Many people moving to Canada for study or work hope their spouse or partner can work too. Since January 21, 2025, Canada has narrowed who qualifies for these family open work permits. This guide summarizes the general rules IRCC publishes for spouses of students and of workers in 2026.
Requirements for each person depend on their own situation, and IRCC makes every decision. Treat this as general information and confirm the details on IRCC’s website before you apply.
Quick summary
| If your spouse or partner is… | You may be eligible if they are… |
|---|---|
| An international student | In a master’s program of 16 months or more, a doctoral program, or a listed professional degree program |
| A foreign worker (not applying for PR) | Working in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or a listed TEER 2 or 3 job, with at least 16 months left on their permit |
| A worker who has applied for permanent residence | Working with a permit issued because of an eligible economic PR application, valid at least 6 more months |
Spouses of international students
A spouse or common-law partner of a student may qualify for an open work permit if the student has a valid study permit and is enrolled in one of these:
- A master’s program that is 16 months or longer
- A doctoral program
- Certain professional degree programs at a university, including medicine, dentistry, law, pharmacy, nursing, education, engineering, optometry and veterinary medicine
- A program on IRCC’s list of other eligible programs, which is organized by province
Spouses of students in shorter master’s programs, undergraduate programs (other than the listed professional degrees) and college programs are generally no longer eligible under this measure.
Spouses of foreign workers
For workers who are not on a path to permanent residence, IRCC says a spouse or common-law partner may qualify if the worker:
- Holds a valid work permit, or an approved permit that has not yet been issued
- Works in any TEER 0 or TEER 1 occupation, or in one of the selected TEER 2 or TEER 3 occupations IRCC lists, such as many health care, skilled trades, construction, technology, early childhood education and transport jobs
- Has at least 16 months left on their work permit when IRCC receives the spouse’s application
TEER is the skill category in Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC). You can look up a job’s TEER level in the NOC on the Government of Canada website.
Workers on a path to permanent residence
Different rules apply when the worker has applied for permanent residence through an economic program such as Express Entry’s Canadian Experience Class, a Provincial Nominee Program or the Atlantic Immigration Program. In these cases, the worker’s permit generally needs to be valid for at least six more months, and the TEER restrictions above do not apply in the same way.
What about children?
Dependent children of foreign workers who are not on a PR pathway are no longer eligible for these open work permits. Some categories linked to permanent residence applications still include dependent children.
Already have a spousal open work permit?
IRCC says permits issued under the earlier rules stay valid until they expire. Family members in Canada may be able to extend their permit under the same conditions if their permit is shorter than the principal applicant’s and they apply before it expires.
Frequently asked questions
Does a common-law partner qualify the same way as a spouse?
Yes. IRCC treats spouses and common-law partners the same way for these permits, provided the relationship meets its definitions.
Can my spouse work while I study a one-year master’s?
Under the rules in effect since January 2025, a master’s program generally needs to be 16 months or longer for the spouse to qualify, unless it is on IRCC’s list of other eligible programs. Your spouse may still qualify for a different type of work permit on their own.
Is a spousal open work permit tied to one employer?
No. An open work permit generally lets the holder work for most employers in Canada, with some exceptions listed on the permit.