On 15 December 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced the creation of so-called open work permits for permanent resident applicants whose permits are due to expire.
Temporary work permits may expire during the process of application for permanent residency. Under the previous regime, the immigrant was no longer authorized to work in Canada (unless his employer asked for a Labor Market Opinion from Human Resources and Skills Development). As a consequence, the immigrant had to either ask for a visitor status, which allowed him to stay but not to work in Canada, or leave the country.
Under the new rules, applicants who meet eligibility requirements can now apply for an open work permit. The latter allows the holder to work, on a temporary basis, for any Canadian employer, hence facilitating the continuation of working relationships and the integration into the labor market.