Canada Revises Spouse Work Permit Rules for Foreign Students and Workers


Canada Revises Spouse Work Permit Rules for Foreign Students and Workers

Canadian government cuts the number of study permits in 2025 for international students from 4,85,000 to 4,37,000

 
Canada

January 16, 2025 - Canada has announced a revision in Open Work Permit (OWP) rules with specific criteria for the spouses of international students and foreign workers. This rule, effective January 21, 2025, will benefit Indian students who fall under the eligibility specified. This rule will be applicable only to international students who are enrolled in Master’s programmes which are 16 months or longer. Also included in the criteria are students on doctoral programmes and select professional programmes.

Eligibility for OWPs for foreign workers’ spouse will include those workers who are employed in TEER 1 occupations or select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors which have labour shortages or are linked to government priorities. These are occupations in the Natural and Applied Sciences, construction, health care, natural resources, education, sports and military sectors, according to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). In this case, too, the worker must have at lest 16 months remaining on his/her work permit at the time of OWP application by the spouse.

Spouses of workers covered by free-trade agreements and those pursuing permanent residence will not be impacted by these policy changes.

The IRCC has said that this action is a part of Canada's larger initiative to improve its programmes for temporary residents while also assisting the country’s employment market and economy.

Additionally, Canada has released new qualifying requirements for dependent children of family OWPs, which will be rigorously adhered to. Those who were previously authorised under earlier regulations may still work, but they must apply for renewals in accordance with the most recent standards.

On another note, the Canadian government has cut the number of study permits in 2025 for international students. It has reduced it by 10% from 4,85,000 to 4,37,000.

With Media Inputs

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