How a Student Can Apply for a Work Permit for Spouse?

If you are studying abroad in the U.S.A. or Canada and want to bring your spouse or common-law partner, your partner will require an open work permit, which is not job-specific, to stay with you. This permit allows you to work full time with any employer as it doesn’t need any job letter or specific permissions.

Who is Eligible to apply for work permit for Spouse?

An international student who wants to apply for an open work permit for his spouse should have to fulfil some eligibility criteria. To be eligible for the permit, you –

• Must have a valid study permit,
• Must be a full-time student either at a college or university approved by the government or at CEGEP in Quebec or equivalent,

The process of open work permit takes a few months to complete. The work permit of your spouse will be valid for the time your study permit is valid for.

Fee Structure for Such Work Permit for Spouse

A candidate will have to pay the fee for an open work permit, which may include the processing fee for them as well as others they include in their application. The total fee may vary as per the applicant.

Documents Required for applying work permit

You must keep all your records ready before you apply. Here is a list of documents you need to apply online for the work permit-

• Copy of study permit of the student,
• Copy of study or work permit of spouse or partner, visitor visa or record(if applicable)
• Enrollment letter of college or university. 
• Copy of candidate’s marriage certificate or common-law declaration.
• Copy of spouse or partner’s passport,
• Bio-data of the candidate and other pages with visas, stamps, or markings.

Note:- An applicant may have to produce more documents as per the requirement. 

How to Apply?

An applicant can apply for an open work permit in two ways, either before reaching Canada or after arriving in Canada as a visitor. However, most people choose to apply after arriving in Canada. 

The online method for processing the application is recommended as it is quick and convenient and can save your time as well as money. Also, you can check the status of your application at any time.

You need to follow a few steps to process your work permit application such as-

• Read the detailed instruction guide which will explain you the step by step process of form filling,
• Register and then sign into IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada),
• Fill in the application form and upload the supporting documents,
• Finally, pay the application fee.

The Takeaway

While applying online, you should take some precautionary measures so that the application can process smoothly. Please take all the necessary screenshots as proof when you are filling the form as sometimes applications are not accepted due to various reasons. Don’t forget to apply for or renew your Social Insurance Number (SIN) and Medical Services Plan (MSP) after getting the permit. You can use this help centre for further queries on the application process.

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Shobha Vats

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