Considering the heartfelt emotions of staying away from families, the Canadian government has introduced the Open Work Permit, allowing foreign spouses and partners-in-law of temporary foreign workers and students to seek work opportunities in Canada.
These Open Work Permits are also available for international students of the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program.
In addition to this, the government has introduced a pilot program, in December 2014, permits spouses and common law partners being sponsored through the Inland Spousal Sponsorship of the Family Class to be granted an Open Work Permit even if the permanent residence application is being processed.
An open work permit allows the holder to work under any Canadian employer even if he has not received the Letter of Intent, that is, the offer letter. This is applicable to any industry, meaning that this permit is not job-specific.
Who Can Apply For The Open Work Permit
Under Canadian laws, these permits can be applied for by –
- Spouses/common-law-partners of temporary foreign workers.
- Spouses/common-law-partners of expatriate students.
- Foreign students who have a post-graduation degree from any Canadian educational institution.
Eligibility Conditions For The Application Of The Open Work Permit
In order to apply for an Open Work Permit, foreign spouses or common law partners should meet the following criteria.
