Starting March 19, 2024, your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit. Your spouse or partner must meet the eligibility criteria listed below to be eligible for an open work permit as your spouse or common-law partner.
Starting March 19, 2024, your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit if you have a valid study permit and you are studying in either
- a master’s or doctoral degree program in a university or polytechnic institution, or
- one of the following professional degree programs at a university:
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS, DMD)
- Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor (LLB, JD, BCL)
- Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Doctor of Optometry (OD)
- Pharmacy (PharmD, BS, BSc, BPharm)
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN, BSN, BNSc)
- Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.)
- Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng., BE, BASc)
Your spouse or common-law partner must provide one of the following documents to prove your enrolment in a degree-granting program of study:
- a valid letter of acceptance from your designated learning institution (DLI)
- a proof of enrolment letter from your DLI
- transcripts from your current program
You might have to provide additional documents, such as
If your spouse or common-law partner applied for an open work permit before March 19, 2024
If your spouse or common-law partner is applying for an open work permit on or after March 19, 2024
Starting March 19, 2024, your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit if you have a valid study permit and you are studying in either
- a master’s or doctoral degree program in a university or polytechnic institution, or
- one of the following professional degree programs at a university:
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS, DMD)
- Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor (LLB, JD, BCL)
- Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Doctor of Optometry (OD)
- Pharmacy (PharmD, BS, BSc, BPharm)
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN, BSN, BNSc)
- Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.)
- Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng., BE, BASc)
Your spouse or common-law partner must provide one of the following documents to prove your enrolment in a degree-granting program of study:
- a valid letter of acceptance from your designated learning institution (DLI)
- a proof of enrolment letter from your DLI
- transcripts from your current program
If your spouse or common-law partner is applying to extend their existing open work permit under this stream
Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit if you meet the following 3 requirements:
- You have a valid study permit.
- You’re eligible for post-graduate work permit
- You’re a full-time student at one of these types of schools:
- a public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or CEGEP in Quebec
- a private college-level school in Quebec
- a Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law (for example, a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree)
If your spouse or common-law partner is applying to extend their existing open work permit under this stream
- Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible to extend their existing open work permit under this stream if you meet 3 requirements:
- You have a valid study permit.
- You’re eligible for PGWP
- You’re a full-time student at one of these types of schools:
- a public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or a CEGEP in Quebec
- a private college-level school in Quebec
- a Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law (for example, a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree)