Flagpoling Canada: 4 Tips to Get an Open Work Permit

Please note: This article does not intend to provide legal advice. It is merely a personal experience of flagpoling in British Columbia. If you have any immigration questions, please seek advice from a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer.

Do you need to change your visa status in Canada? Read on to find out my experience flagpoling from Vancouver and the four tips based on what I learned.

I am on an IEC Working Holiday visa valid for two years. My partner also had a Working Holiday visa valid only for one year. We wanted our visa end dates to align and therefore decided to flagpole. 

We wanted to apply for the Spousal Open Work Permit based on my National Occupation Classification (NOC) code. As we are not married, we took as much information as possible to show proof of our common-law relationship. 

I researched the documents needed for flagpoling for a Canada work permit. We took: 

• Our passports 

• Our current work permits (at least six months left on my work permit)

• A notarized Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409)

• My work contract (showing that I am a skilled worker)

• A printed page of the NOC code that matches my job title and description

• My three most recent pay stubs

• IEC health insurance for the length of my visa (from BestQuote Travel Insurance)

• A recent bank statement showing my proof of funds 

We also brought documents to show proof of our common-law relationship, which consisted of a: 

• Joint bank account statement 

• Tenancy agreement 

• Previous landlord letter showing we lived together 

• An income tax letter showing our common-law status

• Other official documents with the same address printed, e.g., utility bills

Our initial plan was to flagpole at Point Roberts (Boundary Bay/Tsawwassen) as it is a less busy border, and my co-worker had her Working Holiday visa issued there on a weekday. We left Vancouver around 08:20 on a Sunday and arrived at Boundary Bay about an hour later. 

When we arrived at the border, we missed the section to park and had to drive up to the United States side. The US officer asked about our intentions. I told him we wanted to flagpole. He told us to park and go inside, and I was issued an I-94 and paid for it there. 

We got into the car again and drove around the flagpole to the Canadian side. The Canadian officer asked about our intentions, and when we stated we wanted to flagpole, he rejected our request. 

The border had no people waiting, but he told us they did not have enough team members working to issue the visa and that we would have to return in a few days. However, during the wait, my partner would be unable to work. As we both have full-time jobs, my partner would miss at least two working days. So, we decided to drive to the Peach Arch/Blaine border crossing.

After about half an hour, we arrived at the Douglas/Blaine border crossing. Before reaching the US border, we parked in a parking lot next to the Douglas Port of Entry. We spoke to a Canadian officer near the parking lot who told us to walk to the United States (Blaine) border crossing. So, we walked to the US border checkpoint, said we wanted to flagpole and got sent back to the Canadian side.

We went back to the Canadian border checkpoint and spoke to an officer. He asked us about our current status in Canada, what visa we plan to apply for, and why we weren't waiting for the visa approval online. He was hesitant but accepted after asking us additional questions about the Spousal Open Work Permit application.

I gave the relevant documents to the immigration officer and went to sit down and read a book. I expected it to take at least a couple of hours. However, within 15 minutes, he called us over and asked for payment. Then he gathered our documents and got my partner to check the work permit information. 

After that, we were ready to go with a new permit issued!

On June 24, 2024, it was announced that people can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at Canadian ports of entry. The announcement also included the recent reduction of flagpoling hours in 12 ports of entry across Canada. The 12 ports of entry with reduced hours are:

1. Armstrong, Quebec 

2. Fort Erie (Peace Bridge), Ontario 

3. Saint Armand/Philipsburg, Quebec 

4. Saint Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec 

5. Stanstead Route 55, Quebec 

6. Aldergrove, Pacific Region 

7. Douglas, Pacific Region 

8. Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge, Ontario 

9. Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, Ontario 

10. Pacific Highway, Pacific Region 

11. Boundary Bay, Pacific Region 

12. Abbotsford-Huntingdon, Pacific Region  

If you plan to flagpole at any of the above ports of entry, make sure you check their flagpoling hours.

Based on my experience flagpoling from Vancouver, here are four tips to think about before you flagpole.

1. Go to a major border crossing

A small border crossing like Point Roberts may not have the time or an immigration officer to issue a visa, so it may be better to try a large border crossing with more immigration officers. Research the border crossings near you to see if there are any restrictions before attempting to flagpole.

2. Bring every document you might need

Preparation is key. Bring all required documents and any additional documents that can help your case.

3. Go early and during the week (if you can)

Go to the border crossing early, and try to go during the week. We went during the weekend because we work full-time. However, if you can flagpole during the week, the border crossing may be less busy, and immigration officers should have more time to issue your visa.

4. Research before you flagpole

It's best to research before you flagpole. Most flagpoling experiences are unique, and what works for one situation may not work for another. Research your border crossing, what you need to know, whether you're eligible to flagpole, and prepare for the immigration questions they may ask you. Review the information you need to know to get the visa issued, including why you are flagpoling rather than applying and waiting for online approval.