Accompanying Spouses

Applying together

If you will be entering Canada together, your spouse or common-law partner should request a visitor record, when passing through customs, valid until the expiration of your Study Permit. 

If your spouse or common-law partner will not be applying for an open work permit before travelling to Canada, they will enter Canada as a visitor. Depending on their country of citizenship, your spouse/common-law partner may need one of the following in order to fly to and/or enter Canada:

• a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV/Visitor Visa) or
• eTA

The border officer at the port of entry (e.g. airport or land border) will decide how long your spouse or common-law partner can stay in Canada. The officer will use one of three ways, as described on Immigration Canada’s website, to note how long your spouse or common-law partner can stay in Canada.

Applying separately

If you did not include your spouse or common-law partner in your Study Permit application and your spouse or common-law partner is now applying separately for a visitor visa/TRV:

• Your spouse/common-law partner should answer “Other” to the question What is the main purpose of your visit? on the online questionnaire.
• Your spouse/common-law partner should upload a copy of your Study Permit, along with your Letter of Invitation, in the “Invitation Letter” section of the document checklist
• Your spouse/common-law partner may wish to include, in the “Optional” section of the document checklist:
  • An explanatory letter explaining the purpose of their visit to Canada, their ties to their country of citizenship or residence, and their intention to leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay
  • Documents that support explanations provided in the explanatory letter

It is important that your spouse or common-law partner leaves Canada or applies to extend their stay by or before the expiry date of their authorized stay.

Your spouse or common-law partner can always apply for an open work permit after they enter Canada, but before their visitor status expires, by applying for a work permit from inside Canada (IMM 5710 form, Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker).

Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit if you have a valid study permit, are a full-time student and you are studying in either:

• a master’s or doctoral degree program in a university or polytechnic institution, or
• one of the following professional degree programs at a university:
  • 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)

If you spouse or common-law partner is eligible for an open work permit they may apply before traveling to Canada or after they arrive in Canada, but before their visitor status expires.

An open work permit will allow your spouse or common-law partner to work part-time or full-time without first having to obtain an offer of employment. The work permit must be obtained prior to employment.

Applying together

If you are including your spouse or common-law partner in your Study Permit application, when completing the online questionnaire:

- Answer Yes to the question “Do you want to submit an application for a family member?”

- Answer “Work with an Open Work Permit” to the question Why is your family member visiting Canada?

If you apply together from outside of Canada, you will obtain a Letter of Introduction confirming that your study permit and their work permit has been approved. Depending on their country of citizenship, your spouse/common-law partner will automatically be issued either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV/Visitor Visa) or eTA when their work permit is approved. Note that the Letter of Introduction is not a work permit. Your spouse/common-law partner must show their Letter of Introduction to the border officer at their port of entry (e.g. airport or land border), where they will be issued the actual work permit.

Applying Separately

If you did not include your spouse or common-law partner in your Study Permit application and your spouse or common-law partner will be applying separately from outside of Canada for their open work permit, they should include:

- In the “Optional” section of the document checklist: a copy of your Study Permit, an explanatory letter explaining the purpose of their visit to Canada, their ties to their country of citizenship or residence, and their intention to leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay, and any documents supporting the explanations provided in the explanatory letter.

If your spouse or common-law partner entered Canada as a visitor and now wants to apply for an open work permit, they can apply to change the conditions of their stay in Canada and apply for an initial work permit.

• In this case, they should include: a copy of your Study Permit in the “Family Member Proof of Status” section of the document checklist and an explanatory letter in the “Optional” section explaining that they are currently in Canada with visitor status as the spouse or common-law partner of a full-time international student and that they now wish to apply for an open work permit.

If your spouse/common-law partner applies for their work permit:

• From outside of Canada, they will obtain a Letter of Introduction confirming that their work permit has been approved. Depending on their country of citizenship, your spouse/common-law partner will automatically be issued either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV/Visitor Visa) or eTA when their work permit is approved. Note that the Letter of Introduction is not a work permit. Your spouse/common-law partner must show their Letter of Introduction to the border officer at their port of entry (e.g. airport or land border), where they will be issued the actual work permit.
• From inside of Canada, the work permit will be mailed to their Canadian address.

Applying at the Port of Entry

• Applying at a Port of Entry (e.g. airport or land border). Spouses or common-law partners who are TRV-exempt (i.e., who do not require a Temporary Resident Visa to enter Canada), may apply for their open work permit at their Port of Entry upon arrival in Canada. Spouses or common-law partners already in Canada, and who are TRV-exempt, should apply for an open work permit online.

You can read more on the Government of Canada website about how to help your spouse or common-law partner work in Canada.

As a visitor or worker in Canada, your spouse or common-law partner may enroll in a short-term course without needing to apply for a CAQ or Study Permit. A short-term course is completed in 6 months or less and is not part of a longer program.

If your spouse/common-law partner wishes to take a course or study in a program that is more than 6 months or that otherwise does not meet the definition of a short-term course, or wishes to continue their studies after completing a short-term coursethey will need to apply for both a CAQ and Study Permit. Your spouse/common-law partner:

• Must first apply for their CAQ from Immigration Quebec; and then
• Apply online for their Study Permit, and include a copy of your valid Study Permit with their application.

• U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. can apply for their Study Permits at their Port of Entry (e.g. airport or land border)

Please note, your spouse/common-law partner may hold an open work permit and a Study Permit at the same time.