How Spouses of International Students Can Work in Canada

Who Can Apply?

If you are the spouse or common-law partner of an international student in Canada, you may be eligible for an Open Work Permit (OWP).

This means you can work for almost any employer, in most industries.

Validity of the Permit

Your work permit can be valid only until your partner’s study permit expires.

Important: It cannot be longer than your spouse’s study permit.

When Are You Eligible?

You may qualify for an OWP if your spouse is enrolled in one of these programs:

• Doctoral (PhD) program
• Master’s program (16 months or longer)
• Certain professional programs, such as:

1. Dentistry (DDS, DMD)
2. Law (LLB, JD, BCL)
3. Medicine (MD)
4. Optometry (OD)
5. Pharmacy (PharmD, BS, BSc, BPharm)
6. Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
7. Nursing (BScN, BSN, BNSc, BN)
8. Education (BEd)
9. Engineering (BEng, BE, BASc)

Additionally, both spouses must be medically and criminally admissible to Canada.

Definition of Spouse or Common-Law Partner

• Spouse: You are legally married anywhere in the world.
• Common-law partner: You have lived together in a committed relationship for at least 12 months continuously, with only short, temporary separations.

Additional Eligible Programs

Apart from the programs above, some special pilot programs also allow spouses to apply. For example:

• Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (Outside Quebec) – since August 26, 2024
• Nurse/Healthcare Recognition Projects (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, BC) – starting from 2024 and 2025
• Canadian Pharmacy Practice Program & Nursing Practice Diplomas (BC) – from January 21, 2025

Each program has its own start date and province-specific rules.

How to Apply

To apply for an OWP, you must:

1. Read the instruction guide to avoid mistakes.
2. Use IRCC’s online tool to get a personalized checklist.
3. Create or sign in to your IRCC account.
4. Pay the fees and apply online.

You’ll also need to provide proof of your spouse’s enrollment:

• A letter of enrollment or transcripts from their school (DLI).
• A copy of their valid study permit.

Extending a Spousal Work Permit

You may extend your OWP if:

• Your spouse’s study permit is still valid.
• Your spouse is physically in Canada and studying full-time.
• They are in a PGWP-eligible program at a DLI.
• They are not in the final term of their program.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive professional advice on any of your questions regarding Canadian immigration. get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Global. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).