Canada aims to grant entry to 82000 new permanent residents every year through Spousal, Partner and Children Sponsorship programs. However, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada or IRCC, might take more than a year to process your application for this program.
But the good news is that you can join your partner in Canada and start employment there through a Spousal Open Work Permit or SOWP while waiting for IRCC’s decision.
You can become eligible for a Spousal Open Work Permit by going for permanent residency through inland spousal sponsorship.
About Open Work Permit
A closed work permit restricts you to a single employer. On the other hand, an open work permit allows you to live and work anywhere in Canada.
Plus, having an open work permit waives requirements like a Labour Market Impact Assessment or LMIA that you have to adhere to for temporary work permits. Moreover, you do not need a job offer to apply for an open work permit.
Advantages Of A Spousal Open Work Permit
One of the main benefits of an open work permit is that it allows you to live with your partner in Canada and start working while IRCC processes your application for permanent residency. This ultimately helps you easily manage your household expenses without any difficulty.
Plus, it reunites couples. Otherwise, it is pretty unusual for a foreign national to be allowed to live in Canada while waiting for their application to be processed.
Moreover, it helps applicants awaiting IRCC’s decision to strengthen their language skills, acquire Canadian work experience, and become a part of professional and social networks. Needless to say, this proves helpful for a person who has applied for permanent residence.
Your SOWP’s validity depends on the expiry of your partner’s work permit. For example, if your partner is living in Canada on a Post-Graduate Work Permit or PGWP, your open work permit will expire along with their visa.
What if your partner is a Canadian citizen? In that case, your SOWP will remain valid for as long as your partner’s passport.
What Are The Eligibility Requirements For A SOWP?
Let’s talk about the eligibility criteria for a spousal open work permit.
- It is necessary to submit a spousal sponsorship application for permanent residence.
- You must have temporary resident status as a worker, student, or visitor.
- You and your partner in Canada should fulfill all the eligibility requirements for the spousal sponsorship.
- Most importantly, the applicant should be living in Canada with their partner at the time of applying for an open work permit.
What’s important to note here is applicants who have submitted their application for spousal sponsorship while being located in another country are not eligible for an open work permit.
How Can You Apply For A SOWP?
Eligible applicants can apply for a SOWP after they submit their application for permanent residence under the spousal sponsorship program.
You can apply for a SOWP online after getting a notification from IRCC confirming your eligibility for permanent residence. The notification could be labelled as ‘approved in principle,’ which means you have met the eligibility criteria but have not yet passed security or medical checks.
We hope you found this information helpful. Follow our blogs for the latest updates and informative content on Canadian immigration.
