Help Your Spouse Or Common-Law Partner Work In Canada
Help your spouse or common-law partner work in Canada
Who can get a work permit as spouse or common-law partner of a student?
Your spouse or common-law partner may apply for an open work permit if you:
- are a full-time student at a:
- public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or CEGEP in Quebec
- private college-level school in Quebec or
- Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law (for example, Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate degree), and
- have a valid study permit.
How long is the open work permit valid for?
The work permit for your spouse or common-law partner is valid for the same period of time as your study permit.
How to apply
There are two ways you can apply for a spouse or common-law partner work permit:
Apply online
To apply online you must have:
- access to a scanner or digital camera to make electronic copies of your documents for uploading, and
- a valid credit card to pay with.
Note: If you give an email address on your application, please check it regularly for messages about your case. Some spam filters block these emails. If you aren’t sure you are getting our emails, check your account on a regular basis.