September 2nd, 2024 at 08:10 am

Married Couples Joint Work Visa in Canada 2024: Complete Application Process

Congratulations on your decision to set out on the great Canadian adventure with your spouse! But while you’re lost in thought about poutine, maple syrup, and those gorgeous winters, there’s one concern that keeps coming up: “Can we both work in Canada?”

Yes, in short, but in longer form, it’s akin to attempting to construct IKEA furniture—lots of steps, a few surprises, and maybe a moment when you wonder whether you’re missing anything. Do not be alarmed! After reading this tutorial, you should be able to work together to successfully negotiate the Canadian work visa maze and avoid any perplexing “insert tab A into slot B” situations.

Now, get a cup of Tim Hortons coffee, take a seat, and together, let’s explore how you may both enter the Canadian workforce while maintaining your sanity!

Overview: Canadian Work Visa Options for Married Couples

In Canada, maintaining marital status is highly valued, even employment permits. However, as with any decent Canadian snowstorm, navigating it can be a little challenging. Fortunately, there are primarily two options available to you:

• Open Work Permit: The most valuable type of work permit is an open work permit. It enables you to work for any Canadian employer without requiring you to receive a job offer in advance. Consider it the free-form “choose your own adventure” option!
• Employer-Specific Work Permit: With this one, you are restricted to working for just one employer, making it more akin to a monogamous relationship. No scheming with other employers—you must have a work offer before you may apply for this visa!

The good news is that one of you could receive an open work permit if the other receives a job offer and obtains an employer-specific work visa. This implies that you have unrestricted access to the job market while your partner maintains control over a certain gig. It’s like having cake and eating it, too, but in true Canadian fashion!

Can a couple apply jointly for a work visa to Canada?

If specific requirements are fulfilled, a spouse who is seeking a work visa in Canada may also be eligible for an open work permit. Here’s how it works:

• Spouse of a Skilled Worker: You may apply for an open work permit if your spouse is seeking one based on a skilled job (defined as one covered by National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type 0, A, or B). If your spouse is working, this permits you to work in Canada.
• Spouse of a Student: You are eligible to apply for an open work permit, which will allow you to work full-time in Canada if your spouse is visiting on a study permit.

How to Submit Applications Simultaneously?

If done correctly, it is easy to apply for both an open work permit and a Canadian work visa for your spouse or common-law partner at the same time. Here’s how to do it:

• Obtain a Job Offer: To apply for a work permit, one spouse must have a job offer from a Canadian business.
• Assemble the documents Get the required paperwork together, such as passports, evidence of relationship, marriage certificates, and job offer letters.
• To assist your spouse or common-law partner with working in Canada, create an online account at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work.html.
• Finalized Applications: While the other spouse applies for a spouse visa or an open work permit, the employed spouse submits an employer-specific work permit application.
• Send in jointly: Connect and concurrently submit the two online applications.
• Pay payments: Wait for approvals after paying the necessary payments for both applications at the same time.

By taking this option, you and your spouse will be able to live and work in Canada while your applications are processed concurrently.

What Takes Place When Approved?

You and your partner can enter Canada and begin employment as soon as you are accepted. While the spouse with an open work permit is free to work for any employer, the spouse with an employer-specific work permit is subject to certain restrictions (such as working for the designated employer).

How Can One Spouse Get Rejected for a Work Visa in Canada?

There are still options available to them if one spouse’s application for an open work permit or any other kind of work visa is turned down. To join their spouse who has a valid work permit, the spouse who was rejected can apply for a Spouse/Family Visa (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5289-sponsor-your-spouse-common-law-partner-conjugal-partner-dependent-child-complete-guide.html). The non-working spouse’s right to remain in Canada is granted by this visa, but it does not inevitably give them employment rights.

How to Apply for a Family/Spouse Visa

• Eligibility: The spouse with the work permit must demonstrate their ability to provide for the other spouse’s needs while they are in Canada.
• Application Process: To reunite families, the spouse who was refused must reapply, this time under the family sponsorship category.
• Duration: The Spouse/Family visa holder’s spouse is permitted to remain in Canada for the duration of the primary visa holder’s work permit.
• Transition to Work Permit: If the non-working spouse’s circumstances change—for example if they find employment that meets the requirements for a work permit—they may then apply for an open work permit while they are still on a spouse/family visa.

Conclusion

There are many benefits to filing for a work permit as a married couple. It facilitates a more seamless adjustment to Canadian living by enabling both couples to work and make financial contributions. The ability to apply for a Spouse/Family Visa, however, guarantees that you can remain together in Canada even if one spouse’s work visa is denied, with the option to eventually convert to a work permit.

Being able to collaborate in your new home can enhance the thrilling experience of moving to Canada as a couple. You and your spouse can obtain work permits and get off to a good start in Canada if you prepare properly.