Canada is set to reduce Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWPs) by more than 1,00,000 over the next 3 years. The country’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller noted that the department will be introducing further limits on SOWP eligibility for spouses of students in doctoral and certain master’s programs, select professional programs, and certain pilot programs, as per a CIC report.

This includes limiting work permit eligibility to spouses of master’s degree students to “only those whose program is at least 16 months in duration.”

The changes are in addition to Canada’s announcement earlier this year that SOWPs would be available only to the spouses of students in specific master’s or doctoral programs at Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs), with some exceptions for undergraduate degrees in high demand.

This situation is compounded by Canada’s choice to count master’s and doctoral students toward the cap on study permits for 2025. According to the department, 12% of the 437,000 study permits available for that year are reserved for these students. However, master’s and PhD students are not subject to the study permit cap for 2024.

(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)

While he did not specify what other changes may come into effect, he did say over the next three years the changes would result in 50,000 fewer SOWPs being issued to the spouses of international students, as per the CIC news report.

How to apply for a SOWP

No official ministerial instructions have been issued regarding the official date of the tightened SOWP restrictions.However, as of April 30 this year, spouses of international students may apply for a SOWP if their sponsor is an international student in a master’s or doctoral program or one of the following professional degree programs:

• Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS, DMD)
• Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor (LLB, JD, BCL)
• Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• Doctor of Optometry (OD)
• Pharmacy (PharmD, BS, BSc, BPharm)
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN, BSN, BNSc)
• Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.)
• Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng., BE, BASc)

IRCC will also ask for one of the following:

1. a valid letter of acceptance from the sponsor’s DLI;
2. a proof of enrolment letter from their DLI; or
3. transcripts from their current program.

Applicants must also provide proof that they are participating in one of the eligible pilot programs, if applicable, and other documents such as proof of the applicant’s relationship to the student.

Those who are approved can expect their SOWP to be valid for the same length of time as their sponsor’s study permit.