Spouse Open Work Permit

Visiting Canada to study or work? Come along with your partner on an open work permit.

You might qualify for an open work permit if your partner is already a resident of Canada, whether they are employed there, enrolled in school, or have applied to endorse you for permanent residence.

Spouses or common-law partners of foreign students who are enrolled full-time in Canadian academic programs are granted a spouse open work permit. Your partner can work full-time on or off-premises while you proceed with your studies in Canada if they have an open work permit.
Have more inquiries? Make an appointment with our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs). We value your relationships and are proud to say that we have been bringing together families in Canada thanks to our extensive knowledge and in-depth understanding of Canadian immigration laws.
Additionally, in order to qualify for a work permit, the spouses of foreign students are not required to have a legitimate offer of employment.

Quite often the computation of applications for an open work permit for international students’ spouses coincides with the handling of applications for study permits. If the same holds for you, you must complete the work permit application and submit it along with the required fee.

Nevertheless, in most cases, after arriving in Canada, spouses of international students decide to apply for open work permits. Please keep in mind that your partner may also apply for an open work permit depending on your nation of citizenship, which might also necessitate obtaining a temporary resident visa for entry into Canada.

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Checklist of documents for applying to SPOW

Applicants should be mindful of the following document checklist before applying for an open work permit for their partners:

A duplicate of your student ID
Letter confirming enrollment in a course
A translated version of your marriage certificate in French or English. (Find out who can attest and translate)
Evidence that you have the necessary funds available
A full copy of your partner’s passport, including all pages with visas, stamps, and other notations.

How long does it take to process a spouse’s open work permit?

Based on the CIC website, your partner’s open work permit application will take close to 4 to 5 months to process. Please keep in mind that before an ultimate decision is made allowing your spouse to begin working, they must preserve their legal recognition in Canada, such as visitor, student, or worker.