Changes to Spousal Work Permits

Canada is updating its open work permit rules for family members of temporary residents, starting January 21, 2025. These changes impact who can get a work permit based on their relationship to a student or worker in Canada. Here's a breakdown:

Who's affected? These changes primarily impact spouses and dependent children of international students and foreign workers in Canada.

What's changing? The rules are becoming more specific about who qualifies.

• Spouses of International Students: Open work permits will only be available for spouses of students enrolled in:

  • Master's programs that are 16 months or longer

  • Doctoral programs

  • Specific professional programs (a detailed list will be released on January 21, 2025).

• Spouses of Foreign Workers: Open work permits will be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in:

  • TEER 0 or 1 occupations (highly skilled jobs)

  • Select TEER 2 or 3 occupations (skilled jobs) in sectors facing labor shortages or prioritized by the government. These sectors include areas like healthcare, construction, and technology (a full list will be available January 21, 2025).

• Foreign Worker Requirements: The foreign worker (the principal applicant) must have at least 16 months remaining on their work permit for their spouse to be eligible for an open work permit.

• Dependent Children: Dependent children of foreign workers will no longer be eligible for open work permits. This is a significant change.

Good news? If you already have an open work permit approved under the old rules, it's still valid until it expires.

• Renewals: If your current open work permit is expiring, you might be able to renew it. Renewals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, generally requiring you to meet the same criteria as your current permit, and the renewal length must align with the principal applicant's study or work permit.

• Exemptions: These changes do not apply to:

  • Spouses of workers covered by free-trade agreements (like NAFTA/CUSMA).

  • Spouses of individuals who are currently in the process of applying for permanent residence.

What if I don't qualify anymore? If you no longer meet the requirements for a spousal open work permit, you can still explore other Canadian work permit options. There are various programs available, and you may be eligible under a different category.