Family First Focus: Your Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) Future — 5 Key Changes You Need to Know

Navigating the New SOWP Rules

The Primary Applicant's Study Level Matters: Spouses of students are now often eligible only if the student is enrolled in a Master's, Doctoral, or a professional degree program.

The Primary Applicant's Skill Level is Key for Workers: The spouse of a TFW can only obtain an SOWP if the primary worker is employed in a highly skilled (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3) position.

Proof of Relationship Scrutiny is High: Provide extensive documentation: joint leases, joint bank accounts, shared utility bills, and photos over time.

Language Proficiency of the Primary Applicant is Now Recommended: High language scores are viewed favorably, signaling a higher chance of PR success.

The SOWP is the Ultimate Job Search Tool: The SOWP holder can immediately start a high-skilled job that leads to their own PR path via the CEC stream.