Are you planning to move to Canada?
Or, are you a foreign worker in Canada?
Then you might be in doubt if your partner or spouse can join you in Canada with the work opportunity. Spousal open work permit (SOWP) of Canada enables the partners of eligible foreign workers to work without a job offer in Canada.
As of January 21, 2025, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officially made changes to the eligibility for spousal open work permits. The new rules made the spouses of foreign workers eligible for SOWPs only if the job of foreign workers falls under:
- TEER 0 occupations
- TEER 1 occupations
- Selected TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations
These changes aim to prioritize SOWPs for spouses of workers in highly skilled and in-demand professions while addressing the growing number of temporary residents in Canada.
Eligible TEER 2 and 3 Occupations for SOWPs
The government of Canada has published a list of detailed TEER 2 and TEER 3 jobs for spousal open work permits. You can find the full list on the website of the IRCC. Some examples of the occupations include:
TEER 2 Occupations:
- Industrial electricians
- Plumbers
- Aircraft mechanics
TEER 3 Occupations:
- Automotive service technicians
- Medical laboratory technicians
- Bakers
These occupations represent skilled and semi-skilled roles that are essential to the Canadian workforce, ensuring spouses of workers in these fields have access to employment opportunities.
| TEER 2 jobs still eligible for a family OWP | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | 22313 |
| 2 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics | 22312 |
| 3 | Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment) | 22311 |
| 4 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 22310 |
| 5 | Construction estimators | 22303 |
| 6 | Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians | 22302 |
| 7 | Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | 22301 |
| 8 | Civil engineering technologists and technicians | 22300 |
| 9 | Construction inspectors | 22233 |
| 10 | Occupational health and safety specialists | 22232 |
| 11 | Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers | 22231 |
| 12 | Non-destructive testers and inspectors | 22230 |
| 13 | Information systems testing technicians | 22222 |
| 14 | User support technicians | 22221 |
| 15 | Computer network and web technicians | 22220 |
| 16 | Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology | 22214 |
| 17 | Land survey technologists and technicians | 22213 |
| 18 | Drafting technologists and technicians | 22212 |
| 19 | Industrial designers | 22211 |
| 20 | Architectural technologists and technicians | 22210 |
| 21 | Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists | 22114 |
| 22 | Conservation and fishery officers | 22113 |
| 23 | Forestry technologists and technicians | 22112 |
| 24 | Agricultural and fish products inspectors | 22111 |
| 25 | Biological technologists and technicians | 22110 |
| 26 | Geological and mineral technologists and technicians | 22101 |
| 27 | Chemical technologists and technicians | 22100 |
| NOC group 32 – Technical Occupations in Health | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Opticians | 32100 |
| 2 | Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| 3 | Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
| 4 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
| 5 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| 6 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
| 7 | Denturists | 32110 |
| 8 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
| 9 | Dental technologists and technicians | 32112 |
| 10 | Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| 11 | Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
| 12 | Medical sonographers | 32122 |
| 13 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
| 14 | Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
| 15 | Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| 16 | Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists | 32200 |
| 17 | Massage therapists | 32201 |
| 18 | Other practitioners of natural healing | 32209 |
| NOC group 42 – Front-Line Public Protection Services and Paraprofessional Occupations in Legal, Social, Community, Education Services | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces | 42102 |
| 2 | Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 |
| NOC group 72 – Technical Trades and Transportation Officers and Controllers | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations | 72010 |
| 2 | Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations | 72011 |
| 3 | Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades | 72012 |
| 4 | Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades | 72013 |
| 5 | Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers | 72014 |
| 6 | Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades | 72020 |
| 7 | Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews | 72021 |
| 8 | Supervisors, printing and related occupations | 72022 |
| 9 | Supervisors, railway transport operations | 72023 |
| 10 | Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators | 72024 |
| 11 | Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations | 72025 |
| 12 | Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 |
| 13 | Tool and die makers | 72101 |
| 14 | Sheet metal workers | 72102 |
| 15 | Boilermakers | 72103 |
| 16 | Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters | 72104 |
| 17 | Ironworkers | 72105 |
| 18 | Welders and related machine operators | 72106 |
| 19 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 |
| 20 | Industrial electricians | 72201 |
| 21 | Power system electricians | 72202 |
| 22 | Electrical power line and cable workers | 72203 |
| 23 | Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers | 72204 |
| 24 | Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians | 72205 |
| 25 | Plumbers | 72300 |
| 26 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | 72301 |
| 27 | Gas fitters | 72302 |
| 28 | Carpenters | 72310 |
| 29 | Cabinetmakers | 72311 |
| 30 | Bricklayers | 72320 |
| 31 | Insulators | 72321 |
| 32 | Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 |
| 33 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 |
| 34 | Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 |
| 35 | Railway carmen/women | 72403 |
| 36 | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 72404 |
| 37 | Machine fitters | 72405 |
| 38 | Elevator constructors and mechanics | 72406 |
| 39 | Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 72410 |
| 40 | Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators | 72411 |
| 41 | Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics | 72420 |
| 42 | Appliance servicers and repairers | 72421 |
| 43 | Electrical mechanics | 72422 |
| 44 | Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics | 72423 |
| 45 | Other small engine and small equipment repairers | 72429 |
| 46 | Crane operators | 72500 |
| 47 | Water well drillers | 72501 |
| 48 | Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | 72600 |
| 49 | Air traffic controllers and related occupations | 72601 |
| 50 | Deck officers, water transport | 72602 |
| 51 | Engineer officers, water transport | 72603 |
| 52 | Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators | 72604 |
| 53 | Other technical trades and related occupations | 72999 |
| NOC group 82 – Supervisors in Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Related Production | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Supervisors, logging and forestry | 82010 |
| 2 | Supervisors, mining and quarrying | 82020 |
| 3 | Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 82021 |
| 4 | Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | 82030 |
| 5 | Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | 82031 |
| TEER 3 jobs still eligible for a family OWP | ||
| NOC group 33 – Assisting Occupations in Support of Health Services | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants | 33100 |
| 2 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| 3 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
| 4 | Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
| 5 | Other assisting occupations in support of health services | 33109 |
| NOC group 43 – Assisting Occupations in Education and in Legal and Public Protection | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 43100 |
| 2 | Operations Members of the Canadian Armed Forces | 43204 |
| NOC group 53 – Occupations in Art, Culture, and Sport | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Athletes | 53200 |
| 2 | Coaches | 53201 |
| NOC group 73 – General Trades | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Concrete finishers | 73100 |
| 2 | Tilesetters | 73101 |
| 3 | Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers | 73102 |
| 4 | Roofers and shinglers | 73110 |
| 5 | Glaziers | 73111 |
| 6 | Painters and decorators (except interior decorators | 73112 |
| 7 | Floor covering installers | 73113 |
| 8 | Residential and commercial installers and servicers | 73200 |
| 9 | General building maintenance workers and building superintendents | 73201 |
| 10 | Pest controllers and fumigators | 73202 |
| 11 | Other repairers and servicers | 73209 |
| 12 | Transport truck drivers | 73300 |
| 13 | Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators | 73301 |
| 14 | Railway and yard locomotive engineers | 73310 |
| 15 | Railway conductors and brakemen/women | 73311 |
| 16 | Heavy equipment operators | 73400 |
| 17 | Printing press operators | 73401 |
| 18 | Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction | 73402 |
| NOC group 83 – Occupations in Natural Resources and Related Production | ||
| S.No | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| 1 | Underground production and development miners | 83100 |
| 2 | Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers | 83101 |
| 3 | Logging machinery operators | 83110 |
| 4 | Fishing masters and officers | 83120 |
| 5 | Fishermen/women | 83121 |
Eligibility Criteria for SOWP Applications
To be eligible for a spousal open work permit, the main candidate should:
- Have legal authorization to work in Canada.
- Be working in an eligible TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupations.
- Have a minimum of 16 months remaining on their work permit when the spouse applies for the SOWP.
The spouse or partner must also provide:
- Proof of the relationship (e.g., marriage or common-law documents).
- Proof of the foreign worker’s employment in an eligible occupation.
- Evidence that the work permit of the foreign worker has enough validity.
Spousal Open Work Permit: A step-by-step guide
- Use IRCC’s website to explore questionnaires to confirm you meet the requirements. Answer all questions carefully to receive a tailored document checklist.
- You’ll get a unique code after answering all the questions that you’ll need during the application process.
- Prepare the documents specified in your checklist, including:
- Proof of relationship (marriage certificate or proof of cohabitation).
- Evidence of the principal applicant’s eligible occupation.
- Copies of valid work permits and proof of job tenure.
- Register or log in to your account on the IRCC website. Use your personal reference code to access your specific application form.
- Upload your documents where it is specified in the portal, recheck the application, and pay the processing fee through a valid card.
- Once your application is submitted, IRCC will process it and inform you about the decision.
Why These Changes?
The Canadian government’s decision to limit SOWPs to spouses of foreign workers in higher-skilled roles aligns with its broader immigration goals. These measures aim to:
- Manage the temporary resident population more effectively.
- Address labour shortages in key sectors.
- Ensure the economic contributions of newcomers align with Canada’s priorities.
Finding Your NOC Code
Not sure if your job qualifies? You can determine your NOC code by:
- Searching Canada’s NOC website.
- Comparing your job’s main duties and responsibilities to the NOC description.
- Making sure that you meet more than 50% of the main job duties listed in the NOC.
Why should you contact an immigration consultant?
Understanding the process of SOWP application can be complex, especially when it is about new rules in place. Consulting experienced professionals like Imperial Immigration can:
- Help you determine eligibility.
- Guide you through document preparation.
- Ensure timely submission of applications.
Contact Imperial Immigration today to learn more about your options and start your journey towards a brighter future in Canada!
