I’m a Canadian citizen and my spouse is not. Can my spouse work in Canada?

It depends on the immigration status of your spouse. If your spouse or common-law partner is a permanent resident, they can work in Canada.

If your spouse or common-law partner is in Canada on a temporary resident (visitor) visa, they have to apply for a work permit to be able to work.

Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for a work permit from inside Canada if they are in 1 of the following situations:

They’ ve applied for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class and have received a confirmation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that their permanent residence application is complete.
We’ve found them to be eligible for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class.
They’re eligible to apply for a work permit supported by a labour market impact assessment (LMIA)— an authorization from Employment and Social Development Canada an employer needs to hire a foreign worker.
They’re eligible to apply for a work permit based on an exemption from the LMIA process.