Citizenship and Immigration Canada
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Studying in Canada: Work permits for students—Work available to your spouse or common-law partner
Eligibility
Your spouse or common-law partner may apply for a work permit if:
- you are a full-time student at:
- a public post-secondary institution, such as a college or university or collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec
- a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public institution, and receives at least 50 percent of its financing for its overall operations from government grants (currently, only private college-level educational institutions in Quebec qualify) or
- a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees
- you have a valid study permit or
- you have a valid work permit.
Validity
Work permits for your spouse or common-law partner are valid for the same period of time as your study or work permit.
Note: Accompanying spouses or common-law partners of foreign students (including spouses or common-law partners of foreign students with post-graduation work permits) are eligible for an open work permit, which means they do not need a job offer or a labour market opinion from Service Canada.
Find out more about a labour market opinion in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
How to apply
There are five steps to apply for a work permit:
- Obtain an application kit.
- Read the guide.
- Complete the application form and attach the necessary documents.
- Pay the fee and get the necessary receipt.
- Mail the application form and documents.
1. Obtain an application kit.
The package includes the application guide and all the forms you need to fill out. Download and print the application package.
2. Read the guide.
Read the guide carefully before you complete the application form. The fee for processing your application is not refundable, so make sure you are eligible for a work permit before you apply.
Photocopy the blank forms and use one as a working copy. Keep the working copy for your records.
3. Complete the application form and attach the necessary documents.
The application form contains instructions. Read those instructions and be sure to provide the required documents. If information or documents are missing, your application may be delayed. The Document Checklist in the application kit will tell you what documents to include.
Answer all questions carefully, completely and truthfully. Answers can be typed or handwritten (print clearly in black ink). Incomplete applications will not be processed, but will be returned to you. This will delay the application process.
4. Pay the fee and get the necessary receipt.
You can pay the fee at most banks in Canada. The application processing fee is payable in Canadian funds only.
You can also pay online through Pay my application fees in the I Need To… section on the right-hand side of this page. Be sure to print your receipt of payment and include it with your application. Note that some credit cards issued outside North America are not compatible with the online payment system.
When you pay the fee at a bank you must obtain the original receipt of payment (IMM 5401) and send it with your application. To get the receipt see Order a fees receipt under the Related Links section at the bottom of the page.
5. Mail the application form and documents.
The application kit contains the mailing address where you must send your application.
