Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP)

Check your Eligibility

You may be eligible to apply for an open work permit if you fall into one of these categories:

• A spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner residing in Canada and sponsored for permanent residence.
• A dependent child accompanying the principal applicant.

For Principal Permanent Residence Applicant

 When applying for an open work permit, you must also meet the following conditions:

• Be in a genuine relationship with your sponsor.
• Be included in a permanent residence application, with an acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) letter confirming that your application is being processed.
• The AOR must be for the principal applicant’s permanent residence process and should be the one your sponsor receives from IRCC.
• Reside in Canada with your sponsor.

If You’re an Accompanying Dependent Child

To qualify for an open work permit as a dependent child, both of the following conditions must be met:

• The principal applicant you’re accompanying must:
• Be in a genuine relationship with their sponsor.
• Be included in a permanent residence application and have an AOR letter confirming that the application is being processed.
• Be living in Canada with their sponsor.
• You must reside in Canada with your family member (the principal applicant) and their sponsor.

 Minimum Age for Employment: Before your dependent child begins working in Canada, verify the minimum age for employment in the specific province or territory, as well as for the type of job they intend to pursue. Employers in Canada must comply with provincial labor laws. Open work permit holders must also follow federal, provincial, and territorial labor regulations while working.

Who is Not Eligible to Apply at This Time

You cannot apply for an open work permit under this public policy if:

• Your permanent residence application has been rejected, withdrawn, or returned.
• You intend to apply for your work permit at a port of entry.

If You Have Valid Temporary Resident Status

Once you receive your AOR letter, you can apply for an open work permit. You must submit your application online through the IRCC secure account.You can apply for a work permit without an AOR if you meet both of the following conditions:

• Your work permit, study permit, or temporary resident status will expire within 2 weeks or less.
• You have submitted an application for permanent residence under one of the following categories:
• The Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada class (SCLPC) as a spouse or common-law partner.
• The Family Class as a spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner (sponsored from overseas).

If You Don’t Have Valid Temporary Resident Status

If your permanent residence application is being processed under the spousal public policy, you must wait until you receive your approval in principle letter before you can apply for an open work permit.You are not eligible to apply for an open work permit under any other public policy or pilot program.

Open work permits for family members of temporary foreign workers

Check your eligibility:Starting January 21, 2025, only the spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be eligible to apply for a family OWP.

Eligibility for Family OWPs

• For Spouses of International Students: Family OWPs will be available to spouses of international students enrolled in:
  • Master’s programs lasting 16 months or longer
  • Doctoral programs
  • Select professional and eligible programs
• For Spouses of Foreign Workers: Family OWPs will also be available to spouses of foreign workers employed in:
  • TEER 0 or 1 occupations
  • Select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors with labor shortages or aligned with government priorities. Check the list below.

Additionally, the foreign worker must have at least 16 months remaining on their work permit at the time their spouse applies for the OWP. Dependent children of foreign workers will no longer be eligible for a family OWP.

Existing OWPs

OWPs approved under previous measures that have not yet expired will remain valid. In cases where students require additional time to complete their program, or where family members received a shorter work permit than the principal applicant, in-Canada family members (including spouses and dependent children) can apply to renew their work permit under the following conditions:

• They apply based on the same criteria as their current work permit, and
• The requested renewal duration matches that of the principal applicant’s study or work permit.

Exceptions

Spouses of workers covered by free-trade agreements or those transitioning to permanent residence will not be affected by these changes. Family members who no longer qualify for a family OWP can apply for any other work permit they are eligible for under Canada’s work permit programs.

Principal Applicant Requirements

As the principal applicant, you must meet the following 4 criteria:

1. You must have one of the following:
   • A valid work permit (with some exceptions).
   • An approval for a work permit that has not yet been issued (this means you have received a port of entry letter of introduction).
   • Authorization to work without a work permit (with some exceptions).
2. Your work permit or authorized work must remain valid for at least 16 months after we receive your spouse or common-law partner’s open work permit application.
3. You must be living in Canada or planning to live in Canada while working.
4. You must be employed or will be employed in one of the following:
   • Any high-skilled occupation at the TEER category 0 (management) or 1 (professional) level of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system at the time your spouse or common-law partner submits their application.
   • A select high-skilled occupation at TEER category 2 or category 3 of the NOC system at the time your spouse or common-law partner submits their application.

Eligible Occupation in TEER 2

22100	22221	32100	32124	72021	72201	72401	72500
22101	22222	32101	32429	72022	72202	72402	72501
22110	22230	32102	32200	72023	72203	72403	72600
22111	22231	32103	32201	72024	72204	72404	72601
22112	22233	32104	32209	72025	72205	72405	72602
22113	22300	32109	42102	72100	72300	72406	72603
22114	22301	32110	42202	72101	72301	7210	72604
22210	22302	32111	72010	72102	72302	72411	72999
22211	22303	32112	72011	72103	72310	72420	82010
22212	22310	32120	72012	72104	72311	72421	82020
22213	22311	32121	72013	72105	72320	72422	82021
22214	22312	32122	72014	72106	72321	72423	82030
22220	22313	32123	72020	72200	72400	72429	82031

Eligible Occupation in TEER 2

33100	53201	73200	73400
33101	73100	73201	73401
33102	73101	73202	73402
33103	73102	73209	83100
33109	73110	73300	83101
43100	73111	73301	83110
43204	73112	73310	83120
53200	73113	73311	83121

Spouse or Common-Law Partner Requirements

Your spouse or common-law partner must meet the following 3 criteria:

• They must meet the general eligibility requirements for a work permit.
• They must be in a genuine relationship with you (the principal applicant) who makes them eligible for the open work permit.
• If they are in Canada, they must be in one of the following situations:
  • They have valid temporary resident status.
  • They have applied to extend their status before it expired (maintained status).
  • They are eligible for the restoration of their status as a: Visitor, Worker or Student

Note: If You Are a Low-Skilled Worker and Not on a Pathway to Permanent Residence Starting January 21, 2025, your family members will not be eligible to apply for an open work permit under this measure if you are a low-skilled worker and are not on a pathway to permanent residence through one of the eligible streams.