Canada introduced the open work permit quite a while ago. This permit is for the foreign citizens who are waiting for a result on their inland spousal or common-law sponsorship application.
The Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) allows inland sponsorship candidates to work in Canada while their immigration application is under consideration.
Eligibility criteria for SOWP
Spouses and common-law couples who are already living together in Canada are qualified for inland sponsorship. The foreign couple must already be in Canada on a short-term basis as an employee, student, or tourist.
Sponsorship applicants must fulfill these standards in order to get a spousal open work permit:
- Give an application for permanent resident status under the Spouse Common-Law Partner Class;
- The address of the applicant and his/her sponsor must be the same;
- Have a partner or common-law spouse who is a Canadian citizen or legal resident who has applied for sponsorship on his/her own;
- Have a legal temporary right of residence in Canada. The other option is to have a completed application for restoration of status with work authorization.
There is no restriction of time for you and your spouse to apply for the SOWP, after applying for permanent residency through spousal sponsorship. You both may apply anytime afterward.
If the immigration decision is not finalized before the SOWP expires, it may be prolonged. For it, the holders of SOWPs will need to seek extensions before their permits expire.
Applicants can apply for the SOWP online if their legal residency application has already been approved in principle. The meaning of the approval in principle is that the couple has received a letter from IRCC saying that they meet the permanent residence eligibility standards for the permanent residency. While they have yet to pass the medical, security, and background investigations.
Receiving a SOWP, if you are eligible, can be quite beneficial. Not just that you can live in Canada, but you have a great chance to boost your career by gaining Canadian work experience.
The benefits of a Spousal Open Work Permit
You don’t have to be concerned about your job/work while waiting for the authorization of your spousal sponsorship. You may be eligible to work in any region of Canada.
Below are surprising benefits you will get from SOWP.
Work in Canada while you wait for the results
The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, (IRCC) take almost a year to process the spousal sponsorship application. So, SOWP is now there to minimize the work-related worries of foreign citizens during this one-year time frame.
Spousal sponsorship candidates will be eligible to work legally in Canada while they wait for the results of their application.
Work anywhere in Canada, leave out the LMIA
Employer specified work permits, as we know, limit the work of the citizens. For example, they allow them to work with only one employer. Moreover, the selection of only one type of profession. While the open work permit gives the applicants a chance to freely select the employer and the job type of their own desire.
Employers who hire SOWP members are also exempt from obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Live with your spouse
The SOWP makes things simpler for couples to live together, while their sponsorship application is underway. On the other hand, Spousal sponsorship candidates would have to complete the procedure outside of Canada if they didn’t have the SOWP.
Acquire some Canadian experience
According to reports, having more work experience in Canada leads to greater wages. Gaining job experience in Canada before becoming a legal resident can help you strengthen your career in Canada. If you think regardless of the legal residency, you will have work experience in Canada, that’s great.
It’s not just that, also living in Canada enables you:
- to interact,
- form meaningful relationships,
- if required, improve your linguistic skills.