Spouse Work Permit
Spouse Work Permit
We all know new environments can be scary, especially without any friends or family by our side. Many people who come to Canada feel the same way whether you are an international student, new immigrant or simply here for tourism purposes. If we have the option, wouldn’t it be great to come with family, friends, and most of all, our significant other? Even though this sounds amazing, we all know traveling can be costly. That’s why I want to talk about the spouse work permit.
Just as the name indicated, it is a work permit for your spouse. Being able to work while your partner is studying in Canada can lighten the financial pressure for an international student. So, who can apply for this work permit? The first requirement to help your common-law partner apply for an open work permit is that you must already have a study permit. I understand applications take time, and even though you would like to apply for it as soon as possible, it is best to apply for the spouse work permit AFTER your student status has been approved.
Apply for your open work Permit in Canada and Bring your Family
Now, once you have a study permit, you must make sure that you are a full-time student at a Canadian post-secondary school. The school can be either private or college. Depending on the purpose of your studies, it may be a good idea to check the government website to see if your post-secondary school is a designated learning institution or not. If your graduate from a DLI, you will be eligible for post-graduation-work-permit. A one-year program will give you a one-year PGWP. If you graduate from a 2-year program, you can get a PGWP for three years.
When you are applying for an open work permit for your spouse, remember that the duration of the work permit (if granted) will be the same duration as your study permit. The processing time can also take several months depending on a various of factors, such as the number of applicants, etc. The total fee for your spouse’s work permit will be $255 CAD. I highly recommend you to apply online, this way, you can get direct messages from CIC if they require more information from you. You can also check your application status. This will help take away some anxiety and fear of losing documents if you were to use physical mail. Once your spouse’s work permit is approved, it is also very important to be informed about the employer you are working for. Be alert and make sure you find a credible employer.
I understand that finding a job can also be very challenging and I recommend online platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Workopolis, etc. This will give you access to many job postings. Depending on the type of job your spouse is searching for, printing out resumes and dropping-in to see potential employers is also a good idea.
As we all know, handling official documents can be very jarring in our native language, let alone in a second or third language! Do not worry, as our team of licensed immigration consultants are here to help. Feel free to reach out to us, we’d love to assist you.
Regards,
SmartImmigrant ( Spouse Work Permit)
