Work permits for spouses and common-law partners living in Canada

If you are married to or in a common-law relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and you are being sponsored by your Canadian spouse, you may now be eligible for an open work permit.

The new public policy is applicable to those who submit their sponsorship application inside Canada. Effective December 22, 2014, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will begin issuing open work permits to applicants in the Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class before the approval in principle decision is made. This is a pilot project and may be cancelled at any time.

If you have already submitted an application for permanent residence in the Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class but have not yet applied for an open work permit, you may now complete an Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker form, pay the processing fee, indicate that you are applying for an open work permit, and submit it to the Case Processing Centre in Vegreville:

CPC – Vegreville
WP – Unit 777
6212-55 Avenue
Vegreville, AB
T9C 1X6

If you have already received approval in principle, you may apply for an open work permit online.

If you have just begun preparing your in-Canada spousal application, you may submit both your permanent residence application and an open work permit application simultaneously to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga.

The current processing time for this kind of work permits is about four months.

Last updated: 24.12.2014