Maple News reports that, effective March 23, 2026, eligible spouses and common-law partners of foreign workers employed by Lululemon Athletica and Microsoft Vancouver may obtain open work permits, regardless of their partner’s compensation or seniority. The federal government has designated these two British Columbia employers as Significant Investment Projects, a status that supports large-scale investments and talent attraction.
Under the new policy, recipients of an open work permit can work for most employers across Canada in most industries, broadening opportunities for families connected to SIP-designated projects.
The policy covers spouses of employees in both high-skilled (TEER 0–3) and low-skilled (TEER 4–5) occupations, and applies to applications received on or after March 23, 2026.
Foreign workers with provisional approval for a position at one of the two companies, supported by a letter of introduction, may apply for the open work permit before they officially begin their role.
Previously, open work permits were restricted to spouses of high-skilled workers (TEER 0–3) or certain TEER 2–3 cases. A notable exception under this change is that sponsoring workers are not required to have at least 16 months of work authorization in Canada at the time the spouse’s open-work-permit application is submitted; this 16-month requirement remains for most other foreign workers.
Overall, the measure supports family reunification and strengthens Canada’s ability to deliver large investment projects by expanding access to open work permits for spouses of workers at SIP-designated employers.