Good news for families. In 2026, the federal government — that is, Ottawa, which runs immigration for all of Canada — widened access to open work permits for the spouses and common-law partners of certain temporary workers. An open work permit (OWP) lets a person work for almost any employer, with no job offer required first. It's the opposite of a closed permit, which ties you to a single boss.
A federal measure, but with a strong Quebec angle. Because the decision comes from Ottawa, it applies across Canada. But the 2026 changes target workers specifically recruited or selected by Quebec. If your spouse or partner works here as a temporary worker, it's worth checking whether you now qualify.
First, the base rule. According to the federal eligibility page, a spousal open work permit is mainly for people whose partner holds a skilled job — at TEER 0 or 1 (TEER is the federal grid that ranks jobs by skill level), or in select TEER 2 or 3 occupations — under the International Mobility Program. The principal worker's permit must be valid for at least 16 months when the spouse's application is received. That's the general framework Ottawa loosened in 2026.
First change: Quebec-selected workers. A temporary public policy makes work permits easier for prospective permanent residence candidates in Quebec; it took effect March 13, 2026 and expires December 31, 2026. Spouses were not covered at the outset: per IRCC's program delivery update of June 8, 2026, that is the date they were added. In practice, the spouse of a temporary worker who has filed a permanent selection application under the PSTQ (Quebec's Skilled Worker Selection Program) can now apply for an open work permit.
Second change: spouses of healthcare workers. The 16-month rule now carries an explicit exception: it does not apply to the spouse of a foreign-trained medical professional recruited by Quebec. The eligibility page states this outright and lists the occupations covered (nurses, medical laboratory technologists, respiratory therapists and others); the corresponding instructions were updated on May 28, 2026. The application uses the usual form but requires a particular code and Quebec's selection letter. The details change often — check the official page before applying.
Good to know for newcomers: check right now whether your spouse or partner becomes eligible through one of these measures. But be careful: the Quebec policy is temporary and expires December 31, 2026, and the exact conditions (codes, documents, listed occupations) shift from month to month. Always confirm your eligibility on the official government page before paying any fees or filing an application.
