Anaada's International Mobility Program (IMP) work permit category is designed for spouses and common-law partners who are actively enrolled in full-time studies but are not themselves study visa holders. Spouses' entry into Canada and employment is meant to boost the Canadian economy's or academic institutions' competitiveness.
An applicant for an open work permit must be in a real connection with a principal foreign national if they are a dependant spouse or common-law partner.
Applications submitted on or after April 30, 2024
The main foreign national applying must satisfy all of the following criteria to be qualified:
either have a current study permit or be conditionally authorized (should you be applying as a family group outside of Canada).
be physically living in Canada either for study or show evidence of intending to live there.
be either enrolled in full-time courses in a graduate program (for example, medicine, dentistry, law) or have proof of enrolment in one of the eligible pilot programs administered by a province or territory or study on a full-time basis or have proof of enrolment in one of the eligible pilot programs administered by a province or territory.Masters' and doctoral degrees describe graduate programs.
Professional degree programs are those underlined under the following:
- Dental Surgery (DDS, DMD) Doctor of Dental Surgery
- Juris Doctor, or Bachelor of Law, or BCL
- MD, or doctor of medicine:
- OD, Doctor of Optometry; Pharmacy (PharmD, BS, BSc, BPharm)
- DVM, or doctor of veterinary medicine
- BScN, BSN, BNSc Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- BEd, a Bachelor of Education degree
- Bachelor of Engineering (BEng, BE, BASc), solely
Those applicants who are in Canada at the time of submission must:
be qualified to apply for a work permit from inside Canada (section R199 or an active public policy) have valid temporary resident status or be eligible for restoration of status as a temporary resident.
Should the applicant be extending an open work permit on or following March 19, 2024
Applicants extending their open work permit qualify under this stream for an open work permit. In such circumstances, the main candidate has to satisfy pre-March 19, 2024 criteria.
Applications sent in either on April 30, 2024 or later
Officers should be happy they have the necessary documentation to make an assessment using their application for a spousal open work permit:
- evidence proving the applicant is the legitimate spouse or common-law partner of a valid study permit holder (such as a marriage certificate or Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union, or another proof of relationship for spouses of students enrolled in a graduate or professional degree granting program), evidence of the foreign student's enrollment in a degree-grassing program of study, including a DLI acceptance letter
- evidence of enrollment letter from DLI transcribing from current program for wives or common-law partners of students engaged in one of the eligible pilot programs run by a province or territory, documentation proving the overseas student's program enrollment, such a letter from a province or territory