Open work permit for spouse: who can still benefit from it?
Since January 21, 2025, options for families wishing to temporarily settle in Canada have been reduced. Eligibility for open work permits (OWPs) for family members of international students and foreign workers has been significantly restricted.
What is a family open work permit?
Spouses or common-law partners of certain international students or foreign workers can obtain an open work permit. This permit is issued for the same duration as the permit held by the principal applicant (worker or student).
An open work permit allows the holder to work for any employer in Canada, in any position. It also allows the freedom to change jobs or employers as long as the permit remains valid. However, some restrictions apply. For example, professionals in healthcare or education must undergo a medical examination before being allowed to work in these sectors—even under an open work permit.
This option is crucial for families to settle together in Canada, allowing both partners to work.
Until January 21, 2025, dependent children accompanying the principal applicant could also apply for an open work permit. This option is no longer available.
Who is affected by these changes?
Many families are impacted, including those submitting new work permit applications and those seeking renewals.
Foreign workers
Before these changes, most spouses or partners of foreign workers were eligible for an open work permit. Most occupations qualified, and the principal applicant’s work permit needed to be valid for more than six months.
Now, the principal applicant must hold a valid work permit for at least 16 months at the time their spouse applies for an OWP, regardless of the job they hold.
Additionally, only spouses of workers who meet the following conditions are eligible to apply. The worker must be employed in:
- A TEER 0 or 1 occupation (considered “skilled” under immigration criteria),
- A TEER 2 or 3 occupation if the profession is on the list of in-demand occupations (full list available below).
International students
To be eligible for an open work permit as the spouse of an international student, the student must be enrolled in:
- Master’s programs that are 16 months or longer
- Doctoral programs
- Certains programmes professionnels admissibles (11) dans les domaines de la santé, du droit, de l’éducation et de l’ingénierie. À savoir :
- Doctor of Dental Surgery
- Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor
- Doctor of Medicine
- Doctor of Optometry
- Pharmacy
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Bachelor of Nursing Science
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Bachelor of Education
- Bachelor of Engineering (BEng, BE, BASc)
If the student does not meet these criteria, their spouse or partner is not eligible to apply for an open work permit.
Some pilot programs allow spouses of enrolled students to apply for an open work permit:
- Outside Quebec: Pilot program for students in minority francophone communities
- In Quebec: Skills recognition project for internationally recruited nurses
Exemptions
Open work permits approved before January 21 under previous measures and that have not expired remain valid.
For workers, spouses or common-law partners of those covered by free trade agreements, as well as those in the process of obtaining permanent residence or who currently hold a work permit under a pathway to permanent residence (such as holders of a CSQ – Quebec Selection Certificate or a Provincial Nominee Program) are not affected by these changes.
In certain cases:
- If an international student needs more time to complete their study program;
- If family members (spouses or dependent children) received a shorter work permit than the principal applicant.
Holders of an open work permit obtained as accompanying family members may apply to renew their status, but certain conditions apply:
- The application must follow the same criteria as their current work permit
- The requested renewal duration must match the existing study or work permit of the principal applicant.
List of occupations in TEER 2 or 3 whose spouses are still eligible to obtain an open work permit
Occupations in TEER 2 :
- 22100 – Chemical technologists and technicians
- 22101 – Geological and mineral technologists and technicians
- 22110 – Biological technologists and technicians
- 22111 – Agricultural and fish products inspectors
- 22112 – Forestry technologists and technicians
- 22113 – Conservation and fishery officers
- 22114 – Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists
- 22210 – Architectural technologists and technicians
- 22211 – Industrial designers
- 22212 – Drafting technologists and technicians
- 22213 – Land survey technologists and technicians
- 22214 – Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology
- 22220 – Computer network and web technicians
- 22221 – User support technicians
- 22222 – Information systems testing technicians
- 22230 – Non-destructive testers and inspectors
- 22231 – Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers
- 22232 – Occupational health and safety specialists
- 22233 – Construction inspectors
- 22300 – Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- 22301 – Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- 22302 – Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
- 22303 – Construction estimators
- 22310 – Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
- 22311 – Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
- 22312 – Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
- 22313 – Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors
- 32100 – Opticians
- 32101 – Licensed practical nurses
- 32102 – Paramedical occupations
- 32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
- 32104 – Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
- 32109 – Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
- 32110 – Denturists
- 32111 – Dental hygienists and dental therapists
- 32112 – Dental technologists and technicians
- 32120 – Medical laboratory technologists
- 32121 – Medical radiation technologists
- 32122 – Medical sonographers
- 32123 – Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
- 32124 – Pharmacy technicians
- 32129 – Other medical technologists and technicians
- 32200 – Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
- 32201 – Massage therapists
- 32209 – Other practitioners of natural healing
- 42102 – Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces
- 42202 – Early childhood educators and assistants
- 72010 – Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
- 72011 – Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
- 72012 – Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
- 72013 – Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
- 72014 – Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
- 72020 – Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
- 72021 – Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
- 72022 – Supervisors, printing and related occupations
- 72023 – Supervisors, railway transport operations
- 72024 – Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators
- 72025 – Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations
- 72100 – Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- 72101 – Tool and die makers
- 72102 – Sheet metal workers
- 72103 – Boilermakers
- 72104 – Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
- 72105 – Ironworkers
- 72106 – Welders and related machine operators
- 72200 – Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- 72201 – Industrial electricians
- 72202 – Power system electricians
- 72203 – Electrical power line and cable workers
- 72204 – Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers
- 72205 – Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians
- 72300 – Plumbers
- 72301 – Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
- 72302 – Gas fitters
- 72310 – Carpenters
- 72311 – Cabinetmakers
- 72320 – Bricklayers
- 72321 – Insulators
- 72400 – Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
- 72401 – Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- 72402 – Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
- 72403 – Railway carmen/women
- 72404 – Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
- 72405 – Machine fitters
- 72406 – Elevator constructors and mechanics
- 72406 – Elevator constructors and mechanics
- 72411 – Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators
- 72420 – Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics
- 72421 – Appliance servicers and repairers
- 72422 – Electrical mechanics
- 72423 – Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics
- 72429 – Other small engine and small equipment repairers
- 72500 – Crane operators
- 72501 – Water well drillers
- 72600 – Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors
- 72601 – Air traffic controllers and related occupations
- 72602 – Deck officers, water transport
- 72603 – Engineer officers, water transport
- 72604 – Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators
- 72999 – Other technical trades and related occupations
- 82010 – Supervisors, logging and forestry
- 82020 – Supervisors, mining and quarrying
- 82021 – Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services
- 82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
- 82031 – Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
Occupations in TEER 3 :
- 33100 – Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
- 33101 – Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
- 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- 33109 – Other assisting occupations in support of health services
- 43100 – Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
- 43204 – Operations Members of the Canadian Armed Forces
- 53200 – Athletes
- 53201 – Coaches
- 73100 – Concrete finishers
- 73101 – Tilesetters
- 73102 – Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
- 73110 – Roofers and shinglers
- 73111 – Glaziers
- 73112 – Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
- 73113 – Floor covering installers
- 73200 – Residential and commercial installers and servicers
- 73201 – General building maintenance workers and building superintendents
- 73202 – Pest controllers and fumigators
- 73209 – Other repairers and servicers
- 73300 – Transport truck drivers
- 73301 – Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
- 73310 – Railway and yard locomotive engineers
- 73311 – Railway conductors and brakemen/women
- 73400 – Heavy equipment operators
- 73401 – Printing press operators
- 73402 – Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction
- 83100 – Underground production and development miners
- 83101 – Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
- 83110 – Logging machinery operators
- 83120 – Fishing masters and officers
- 83121 – Fishermen/women
What status applies when one can no longer benefit from an open work permit as a spouse?
Spouses have the option to settle in Canada as visitors. However, this status, which allows them to remain in the country, does not permit them to work or study.
In this context, spouses who can no longer benefit from an open work permit must now undertake their own immigration procedures.