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Provide Complete Information:

1. Required Positions(s), Location(s), Wage(s), Weekly Hours, Employment Duration
2. Workforce @ Location(s): Total Current Employees & # of Current Foreign Workers
3. Business Start Date (Year established)
4. Observations.

Provide Complete Information:

1. Care type (child, elderly, illness, disability) & Details of person(s) requiring care (e.g., ages, medical conditions).
2. Live-in or Live-out preference, Wage (per hour) & Weekly Hours.
3. Caregiver Candidate (if identified): Age, Highest Level of Education, English/French Ability, and Relevant Experience.
4. Observations.

Provide Complete Information:

1. Sponsor Status: (Canadian Citizen/PR) & Current Country of Residence (if Canada, which province).
2. Spouse/Partner Being Sponsored: Nationality & Current Location.
3. Dependent Children: (if any to be included).
4. Sponsorship History:
- Has the Sponsor previously sponsored a spouse?
- Was the Sponsor themselves sponsored as a spouse in the last 5 years?
5. Financial Eligibility: Is the Sponsor receiving Social Assistance or currently in Bankruptcy, or in default of child support or immigration loans?
6. Background Check: Do either the sponsor or applicant have any past criminal convictions, serious medical conditions, or previous visa refusals?
7. Status & Marital History: If the applicant is inside Canada, what is their current legal status? Are all previous divorces (if any) fully finalized?
8. Relationship Details: (Marriage Date or Start of Cohabitation, other details).
9. Observations: (Please list any other details or specific concerns).

Provide Complete Information:

1. Applicant Nationality & Current Country of Residence (Immigration Status).
2. Purpose of Visit, Travel dates & duration.
3. Are you visiting specific family/friends? (which family/friends).
4. Any previous Canadian or US visa applications/refusals?
5. Financial Support & Ties to Home Country (e.g., Job, Property, Family).
6. Observations.

Provide Complete Information:

If through your Canadian ancestry (you may already be Canadian by law — no residence, tax or language history needed):

1. Your Canadian relative (parent, grandparent, great-grandparent…) and how they became Canadian (born in Canada, naturalized, or by descent).

2. What you can provide to prove the family connection (e.g., birth/marriage certificates, their citizenship or naturalization record).


If you are a permanent resident (citizenship by grant):

1. Date you obtained your Permanent Residence.

2. Approximate number of days spent in Canada over the past 5 years.

3. Did you hold any temporary status in Canada (e.g., Student, Worker) prior to becoming a PR? If so, type and duration.

4. Have you filed Canadian Income Tax Returns for a minimum of 3 out of the last 5 years?

5. Your level of proficiency in English or French (Basic, Intermediate, Fluent).

6. Prohibitions & Background: any criminal record (convictions, probation, or parole, inside or outside Canada); and whether you are currently under a Removal Order or being investigated by immigration authorities.


Additional comments or notes (either case).

Provide Complete Information:

1. Visitor (Parent/Grandparent):
- Nationality & Current Location.
- Previous Canadian or US visa applications/refusals.
- Any major medical conditions?
2. Inviter (Child/Grandchild in Canada):
- Status (Citizen/PR).
- Total Household Size (Number of people living in the Inviter's home, including spouse/children).
- Total Annual Household Income (Gross).
3. Observations.

Provide Complete Information:

1. Do you have a Canadian job offer? (Employer, Position, LMIA status, Transfer). Related Work experience and previous Canadian visa/permit applications or refusals
2. If no job offer detail your Open Work Permit Eligibility: (e.g., spouse of worker/student, PGWP, IEC/Working Holiday)?
3. History of previous Canadian visa/permit applications or refusals.
4. Observations.

Provide Complete Information:

1. Intended Program (level of study) & Canadian Institution's Letter of Acceptance.
2. English/French Skills (IELTS, CELPIP, TEF scores)
3. Financial Support, Ties to Home Country
4. Any previous Canadian or US visa applications/refusals?
5. Observations.

Provide Complete Information:

1. Current Status (e.g., Visitor, Study, Work) & its Expiry Date.
2. Detail Basis for Extension: Study (Letter of Acceptance), Work (LMIA details), Visitor (purpose e.g., tourism, family, family sponsorship).
3. Observations.

Provide Complete Information for You and your Spouse/Partner:

1. Age, Nationality, Marital Status, Education (Highest level Completed), English/French Skills (IELTS, CELPIP, TEF scores), Funds.
2. Work Experience (last 10 years):
- Years of Foreign Skilled Work Experience.
- Years of Canadian Skilled Work Experience.
3. Intended province of residence (e.g., Ontario, Quebec, BC)
4. Canada Connections:
- Any family, previous study, or work experience in Canada, Job Offer (Province)
5. Observations.

1. What specific immigration program or application do you need help with?

2. What is your current situation (citizenship, country of residence, immigration status, family in Canada, etc.)?

3. What specific action do you want to take (apply, renew, appeal, check requirements, etc.)?

4. Do you have any important deadlines or key dates?

5. Observations (brief case description)

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Canada Open Work Permit for Spouses and Family: Who Qualifies Now

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Canada’s open work permit rules for family members have changed significantly over the past two years — and mostly in the direction of tighter eligibility, not easier access. Since January 21, 2025, family open work permits are limited to specific situations, and whether your spouse or children qualify now depends on two things: the occupation you work in, and whether you’re on a path to permanent residence. Here’s where the rules actually stand today.

What Changed in January 2025

As of January 21, 2025, IRCC narrowed who can apply for a family open work permit:

  • Spouses and common-law partners of high-skilled workers can still apply — but only if the worker’s occupation is on the eligible list (details below).
  • Spouses and common-law partners of international students can apply only if the student is in a master’s program of 16 months or longer, a doctoral program, or one of a short list of professional programs.
  • Dependent children are no longer eligible under the general measure. They can still qualify if the family is on an eligible permanent-residence track.
  • Family members of workers in low-skilled occupations (TEER 4 or 5) who are not on a permanent-residence pathway are no longer eligible — they can only extend a permit they already hold.

Spouses of High-Skilled Workers: Who Qualifies Now

If you’re working in Canada and are not yet on a permanent-residence track, your spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit only if all of the following apply:

  • You hold a valid work permit (or an approval for one, or an authorization to work without a permit), and you live or plan to live in Canada while working.
  • You’re employed in a TEER 0 (management) or TEER 1 (professional) occupation — any occupation in those categories qualifies — or in one of the select TEER 2 or TEER 3 occupations on IRCC’s lists, which include many construction trades and their supervisors (welders, plumbers, carpenters, electricians), several health occupations (licensed practical nurses, medical laboratory technologists, nurse aides), early childhood educators, and transport truck drivers, among others.
  • Your work permit remains valid for at least 16 months after IRCC receives your spouse’s application.

Two exceptions waive the 16-month requirement: spouses of foreign-trained health professionals recruited by Quebec (as of May 25, 2026), and spouses of workers on a significant investment project (SIP) in British Columbia (as of March 23, 2026 — any TEER level qualifies there).

Spouses of International Students

If you’re the one studying in Canada, your spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit only if you hold a valid study permit and you’re enrolled in one of these programs:

  • A master’s degree program that lasts 16 months or longer.
  • A doctoral degree program, of any length.
  • One of the professional degree programs IRCC lists, taken at a university: dentistry (DDS, DMD), law (LLB, JD, BCL), medicine (MD), optometry (OD), pharmacy, veterinary medicine (DVM), nursing (BScN, BSN, BNSc, BN), education (BEd) or engineering (BEng, BE, BASc).
  • A small number of specific pilot programs that IRCC names on its eligibility page.

Outside those programs — a college diploma, most bachelor’s degrees or a master’s shorter than 16 months — your spouse can no longer get an open work permit through your studies.

On a Path to Permanent Residence? The Rules Are Broader

If you’ve already applied for permanent residence under an eligible economic program — such as Express Entry classes, the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program, the Agri-Food Pilot, or as a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) holder — or you hold a work permit through an eligible pathway to PR, the eligibility is wider:

  • Both your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children (and even their dependent children) may qualify.
  • Your work permit only needs to remain valid for at least 6 months after IRCC receives the application.
  • Workers in low-skilled occupations qualify under these tracks too.

Who Can’t Apply Right Now

  • Family members of TEER 4/5 workers with no PR pathway (extensions of existing permits only).
  • Your family can’t apply under this measure if you’ve made a refugee claim referred to the IRB, you’re subject to an unenforceable removal order, you’re an international student working in a co-op or off campus, you’re waiting on a PGWP decision, or you yourself hold a spousal open work permit.

How to Apply and What to Send

Your spouse or partner applies online through their IRCC account, from inside or outside Canada. Whatever the route, the application has to prove three things:

  • Your relationship: a marriage certificate or, for common-law partners, proof that you’ve lived together for at least 12 months.
  • Your status in Canada: a copy of your work or study permit, with an expiry date that meets the minimum for your case.
  • Why you qualify: if you work, a letter from your employer showing your occupation, your duties and the NOC or TEER category of your job (or your job offer); if you study, your letter of acceptance, a proof of enrolment from your school or your transcripts.

The online form asks a series of questions about where your spouse is applying from and whether you work or study, and those answers decide which stream the application goes into. A wrong answer can send it down the wrong one, so it’s worth checking them before you submit.

How Long the Permit Lasts

IRCC can’t issue a family member’s permit beyond the expiry of the principal worker’s permit, or beyond the family member’s passport or biometrics validity — whichever comes first. If your family member’s permit ends up shorter than yours, they can apply from inside Canada to extend it and match yours, as long as they apply before their current permit expires.

How Immigration Pros Can Help

If you have questions about the requirements for a spousal open work permit in Canada, Immigration Pros can help. We help individuals and residents understand and apply for all types of work permits.

For those wondering how to get an open work permit in Canada, our team offers expert guidance from start to finish.

Our experienced consultants understand how to assess whether you are eligible for an open work permit. They also assist Canadian employers in navigating the process for hiring foreign talent.

We also offer comprehensive services for those looking to bring family members to Canada. We clearly explain and efficiently handle all applicable paperwork.

Our team is committed to supporting each client. We help you and your family smoothly settle into Canadian society.

If you are not sure whether your situation qualifies for an open work permit, start with a free assessment and we will walk you through what is realistically available right now. If your route depends on an employer, our LMIA guide covers that side of the process.

Start Your Free Assessment Today!

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