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Work Permit For Spouse in CANADA
Work permits for spouse or common-law partner

Your spouse or common-law partner may apply for a work permit if:

  • you are a full-time student at:

    •      a public post-secondary institution, such as a college or university or collège d'enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec

          a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public institution, and receives at least 50 percent of its financing for its overall operations from government grants (currently, only private college-level educational institutions in Quebec qualify) or

          a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees

  • you have a valid study permit
Validity

Work permits for your spouse or common-law partner are valid for the same period of time as your study permit.

If your spouse wants to work in Canada

If you have a spouse or common-law partner who wants to work while in Canada, they must apply for their own work permit. Normally, they must meet the same rules as you do. This includes their employer getting a LMO, if needed.

Your spouse or common-law partner may be able to apply for an "open" work permit. This is a permit that will let them accept any job with any employer if:

  • approved to work in Canada for six months or longer,
  • doing work in Canada that meets a minimum skill level (usually work for which you need at least a college diploma) and
  • doing a job at Skill Level 0, A or B in the National Occupational Classification.
I am a Canadian citizen and my spouse is not. Can my spouse work in Canada?

It depends on the immigration status of your spouse. If your spouse or common-law partner is a permanent resident, they can work in Canada.

If your spouse or common-law partner is in Canada on a temporary resident (visitor) visa, they have to apply for a work permit to be able to work.

Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for a work permit from inside Canada if:

  • they have a temporary resident permit that is valid for six months or more; OR
  • they are in Canada because they have already applied for permanent residence from inside Canada AND they have passed certain stages in the main application process; OR
  • you are a Canadian citizen and resident of Ontario returning to that province to work in an academic or health-care career