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The Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) is an open work permit offered to spouses of certain students or foreign workers in Canada. If your common-law spouse or partner obtains a work permit or study permit, you may be able to apply for a SOWP, valid for the duration of your spouse’s work or study permit.
The SOWP allows you to work in Canada with the ability to change employers and locations whenever you want.
Info for spouses of workers
On September 18, 2024, Canada announced a change in the job categories for workers that qualified their spouse for a SOWP. From January 21, 2025, workers must work in management positions or a “professional” position (any job under NOC TEER 0 or 1) or a field with labour shortages (certain jobs in TEER 2 or 3, listed below) for their spouse to be eligible for a SOWP.
22100 – Chemical technologists and technicians
22101 – Geological and mineral technologists and technicians
22110 – Biological technologists and technicians
22111 – Agricultural and fish products inspectors
22112 – Forestry technologists and technicians
22113 – Conservation and fishery officers
22114 – Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists
22210 – Architectural technologists and technicians
22211 – Industrial designers
22212 – Drafting technologists and technicians
22213 – Land survey technologists and technicians
22214 – Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology
22220 – Computer network and web technicians
22221 – User support technicians
22222 – Information systems testing technicians
22230 – Non-destructive testers and inspectors
22231 – Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers
22232 – Occupational health and safety specialists
22233 – Construction inspectors
22300 – Civil engineering technologists and technicians
22301 – Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
22302 – Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
22303 – Construction estimators
22310 – Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
22311 – Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
22312 – Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
22313 – Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors
32100 – Opticians
32101 – Licensed practical nurses
32102 – Paramedical occupations
32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
32104 – Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
32109 – Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
32110 – Denturists
32111 – Dental hygienists and dental therapists
32112 – Dental technologists and technicians
32120 – Medical laboratory technologists
32121 – Medical radiation technologists
32122 – Medical sonographers
32123 – Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
32124 – Pharmacy technicians
32129 – Other medical technologists and technicians
32200 – Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
32201 – Massage therapists
32209 – Other practitioners of natural healing
42102 – Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces
42202 – Early childhood educators and assistants
72010 – Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
72011 – Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
72012 – Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
72013 – Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
72014 – Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
72020 – Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
72021 – Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
72022 – Supervisors, printing and related occupations
72023 – Supervisors, railway transport operations
72024 – Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators
72025 – Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations
72100 – Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
72101 – Tool and die makers
72102 – Sheet metal workers
72103 – Boilermakers
72104 – Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
72105 – Ironworkers
72106 – Welders and related machine operators
72200 – Electricians (except industrial and power system)
72201 – Industrial electricians
72202 – Power system electricians
72203 – Electrical power line and cable workers
72204 – Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers
72205 – Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians
72300 – Plumbers
72301 – Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
72302 – Gas fitters
72310 – Carpenters
72311 – Cabinetmakers
72320 – Bricklayers
72321 – Insulators
72400 – Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
72401 – Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
72402 – Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
72403 – Railway carmen/women
72404 – Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
72405 – Machine fitters
72406 – Elevator constructors and mechanics
72410 – Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
72411 – Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators
72420 – Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics
72421 – Appliance servicers and repairers
72422 – Electrical mechanics
72423 – Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics
72429 – Other small engine and small equipment repairers
72500 – Crane operators
72501 – Water well drillers
72600 – Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors
72601 – Air traffic controllers and related occupations
72602 – Deck officers, water transport
72603 – Engineer officers, water transport
72604 – Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators
72999 – Other technical trades and related occupations
82010 – Supervisors, logging and forestry
82020 – Supervisors, mining and quarrying
82021 – Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services
82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
82031 – Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
33100 – Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
33101 – Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
33109 – Other assisting occupations in support of health services
43100 – Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
43204 – Operations Members of the Canadian Armed Forces
53200 – Athletes
53201 – Coaches
73100 – Concrete finishers
73101 – Tilesetters
73102 – Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
73110 – Roofers and shinglers
73111 – Glaziers
73112 – Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
73113 – Floor covering installers
73200 – Residential and commercial installers and servicers
73201 – General building maintenance workers and building superintendents
73202 – Pest controllers and fumigators
73209 – Other repairers and servicers
73300 – Transport truck drivers
73301 – Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
73310 – Railway and yard locomotive engineers
73311 – Railway conductors and brakemen/women
73400 – Heavy equipment operators
73401 – Printing press operators
73402 – Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction
83100 – Underground production and development miners
83101 – Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
83110 – Logging machinery operators
83120 – Fishing masters and officers
83121 – Fishermen/women
If your spouse or partner holds a job that does not fall under the eligible job categories, you cannot apply for a SOWP.
Another key change is that your partner’s permit must now last for at least 16 months for you to qualify for a SOWP. If their permit has less than 16 months left (e.g. if their nationality only qualifies them for a 12-month IEC permit), you no longer qualify for a SOWP.
If your spouse has a closed work permit, you can apply for your SOWP before they even start working in Canada. If your spouse has an open work permit, as they are not tied to an employer, three payslips are required to prove that the employment is real. You will need to wait until you have evidence of three payslips before you can apply for your SOWP.
You will need to apply for the SOWP online, as flagpoling is no longer an option.
To learn more, read IEC Canada – Spouse or common-law partner open work permit 101.
Info for spouses of students
If your spouse has a study permit, you may be able to apply for a SOWP. Your spouse must be studying in a master’s or doctoral degree program, participating in an eligible pilot program, or studying in one of the listed professional degree programs.
If your spouse holds a valid PGWP work permit, you may be eligible for a SOWP if you meet the eligibility criteria for spouses of workers (mentioned above).
What happens in the event of separation or if my spouse loses their job?
Canada states that in the event of separation, your spouse’s loss of employment, or the end of your spouse’s studies, your SOWP would still remain valid until its expiry date.
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