New Canadian Spouse Open Work Permit (SOWP) conditions and key occupations in 2025
28 Jan 2025
Canada recently made significant changes to the requirements for the Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP), limiting who can apply for the program to spouses of those pursuing a master's or doctoral degree or studying a specific field of study, or spouses of workers in certain occupations. The Spousal Open Work Permit is a visa that allows spouses to work freely without being tied to a specific employer or occupation, helping families enjoy economic security in Canada. However, due to abuse of the program, a restriction was announced and the TEER 2 and 3 occupational categories that are eligible for the Spousal Open Work Permit were announced and came into effect on January 21. Let's take a closer look at which occupations are eligible.
Under the new rules, foreign workers are only eligible to apply for spousal open work permits if they are in TEER 0, TEER 1, or certain TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations. In addition, the foreign worker's work permit must be valid for at least 16 months from the time of application for the spouse to be eligible. This change is a significant restriction from the previous one, which was open to all foreign worker spouses. While TEER 0 and 1 are still open to all occupations, applicants in TEER 2 and 3 occupations are restricted to the primary occupations that Canada needs, as opposed to the wide range of technical, service, and manufacturing-related occupations that were previously available.
Some of the occupations in TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations are classified as skilled trades that are important to Canada's labor market, and this change focuses on key occupations that are currently in demand. For example, TEER 2 occupations include a number of key technical occupations such as electrical and electronics technicians, civil engineering technicians, industrial engineering technicians, and architectural technicians, as well as skilled trades such as optometrists, animal health technicians and veterinary technicians, early childhood educators and assistants, automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics, and machinery repairers. These occupations are often essential contributors to Canada's infrastructure and technology industries, and allowing open work permits for spouses of applicants in these occupations reflects the government's desire to support these industries and benefit immigrant attraction.
In particular, Early Childhood Teacher (NOC 42202) is a notable occupation in this announcement. Early Childhood Teachers are in TEER 2 and are one of the occupations that are in high demand across Canada, making them a preferred choice for Koreans. Furthermore, the field of Early Childhood Teaching has recently been recognized as a PGWP-eligible discipline and is expected to be included in the Express Entry category-based selection, with the possibility of obtaining a Spousal Open Work Permit. This reaffirms that early childhood teachers are an important and essential workforce in Canada right now.
Other TEER 3 occupations include dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants, carpenters, tile installers, and cargo truck drivers, all of which play an important role in key industries that require skilled labor. These occupations have also become popular among Korean applicants, as they are highly beneficial for permanent residency applications, allowing them to establish a stable foundation for settling in Canada with their families.
Prior to this change, spouses of foreign workers could apply for a work permit regardless of their occupation, but now eligibility is greatly restricted. However, spousal open work permits approved before January 21, 2025 are not affected by the new rules and can still be used as long as they are valid.
The Spousal Open Work Permit gives your spouse the freedom to work, which can be very beneficial for settling your family in Canada. Not only does it give you financial freedom, but it also helps your spouse develop their career. However, this new rule change limits who can apply for the permit and requires thorough preparation, especially as it reflects the Canadian government's intention to prioritize high-skilled workers and certain industries. So, if you're thinking about working and immigrating to Canada, you'll need to start by choosing which industry you want to work in first.
Canada recently made significant changes to the requirements for the Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP), limiting who can apply for the program to spouses of those pursuing a master's or doctoral degree or studying a specific field of study, or spouses of workers in certain occupations. The Spousal Open Work Permit is a visa that allows spouses to work freely without being tied to a specific employer or occupation, helping families enjoy economic security in Canada. However, due to abuse of the program, a restriction was announced and the TEER 2 and 3 occupational categories that are eligible for the Spousal Open Work Permit were announced and came into effect on January 21. Let's take a closer look at which occupations are eligible.
Under the new rules, foreign workers are only eligible to apply for spousal open work permits if they are in TEER 0, TEER 1, or certain TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations. In addition, the foreign worker's work permit must be valid for at least 16 months from the time of application for the spouse to be eligible. This change is a significant restriction from the previous one, which was open to all foreign worker spouses. While TEER 0 and 1 are still open to all occupations, applicants in TEER 2 and 3 occupations are restricted to the primary occupations that Canada needs, as opposed to the wide range of technical, service, and manufacturing-related occupations that were previously available.
Some of the occupations in TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations are classified as skilled trades that are important to Canada's labor market, and this change focuses on key occupations that are currently in demand. For example, TEER 2 occupations include a number of key technical occupations such as electrical and electronics technicians, civil engineering technicians, industrial engineering technicians, and architectural technicians, as well as skilled trades such as optometrists, animal health technicians and veterinary technicians, early childhood educators and assistants, automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics, and machinery repairers. These occupations are often essential contributors to Canada's infrastructure and technology industries, and allowing open work permits for spouses of applicants in these occupations reflects the government's desire to support these industries and benefit immigrant attraction.
In particular, Early Childhood Teacher (NOC 42202) is a notable occupation in this announcement. Early Childhood Teachers are in TEER 2 and are one of the occupations that are in high demand across Canada, making them a preferred choice for Koreans. Furthermore, the field of Early Childhood Teaching has recently been recognized as a PGWP-eligible discipline and is expected to be included in the Express Entry category-based selection, with the possibility of obtaining a Spousal Open Work Permit. This reaffirms that early childhood teachers are an important and essential workforce in Canada right now.
Other TEER 3 occupations include dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants, carpenters, tile installers, and cargo truck drivers, all of which play an important role in key industries that require skilled labor. These occupations have also become popular among Korean applicants, as they are highly beneficial for permanent residency applications, allowing them to establish a stable foundation for settling in Canada with their families.
Prior to this change, spouses of foreign workers could apply for a work permit regardless of their occupation, but now eligibility is greatly restricted. However, spousal open work permits approved before January 21, 2025 are not affected by the new rules and can still be used as long as they are valid.
The Spousal Open Work Permit gives your spouse the freedom to work, which can be very beneficial for settling your family in Canada. Not only does it give you financial freedom, but it also helps your spouse develop their career. However, this new rule change limits who can apply for the permit and requires thorough preparation, especially as it reflects the Canadian government's intention to prioritize high-skilled workers and certain industries. So, if you're thinking about working and immigrating to Canada, you'll need to start by choosing which industry you want to work in first.