[requester]

Record

Archived: June 2, 2025 11:45:42 AM

From: Immigration Representatives / Représentants immigration (RCC)

Sent: [requester]

To:

Ce: hnmigration Representatives / Représentants immigration IRCC)

Subject: [requester]

Importance: Normal

Sensitivity: None

Hello,

Please see our response to your question.

Question:

The new guidelines indicate “the foreign worker must also have at least 16 months remaining on their work permit at the time when their spouse applies for the OWP”.

Question 1: where an accompanying spouse is applying for their open work permit at the same time as the principal applicant, and the principal applicant has a passport valid for less than 16 months and will therefore be issued a work permit for less than 16 months, is the spouse still eligible for an OWP?

Question 2: where an accompanying spouse is applying for their open work permit at the same time as the principal applicant, and the principal applicant has a passport valid for less than 16 months and will therefore be issued a work permit for less than 16 months, is the spouse still eligible for an OWP, if the work permit is requested for both applicants for a duration of longer than 16 months? Example: principal applicant has a passport valid for 12 months from time of application. In the application, the request for work permit duration nis made for 3 years.

Response:

Please note that this service provides guidance and not case-specific advice.

With regards to your questions, significant changes have been made in respect to work permit access for family members of temporary foreign workers, in order to recalibrate the International Mobility Program to better align with economic objectives, labour market conditions, and community capacity.

These changes include

* *rolling back work permit access for spouses of low-skilled foreign workers and dependents of all foreign workers,

+ *limiting eligibility to spouses of foreign workers in management/professional occupation or jobs linked to a critical sector or government priorities, where the worker's authorization is valid for at least 16 months from the time of the spouse's application submission.

* *For in-Canada applicants only: applications received by IRCC on or after January 21, 2025, from family members of foreign workers applying for a work permit renewal with a requested duration that aligns with the principal foreign national’s existing work authorization. For example, if the spouse received a shorter work permit due to passport expiry, they can renew to match the duration of the worker’s authorization.