Maple News reports that spouses and common-law partners of international students in Canada may be eligible for an open work permit (OWP), enabling them to work for nearly any employer across the country. This opportunity not only supports families living in Canada but also helps address labour shortages in various sectors.
To qualify, your partner must hold a valid study permit and be enrolled in an eligible post-secondary program. Eligible programs include doctoral programs, master’s degrees lasting at least 16 months, and a range of approved professional degrees. These professional programs include Medicine (MD), Dentistry (DDS, DMD), Law (LLB, JD, BCL), Pharmacy programs, Engineering degrees (BEng, BE, BASc), Bachelor of Education (BEd), and nursing-related degrees among others.
Importantly, your open work permit can only be granted for the same duration as your spouse or partner’s study permit and cannot be extended beyond the expiry of that permit. If the student is in their final semester, an extension of the spousal work permit is not possible.
Eligibility also hinges on your ability to meet Canada’s admissibility criteria. This includes passing necessary medical examinations and being free from any criminal inadmissibility.
Applicants are considered spouses if they are legally married under any internationally recognized civil authority. For common-law partners, evidence of cohabiting in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 consecutive months—with limited time spent apart—is required.
In addition to general eligibility, certain pilot programs offer OWPs to spouses of students enrolled in those initiatives. These include the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (effective outside Quebec from August 26, 2024), and several Quebec-led recognition and recruitment projects for internationally trained nurses, respiratory therapists, and medical technologists, starting between April 2024 and January 2025.
Other provinces are also taking part in related initiatives; Ontario’s Supervised Practice Experience Partnership begins January 2025. In British Columbia, multiple bridging and re-entry programs, including UBC’s Canadian Pharmacy Practice Program and Langara College’s Nursing Practice in Canada, become eligible from January 2025. Manitoba’s Red River College Polytechnic is also on the list with its Nurse Re-Entry program.
To apply for an OWP, applicants should consult the Government of Canada’s official instruction guide to complete the application accurately. Using IRCC’s Come to Canada Tool can help generate a personalized document checklist. Applications must be submitted online through the IRCC portal, and standard processing fees apply.
Applicants need to provide documentation proving their spouse or partner is enrolled in a qualifying study program, such as enrollment letters or transcripts. Applying as early as possible is recommended to ensure timely processing and alignment with the student partner’s permitted study duration.
This pathway can empower spouses to gain Canadian work experience, integrate into the community more fully, and contribute to the job market while supporting their partner’s educational journey in Canada.