Program eligibility
Open Work Permit
The eligibility criteria below are drawn from the governing regulation and IRCC program guidance, each anchored to the verbatim source text so you can read the rule as it is written and follow it to the official page.
Eligibility criteria
The requirements below are drawn directly from the governing regulation and IRCC program guidance for Open Work Permit. Each is anchored to the verbatim source text, not a paraphrase, so you can read the rule as it is written and follow it to the official page.
“Most people applying from outside Canada can’t get an open work permit. Most open work permit applicants must apply in Canada.”
“Work-permit routing requires a confirmed job-offer / open-permit basis fact.”
“You can apply for an open work permit only under specific situations.”
“need to make changes to the conditions on your work permit, such as the type of work you can do, the employer you can work for, where you can work”
“currently hold, or recently held an work permit requiring a labour market impact assessment for a job in Quebec”
“If your family member is in Canada, they must be in 1 of the following situations: They have valid temporary resident status. They’ve applied to extend their status before it expired (maintained status). They’re eligible for restoration of their status as a visitor, worker or student.”
“They meet the general eligibility requirements for a work permit.”
“They’re in a genuine relationship with you (the principal applicant) and are any 1 of the following: your spouse or common-law partner, a dependent child of you or your spouse or common-law partner, the dependent child of your dependent child (your grandchild or your spouse’s or common-law partner’s grandchild).”
“They’re in a genuine relationship with you and are any 1 of the following: your spouse or common-law partner, a dependent child of you or your spouse, the dependent child of your dependent child (your grandchild or your spouse’s grandchild).”
“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”
“need to change your gender on your work permit”
“want to extend your work permit”
“You don't need a job offer to apply for an open work permit.”
“Open work permits are not job-specific, so your employer doesn't need”
“still eligible to work in Canada with an open work permit”
“You may have restrictions listed on your open work permit related to the following:”
“Your work permit was issued or approved because you applied for an economic class permanent residence program or pilot.”
“You’re employed or will be employed in either any high-skilled occupation at the Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category 0 (management) or 1 (professional) level of the National Occupation Classification system at the time your spouse or common-law partner submits their application, or a select high-skilled occupation at the Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category 2 or category 3 of the National Occupation Classification system at the time your spouse or common-law partner submits their application”
“You’re living or plan to live in Canada while working.”
“You live and work in Canada or you plan to live and work in Canada.”
“You’re employed or will be employed in a low-skilled occupation (Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities [TEER] category 4 or 5 of the National Occupation Classification system) at the time your family member submits their application.”
“You’re on a pathway to permanent residence through one of the eligible streams, but haven’t applied for permanent residence yet.”
“are employed or have a job offer in an occupation at any TEER level”
“are or will be living in Canada while employed”
“have a valid work permit or letter of introduction for a work permit issued under a SIP agreement”
“You hold a valid work permit or are approved for a work permit (employer-specific or open work permit under a non-family member work permit category).”
“You have 1 of the following: a valid work permit, an approval for a work permit that hasn’t been issued yet, an authorization to work without a work permit.”
“Your work permit or authorization to work must be valid for at least 16 months after we receive your spouse or common law partner’s open work permit application, unless you’re the spouse of a foreign-trained medical professional recruited by Quebec.”
“Your work permit must be valid in Canada for at least 6 months after we receive your family member’s open work permit application.”
“submitted a demande de sélection permanente to Quebec for an application under the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés”
“the requested duration of the renewal matches that of the existing study or work permit of the principal applicant”
“in-Canada family members (including spouses and dependent children) can apply to renew their work permit as long as they are applying under the same criteria as the current work permit, and the requested duration of the renewal matches that of the existing study or work permit of the principal applicant”
“they are applying under the same criteria as the current work permit”
“will work for the same employer in Quebec”
“If they’re in Canada, they must be in 1 of the following situations: They have valid temporary resident status. They’ve applied to extend their status before it expired (maintained status). They’re eligible for restoration of their status as a visitor, worker or student.”
“Family OWPs will be limited to spouses of international students who are enrolled in doctoral programs”
“They meet the general eligibility requirement for a work permit.”
“They’re in a genuine relationship with the person (the principal applicant) who makes them eligible for this open work permit.”
“Family OWPs will be limited to spouses of international students who are enrolled in master's programs that are 16 months or longer”
“Family OWPs will be limited to spouses of international students who are enrolled in select professional and eligible programs”
“Family OWPs will also be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in TEER 0 or 1 occupations”
“Family OWPs will also be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors with labour shortages or linked to government priorities”
“Family OWPs will be limited to spouses of international students who are enrolled in - master’s programs that are 16 months or longer - doctoral programs, or - [select professional and eligible programs](/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/help-your-spouse-common-law-partner-work-canada.html)”
“Most people applying from outside Canada can't get an open work permit. Most open work permit applicants must apply in Canada.”
“You may be eligible for an open work permit if you”
“Family OWPs will also be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in - [TEER](/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/find-national-occupation-code.html) 0 or 1 occupations, or - select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors with labour shortages or linked to government priorities”
“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.”
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