Canada expands spousal work permits access in British Columbia, i.e., foreign workers who are living in British Columbia (BC), or planning to move there soon, may now help their spouses or partners get open work permits more easily. This applies to workers employed by two selected companies. Under this update, the spouse or partner can qualify for a work permit no matter the worker’s salary or job level.

These two companies are:

  • Lulu Lemon Athletica
  • Microsoft Vancouver

As of March 23, 2026, spouses and common-law partners of all foreign workers at these two companies can apply for an open work permit. These companies have been named by the federal government as part of “significant investment projects.”

An open work permit allows the spouse or partner to work for most employers in Canada. It also allows them to work in many different industries without needing a specific job offer.

This new rule only applies to applications received on or after March 23, 2026.

This includes applications for:

  • Spouses of employees in high-skilled occupations (TEER level 0, 1, 2, or 3); and
  • Spouses of employees in low-skilled occupations (TEER 5, or 6).

Workers do not need to start their job before applying for their spouse’s work permit. If they already have approval for the job and a letter of introduction, they can apply right away.

Before this update, only spouses of workers in high-skilled jobs were usually allowed to apply for open work permits. This change now includes workers in lower-skilled roles as well.

Who Can Qualify For This Work Permit?

To help a spouse or partner get an open work permit, the foreign worker must meet certain conditions.

The worker must be:

  • Authorized to work in Canada with a valid work permit, or have approval for a work permit supported by a letter of introduction under a Significant Investment Project agreement
  • Working in, or planning to work in, either a high-skilled job (TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3) or a low-skilled job (TEER 4 or 5)
  • Living in Canada while working, or planning to live in Canada once the job starts
  • In a real and genuine relationship with the spouse or partner applying

Under this policy, the worker does not need to have 16 months of work authorization left in Canada. This is different from most other cases, where this requirement usually applies.

If the spouse or partner is already in Canada, they must have a valid temporary resident status. This can include maintained status or eligibility to restore their status. They must also be allowed to apply for a work permit from inside Canada.

Spouses and partners can also renew their open work permits, as long as they continue to meet all the rules.

Steps To Apply For The Work Permit

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) advises that foreign workers should get help from their employers when applying for a spousal open work permit.

Spouses and partners must submit a regular work permit application to IRCC. To show that the application is part of this special policy, applicants must enter a specific code.

They must write “SIPSPOUSEBC” in the “Job Title” field when filling out the online application form.

IRCC officers will carefully review certain parts of the application, especially:

  • Proof of a genuine relationship, if the applicant is the spouse or common-law partner;
    • Examples of this may include, but are not limited to:
      • A marriage certificate or a Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union [IMM 5409];
  • Proof that the principal foreign national holds a work permit or has been approved for a work permit under the Significant Investment Projects – Provincial agreements category [R204(c) – T13];
    • Evidence of this would be a copy of the provincial letter issued to the principal foreign national identifying the name of the significant investment project, along with a copy of the principal foreign worker’s work permit or letter of introduction.

If the spouse or partner applies at the same time as the main worker, some of these documents may not be needed.

New Rules Come After Tighter Restrictions

This new policy comes after Canada made stricter rules for spousal open work permits in general.

In September 2024, the government announced changes that started on January 21, 2025. These changes limited who can apply for an open work permit as a spouse.

Before January 2025, most spouses of foreign workers could get an open work permit, no matter the type of job the worker had.

After the changes, open work permits are mostly limited to spouses of workers in high-skilled jobs. These include TEER 0 or 1 roles, and some TEER 2 or 3 roles in sectors where workers are needed.

There are also new limits for spouses of international students. Now, the student must be enrolled in certain programs for their spouse to qualify.

These include:

  • A master’s degree program that is at least 16 months long
  • A doctoral program
  • Certain professional degree programs

Most undergraduate programs and college diploma courses no longer make spouses eligible for open work permits.

The government introduced these limits to control the number of temporary residents in Canada. It also aims to address issues like housing shortages.

Canada plans to reduce the share of temporary residents in the country. The goal is to bring this number down from 6.5% in 2026 to 5% by 2027.

Overall, this new policy offers more flexibility for workers at selected companies in British Columbia. It makes it easier for their spouses or partners to work in Canada, even as the country tightens rules in other areas.

Palina Immigration Consultancy, a Canadian immigration leader, promises excellence and tailored pathways for your Canadian journey. Get in touch with us at Palinaimmigration.com.