What changed
- From 21 January 2025 a family open work permit reaches only spouses of students in a master's programme of 16 months or longer, a doctoral programme, or select professional and eligible programmes.
- For spouses of workers it reaches only TEER 0 or 1 occupations, or select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors with labour shortages or tied to government priorities, and the worker needs at least 16 months left on their permit when the spouse applies.
- Dependent children of foreign workers are no longer eligible at all. Permits already approved stay valid, and there is a renewal route with two conditions attached.
What changed on 21 January 2025
IRCC's notice of 14 January 2025 set the date and the shape of it. From 21 January 2025 only spouses of certain international students and certain foreign workers can apply for a family open work permit.
Before that, the question was largely whether the principal applicant held a study permit or a work permit. After it, the question is what the principal applicant is studying or what they are employed as. The status alone stopped being the answer.
One group lost eligibility with no test to satisfy. IRCC's notice says dependent children of foreign workers will no longer be eligible.
Which students' spouses still qualify?
Three programme types, from the same notice. A master's programme that is 16 months or longer. A doctoral programme. Or one of a set of select professional and eligible programmes.
The 16 month figure does real work here, because a great many master's programmes in Ontario run shorter than that. A twelve month master's leaves the spouse outside the family open work permit even though the principal applicant holds a valid study permit.
A college programme, or an undergraduate degree, does not reach the test at all.
Which workers' spouses still qualify?
Occupations at TEER 0 or 1, which is management and professional work. Or select occupations at TEER 2 or 3 in sectors with labour shortages or linked to government priorities.
IRCC's notice names those sectors: natural and applied sciences, construction, health care, natural resources, education, sports and military. The department published the full occupation list on 21 January 2025 rather than with the announcement.
There is a second requirement that sits on top of the occupation and catches people who satisfy everything else. Under the notice the foreign worker needs at least 16 months remaining on their own work permit at the time the spouse applies. A qualifying occupation on a permit with a year left does not carry the application.
Permits already issued, and who is untouched
Open work permits approved under the previous measures, and not yet expired, remain valid. The change did not reach backwards into permits already granted.
There is also a renewal route, and it is narrower than a fresh application. In-Canada family members, including spouses and dependent children, can apply to renew provided they apply under the same criteria as their current work permit, and the duration they ask for matches the principal applicant's existing study or work permit.
Two groups sit outside the change entirely. Spouses of workers covered by free trade agreements, and those transitioning to permanent residence, are not affected by it. Anyone who no longer qualifies for a family open work permit can still apply for any other work permit they are eligible for.
The detail sits on Spousal open work permits, which is kept current as the rules move.
