Ottawa has restricted work permit qualification for family members of those in Canada as temporary residents.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that starting on Jan. 21, only spouses of select international students and foreign workers will be able to apply for work permits.
The restrictions limit applications to spouses of students who are enrolled in master’s programs more than 16 months in length, and doctoral programs, according to a Jan. 14 government news release.
It also restricts work permit applications to spouses of foreign workers who are working in TEER 0 or 1 occupations (management positions or jobs that usually require a university degree), or select TEER 2 or 3 occupations (those that usually require a college degree or apprenticeship training) in industries with labour shortages or jobs that are connected to government priorities (includes jobs in the natural and applied sciences, construction, health care, natural resources, education, sports, and military sectors)….