Pilot project for foreign spouses and dependent children of high-skilled Canadians or permanent residents returning to work in Ontario

This 18-month pilot will run from November 24, 2010, to May 24, 2013. It allows for an open work permit to be issued to the spouse or common-law partner, or dependent child of a Canadian Citizen/Permanent Resident who is returning to work in Ontario in a post-secondary institution or as a health professional (see the list of eligible professions below).

Who can apply?

To apply for this pilot, you must:

  1. be a spouse or common-law partner, or dependent child (see the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), section 2, Interpretation) of a Canadian Citizen/Permanent Resident who is returning to work in Ontario either as a health professional or as an academic for a post-secondary public institution (see the list of eligible professions below).

    *Note: the applicant must provide a letter from the Province of Ontario — Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Business Immigration Unit, 35th floor, 250 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, M7A 2H1, telephone 416‑325‑6975, facsimile 416‑325‑5563, bis@ontario.ca — confirming employment, location and occupation on behalf of the returning Canadian/Permanent Resident.

  2. be eligible to work in the Province of Ontario.

    *Note: for working-age dependents, the employer is responsible for ensuring the provincial minimum age employment standards are adhered to.

    Please refer to the following website for provincial guidelines.

  3. be someone for whom a Family Class sponsorship application, submitted by the returning Canadian or Permanent Resident, has been approved by the CIC Case Processing Centre (CPC) in Mississauga, Ontario.
  4. plan to work in Ontario.

Getting your open work permit

  • A non job-specific open or open/restricted (depending on medical examination requirements, if applicable) work permit may be issued upon application by the foreign spouse/common-law partner or dependent child (including payment of the appropriate fee) and without requiring an LMO from Service Canada.
  • For the purposes of the pilot, the permit is to allow the participant to work in Ontario only.
  • Applicants may apply for an open work permit under this pilot either overseas, or in Canada by mail or e-application to CPC-Vegreville. Nationals of visa exempt countries may also apply at a port of entry.

Determine your eligibility

To apply for this pilot, you must be the spouse or common-law partner, or dependent child of a Canadian Citizen/Permanent Resident who is returning to work in Ontario within one of the following professions:

Health professionals

Post-secondary education (academics) for public institutions