In a move by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), significant revisions to the eligibility criteria for Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWP) have been introduced, affecting the spouses of international students in undergraduate and college programs.
Effective January 2024, IRCC declared that spouses of international students enrolled in undergraduate and college programs would no longer qualify for SOWPs. However, as of March 19, 2024, revised guidelines specify that spouses or partners enrolled in master’s or doctoral degree programs at Canadian universities or polytechnic institutions remain eligible for SOWPs.
Exceptions are provided for spouses of undergraduate students pursuing specific professional degree programs at universities. These programs include Doctor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Optometry, Pharmacy, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Education, and Bachelor of Engineering.
To apply for a SOWP, spouses or partners must furnish valid relationship documents alongside evidence of their partner’s enrollment in a degree-granting program.
IRCC also clarifies that applicants who submitted their applications before March 19, 2024, remain eligible if they hold a valid study permit, qualify for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), or are enrolled as full-time students at qualifying educational institutions. These institutions include public post-secondary schools, private colleges in Quebec, and Canadian private schools authorized to confer degrees under provincial legislation.