking by not submitting PR within 90 days is a misrepresentation issue that can complicate your entire application.

Spousal Open Work Permits

While the AIP principal applicant gets a closed C18 permit, their accompanying spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit — one that allows them to work for any Canadian employer.

The eligibility depends on the principal applicant's TEER level:

TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3: The spouse is typically eligible for an open work permit as soon as the principal applicant is working in a qualifying occupation.

TEER 4: The principal applicant needs to be on an active PR pathway — which the AIP endorsement provides — for the spouse to access a spousal OWP. The AIP endorsement does satisfy this requirement, even though the C18 is a closed permit.

Dependent children are included in the PR application and may attend primary and secondary school in the province while processing is underway.

What Happens if You Change Employers

The C18 work permit is tied to your AIP employer. If you change employers during processing — either voluntarily or because of a layoff — you lose the work authorization for the new employer's role, and your PR application may be at risk.

The sequence of consequences:

1. Your current C18 permit is no longer valid for the new position
2. The province may revoke your endorsement if the job offer changes
3. Without a valid endorsement, the federal PR application cannot proceed as filed

If you need to change employers, contact the provincial immigration office immediately. In some cases, a new designated employer can be substituted, but this requires the province to review and issue a new endorsement — which takes time and may be subject to the provincial allocation cap.

This is one reason to choose your AIP employer carefully. The C18 system is designed to create a stable employment-immigration relationship, not a flexible one.

Applying for the Work Permit: Practical Timeline

Most applicants apply for the C18 work permit and the federal PR application close together, since both require the Certificate of Endorsement and Referral Letter:

1. Provincial endorsement approved → Certificate of Endorsement + Referral Letter issued
2. Employer generates Offer of Employment Number ($230 fee)
3. Applicant submits work permit application with IMM 0156 Undertaking
4. Work permit processing: 4–12 weeks depending on location
5. Within 90 days of work permit application: submit federal PR package

For applicants already in Canada on an expiring permit, the work permit application should be submitted as soon as the provincial documents arrive. If your current permit expires before the C18 is approved, you may need to maintain status through a different mechanism or leave and re-enter on the new permit.

For complete guidance on timing the work permit application alongside the federal PR package, and what to do if your permit situation is complicated (expired permit, implied status, PGWP holder), see the Canada Atlantic Immigration Program Guide.