Help your spouse or common-law partner work in Canada
Do you have a spouse or common-law partner who wants to work
while studying in Canada? Find out who
can obtain
a work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as a
spouse or legal partner of a student.
Retrieved from IRCC
International students
help their spouse or common-law partner work in Canada
Upcoming Changes to Temporary Resident Programs
Changes have been announced for some of our temporary
resident programs. Read
more about the upcoming changes.
The typical spouses and partners of some international students may be
eligible for an open work permit. An open work permit allows them to
work for any employer in Canada, except for one
of them
Who can apply
Your spouse or common-law partner must meet the eligibility criteria listed
below to be eligible for an open work permit.
If your spouse or common-law partner applies for an open
work permit on or after April 30, 2024.
If your spouse or common-law partner is applying for an
open work permit between March 19 and April 29, 2024.
If your spouse or common-law partner has applied for an
open work permit before March 19, 2024.
If your spouse or common-law partner is applying to renew
their existing freelance work permit under this stream
If they do not qualify for this freelance work permit, they
may be able to obtain a different type of work permit.
Learn
about other work permit options.
How long will the freelance work permit be valid
Most of the time, your spouse's or common-law partner's work
permit will be valid for the same period of time as your study permit.
How to Apply
In most cases, your spouse or common-law partner must apply
for a work permit online.
Opening a work permit application for spouses or
common-law partners of students
Due to the technical problem with online applications, you
will need to use the following guidelines to apply for an open license online:
- To
create a personal document checklist, you need to answer
some questions.
- Answer
the following questions in the tool
exactly as shown if
applicable:
You are applying from outside CanadaYou are applying from
within Canada
How Applying Online Helps Them
- No
courier fees or mail delivery times – we receive their request instantly.
- Their
applications may be processed faster.
- This
will help them make
sure that their application is complete before submitting it.
- They
can quickly submit more documents online (if we ask them).
- They
receive updates on the status of their app directly in their online
account.
Step 1: Make Sure They Have What They Need
To apply online, they need:
- A
scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents and
- A
valid
credit or debit
card
Step 2: Read the instruction manual
Even if they apply online, they should read the
instruction manual before
completing their application . The
guide explains how to complete each field on the form.
Step 3: Prepare their answers for the online tool
Before they can upload their forms, they need to answer a
few questions. We use their answers to create a personal document checklist for
them.
Step 4: Know the fees you need to pay
In most cases, their fees include processing fees for them
and anyone they include in their application.
We ask them to pay their fees at the end of their
application.
Step 5: Create or log in to their online account
They need an account to apply online. They can use their
account to:
- Pay
their own expenses
- Submit
your request
- Check
their status
Create
an account or log in
If they can't apply online
They can submit a paper application if:
- They
cannot apply online due to disability
- There
is a problem with the online application
What
to do if they can't apply online
