Why in News?

Canada's Spousal Open Work Permit policy has been updated, allowing spouses of international students to apply for work permits while studying.

• SOWP program provide opportunities for their spouses to apply for an open work permit.
• Thus, spouses have the opportunity to work full-time for the duration of their partner’s study in Canada.
• Students who meet the eligibility criteria set by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can apply for a spousal visa.
• Eligible academic programs
  • PhD programs
  • Master’s degree programs (with a minimum duration of 16 months) and
  • professional courses like Doctor of Dental Surgery,
  • Bachelor of Law (LLB),
  • Pharmacy (B. Pharmacy, PharmD),
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM),
  • Doctor of Medicine (MD),
  • Bachelor of Nursing (BN),
  • Bachelor of Engineering (BEng),
  • Doctor of Optometry (OD),
  • BSE Pharmacy,
  • Bachelor of Education (BEd).
• Recent Changes - International students can now apply for a SOWP alongside their study permit application.
• If the student is already studying in Canada, their spouse can apply for an open work permit if their spouse is still in their home country.
• If the duration of the work permit is set to expire before the study period, they can apply for an extension to match the remaining duration of the study period.
• Once a student completes their studies in Canada, they may be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which allows graduates to work in Canada for up to 3 years, depending on the length of their program.
• In such cases, the spouse may also be eligible for an open work permit under specific conditions.
• The spouse’s eligibility depends on whether the student on PGWP is employed in certain sectors under Canada’s Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) system.
• Specifically TEER 0 or 1 occupations and in TEER 2 or 3 occupations sectors they should choose jobs with labour shortages or those linked to government priorities.
• E.g., Natural sciences, healthcare, construction, education, etc.
• For students who are not eligible under these specific programs, their spouse has a few other options.
• The spouse can apply separately for a study permit or a visitor visa and they need to show strong financial proof to prove they can meet the living expenses in Canada.

Reference

The Indian Express | Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWP)