Major Changes to Canada’s Spouse Open Work Permit: What You All Need to Know

February 16, 2025

Effective 21st Jan 2025, Canada has introduced new changes for Spouse Open Work Permit (SOWP) applicants. These changes will apply to spouses of international students, post-graduate work permit holders, and other open work permit holders. Here's everything you need to know to stay ahead of these new rules.

Before & After: Changes to Family Open Work Permit in Canada

Before this update, most of the international students and foreign workers were eligible to invite their spouses and children to Canada, regardless of their program of study or job.

Before (Old Rules)	Now (New Rules as of 2025)
Dependant children were eligible to a get Study Permit or Open Work Permit	Dependent children are not eligible for an Open Work Permit. But they might still be eligible for a Study Permit, check here.
International students studying in public colleges & universities were eligible to invite their spouse & children, regardless of their program of study.	Restrictions applied and now only the following international students can invite their spouses on Open Work Permit: Enrolled in master programs of at least 16 months length OR Studying in a doctoral program OR Studying in some eligible degrees.
Spouses of foreign workers were eligible, regardless of the TEER job category of the primary applicant.	Foreign workers now only invite their spouse, if: They are working in TEER 0 or 1 job OR They work in any selected high-skilled occupations in TEER 2 or 3 Your work permit is valid for at least 16 months

Before (Old Rules)

Now (New Rules as of 2025)

Dependant children were eligible to a get Study Permit or Open Work Permit

Dependent children are not eligible for an Open Work Permit. But they might still be eligible for a Study Permit, check here.

International students studying in public colleges & universities were eligible to invite their spouse & children, regardless of their program of study.

Restrictions applied and now only the following international students can invite their spouses on Open Work Permit:

Enrolled in master programs of at least 16 months length OR
Studying in a doctoral program OR
Studying in some eligible degrees.

Spouses of foreign workers were eligible, regardless of the TEER job category of the primary applicant.

Foreign workers now only invite their spouse, if:

They are working in TEER 0 or 1 job OR
They work in any selected high-skilled occupations in TEER 2 or 3
Your work permit is valid for at least 16 months

There might be more restrictions depending on your situation. Please check if you are still eligible by answering a few questions here.

How These Changes Affect Spouses in Canada

If your spouse is already in Canada on SOWP, then they won’t be impacted. Their status is still valid as per the expiry date of their SOWP. However, if the validity of your spouse's open work permit is shorter than the validity of your (primary applicant) temporary status, then your spouse would still be eligible to extend their open work permit, to match with your status validity. New restrictions won’t be applied on your spouse, if they apply to extend their open work permit, before the expiry of their current SOWP.

Example: If your work permit (primary applicant) is valid till December 2026 and your spouse’s open work permit has a shorter validity because their passport is valid only till April 2026, your spouse can apply to extend their work permit to match with your existing work authorization. Make sure your spouse has a new passport with an expiry date beyond April 2026, before they apply for an extension of their SOWP.

Applications Submitted Before January 21, 2025

For those who submitted their SOWP applications before 21 Jan 2025, IRCC will continue processing those under the old criteria. These new restrictions of the program of study (for international students) and selected TEER jobs (for foreign workers), are only applicable to SOWP applications submitted on and after 21 Jan 2025.

Future Restrictions: What to Expect Next?

In Sep 2024, IRCC hinted that these restrictions are coming in a news release. There they mentioned the measures that they had taken and plans for temporary residence programs. We cannot predict the future, but there might be more restrictions coming to manage the volume of temporary resident arrivals. So if your family is still eligible under new measures, and they want to come to Canada to join you, don’t wait and apply now.

Alternatives for Spouses and Children Who No Longer Qualify

If you (the primary applicant in Canada) don't meet the new eligibility rules, to invite your spouse or children, and they still want to join you in Canada, they should try exploring other alternatives as per their interest levels.

Visitor Visa: They can apply for a visitor visa and if approved, they can come to Canada and stay up to 6 months in a single visit. They can also apply to extend their stay as a visitor if they want to stay longer than 6 months.

Note: They cannot work in Canada while being on a visitor visa.

Student Visa: If your spouse or children is interested, they can enroll in an eligible study program, to get the Study Permit.

Note: If your children are minors, they are also eligible for Study Permit, to come and study here in Canada.

How to Stay Updated on Future Immigration Changes

Stay up to date with immigration news & rules, and ensure you comply with all current rules, before submitting an application to IRCC. If you are affected by these new changes and you are not sure what to do, we would suggest you consult an immigration consultant. There might be more changes coming in the future, so make sure you keep on checking official IRCC social handles and Newsroom.