The Government of Canada is making changes to the eligibility for open work permits (OWP) for family members of international students and foreign workers as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen its temporary resident programs and support economic goals and labor market needs.
Effective January 21, 2025, the new rules will restrict family open work permits to a more limited group.
Under the updated policy, only spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be eligible to apply for a family OWP, marking a notable change from previous guidelines.
This decision aligns with Canada’s ongoing efforts to enhance its immigration system while meeting the country’s evolving economic and labor market needs.
For international students, family open work permits will be available exclusively to spouses of those enrolled in specific academic programs. These include students in:
- Master’s programs lasting 16 months or longer
- Doctoral programs
- Certain professional and eligible programs
As for foreign workers, the eligibility for family open work permits will be similarly restricted. Spouses can only apply if the principal worker is employed in certain high-demand job categories. These categories include:
- TEER 0 or 1 occupations (which generally refer to management and professional-level jobs)
- Select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors facing significant labor shortages or industries deemed a priority by the government, such as healthcare, natural and applied sciences, construction, education, and the military.
A complete list of these occupations will be made available on January 21, 2025.
Additionally, foreign workers seeking family open work permits must have at least 16 months remaining on their work permits at the time of the application.
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In a further development, dependent children of foreign workers will no longer qualify for the family open work permit, which may impact many families who were previously able to bring their children along under this provision.
Despite these new restrictions, the government has reassured current permit holders that any open work permits issued under the previous criteria will remain valid as long as they have not expired.
This means that in-Canada family members—both spouses and dependent children—who were granted work permits under earlier rules can renew their permits if they meet the same criteria as their initial approval, and the renewal aligns with the duration of the principal applicant’s current permit.
Importantly, spouses of workers covered by free trade agreements or those transitioning to permanent residency will not be impacted by these changes. For those family members who no longer qualify for a family open work permit, there will still be opportunities to apply for other types of work permits, depending on their individual eligibility under Canada’s broader work permit programs.
These changes, first outlined in September 2024, are part of Canada’s broader effort to adjust its immigration framework to meet the country’s labor market needs while ensuring the sustainability and integrity of its temporary resident programs.
As the government continues to refine its policies, these adjustments aim to balance the needs of workers, students, and their families with the economic priorities of the nation.
For many, these new rules represent both a challenge and an opportunity to reconsider how family members can engage with Canada’s growing job market, with a continued focus on high-demand sectors that support the country’s long-term economic goals.
