Work Permits
Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) Guide
Understand the 2026 SOWP restrictions for international students' spouses and check your eligibility.
⚠️ SOWP Intake Limitations:
IRCC has strictly limited SOWP eligibility for spouses of international students. Only spouses of students in graduate programs (master's and doctoral) or professional programs (medicine, dentistry, law) are eligible. Spouses of undergraduate college/university students are blocked from applying.
SOWP Student Spouse Checker
Input your spouse's study status to check SOWP eligibility:
Understanding the Professional Programs Loophole
If the student is enrolled in a bachelor’s program, the spouse is generally ineligible for SOWP. However, IRCC makes a specific exception for **professional undergraduate degree programs** that lead to licensing:
- Eligible Professional Degrees: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS, DMD), Doctor of Medicine (MD), Juris Doctor (JD, LLB), Doctor of Optometry (OD), Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN).
- Proof of Enrollment Required: You must submit a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) or proof of active enrollment clearly indicating that the program is in one of these professional fields to override the bachelor's degree restriction.
- Spouses of PGWP Holders: Spouses of graduates holding a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) are subject to different rules. They remain eligible for SOWP if the PGWP holder is employed in a high-skilled NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 job and has at least 3 pay stubs.
SOWP Highlights
Application Fee$155 CAD
Open Work Holder Fee$100 CAD
Standard ValidityMatches spouse permit
Work LocationAnywhere in Canada