From March 19, 2024, only spouses of Master's (any subject), PhD (any subject), certain professional degree and certain bachelor's program students can apply for open work permit (OWP) in Canada.

The above mentioned certain professional degrees and certain bachelor's programs are listed below:

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)

That means the spouses of those who will join a diploma level program or a bachelor's program other than the above bachelor's programs cannot apply for an OWP permit.

Incidentally, three questions arise.

1) Can spouses of those who will come in any other bachelor’s program other than diploma or above bachelor’s programs never come to Canada?

2) Can they never apply for an OWP permit?

3) Can spouses who are currently on OWP permit renew their OWP permit?

Answer 1: Their spouses can apply for a visitor visa or work or study permit on their own and come if approved.

Answer 2: Their spouses cannot apply for an OWP permit until they complete their studies. But when they apply for post-graduation work permit (PGWP) after completing their studies, their spouses can also apply for OWP permit if their PGWP is approved.

Answer 3: Fortunately, regardless of your program level, your spouse can renew their OWP permit if they meet the following three conditions:

·        If you have a valid study permit,

·        If your program is eligible for PGWP

·        If you are studying "full-time" at a public/private educational institution in Canada that can award a degree under provincial law.

 

Disclaimer: The above writing is not intended to be a source of legal advice. Please seek legal advice and use your own good judgement before choosing to act on any information provided above. If you choose to rely on this article, you do so entirely at your own accountability.

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