What is an Open Work Permit?
An open work permit allows you to work any job that is non-specific. This means you won’t need an existing job offer to apply to any particular job. With a non-specific open work permit, you also won’t need to provide what is called a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) form to be able to work either. In other words, getting an open work permit for your spouse, will make things much easier and allow them to find valid and legal employment while they wait for their permanent residency application to be completed.
Overall, the central requirement of acquiring an open work permit for your spouse or common-law partner is financial. To be eligible to sponsor your spouse, you must be able to support the sponsored person financially, and ensure they won’t need social assistance from the Canadian government before they can legally work here.
How Long Does it Take to Process an Open Work Permit?
Generally, it will take anywhere between 1 and 4 months to process your spouse’s open work permit application. If the sponsored person is already in Canada, they are not allowed to work until they obtain an open work permit.
How Do I Know If I’m Eligible for an Open Work Permit?
There are a few requirements you must meet if you’re going to successfully acquire a work permit for your spouse or common-law partner. While you can read about all of the details on the government’s website here, some of the more important elements are as follows. You must fit one of the following conditions:
- Be a spouse of a full-time student in Canada
- Be a spouse of a full-time skilled worker in Canada
- Be a spouse of an applicant for Permanent Residence
Paying for the costs of a spouse or common-law partner is a very important aspect of this process, and there are some additional financial requirements associated with sponsorship as well. While the complete list of details is available in the link above, ultimately, you must:
Show you can support you and your spouse in Canada
Are There Specific Requirements?
You need to prove that you have enough money to support your spouse or common-law partner even if they are applying for an open work permit. This means presenting the correct documents to show your financial assets and monthly costs of living.
In addition, it is advisable you demonstrate that your spouse will abide by the conditions of their stay, mainly that they will leave Canada at the end of their working period. This is best done by proving a strong connection to your home country, whether it is a letter from your employer, property and assets, or both.
What Factors Make Me Ineligible to Sponsor a Spouse for a Spouse Open Work Permit?
Again, many of the details about ineligibility are here on the government’s website. But the main elements that will make you ineligible include:
- Being under 18 years old
- Not living in Canada
- Not being financially able to support your spouse
- Not being eligible for an open work permit
If you have any questions or are unsure of some of the details of your Canadian immigration, just give us a call. We will be able to offer you more information than you can find online. Find out if you’re eligible today by booking an online consultation.
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