As an international student, you may be able to bring your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children
to Canada.
Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an
Open Work Permit
if you:
Have a valid study permit and
Are 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,
Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate)
Your spouse or common-law partner does not need a job offer to apply for an Open Work Permit (OWP).
The OWP will allow them to work for any employer in Canada, except for an employer:
Who is ineligible as per the list of employers who have failed to comply with the conditions or
Who regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services, or erotic massages
Processing an OWP usually takes several months. Many factors can affect processing time. Your spouse
or common-law partner’s OWP will have the same end date as that of your Study Permit if their passport has
validity beyond that date.
Applying for Open Work Permit
Your spouse or common-law partner may apply for OWP at the same time as you apply for Study Permit outside
Canada for concurrent processing of their application.
Your spouse or common-law partner may apply for OWP outside Canada after you have obtained the Study
Permit.
Your spouse or common-law partner may first come to Canada as a visitor. Once in Canada, they may apply for
an OWP.
Your spouse or common-law partner may even be able to apply for OWP at the port of entry (land border or
airport where they enter Canada) if they have an electronic travel authorization (eTA) or are eligible to
travel to Canada without a visitor visa/eTA.
NEED HELP?
Get in Touch for more information about Open Work Permit for your spouse or common-law partner or for assistance in applying for an Open Work Permit for your spouse or common-law partner.
As an international student, you may be able to bring your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children to Canada.
Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an Open Work Permit if you:
Your spouse or common-law partner does not need a job offer to apply for an Open Work Permit (OWP). The OWP will allow them to work for any employer in Canada, except for an employer:
Processing an OWP usually takes several months. Many factors can affect processing time. Your spouse or common-law partner’s OWP will have the same end date as that of your Study Permit if their passport has validity beyond that date.
Applying for Open Work Permit
NEED HELP?
Get in Touch for more information about Open Work Permit for your spouse or common-law partner or for assistance in applying for an Open Work Permit for your spouse or common-law partner.