Maple News reports that family reunification remains a core objective of Canada’s immigration policy, especially in the sponsorship of spouses and partners. In fact, spousal and partner sponsorship is the second most utilized immigration pathway in Canada, following economic streams.
According to the 2023 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the country has steadily welcomed more sponsored spouses, partners, and children—from 67,140 in 2018 to 70,076 in 2022. While this upward trend reflects Canada’s commitment to bring families together, processing times have unfortunately also increased, from an average of 13 months in 2019 to 18 months by 2022.
IRCC aims to process 80% of all applications within published service standards. For family-class sponsorships for permanent residence, the target timeframe is up to 12 months. However, many applicants and their spouses face longer waits, prompting a search for faster ways to reunite.
One such pathway is the Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP), a practical interim solution that allows spouses and common-law partners being sponsored for permanent residence to live and work in Canada while their application is being processed. This helps families reduce the emotional and financial burden of long-distance separation.
To be eligible for a SOWP, the applicant must prove a genuine relationship with their Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsor, have submitted a permanent residence application (with an Acknowledgement of Receipt), and be already residing in Canada with their partner.
The good news is that IRCC’s current service standard for processing new work permit applications, including SOWPs, is 60 days. If successful, spouses can live and work in Canada while waiting for a decision on their permanent residency file — significantly easing the wait.
This flexibility showcases Canada’s evolving immigration system, which strives to balance processing efficiency with compassionate measures that support family unity. For many, a temporary work permit bridges the gap toward permanent residence and makes the path to settling in Canada together smoother and more humane.