Spouses of Certain BC Foreign Workers May Now Qualify for an Open Work Permit

Canada has introduced a targeted exception for some foreign workers in British Columbia, creating a new route for their spouses or common-law partners to apply for an open work permit. According to IRCC’s updated guidance, this measure applies to workers connected to significant investment projects in BC, and recent reporting identified the current projects as involving lululemon athletica and Microsoft Vancouver.

Under this BC-specific measure, the principal foreign worker may qualify their spouse or partner if they have a valid work permit or a letter of introduction for a work permit issued under a SIP agreement, are employed or have a job offer in any TEER occupation, and are living in Canada or plan to live in Canada while working. Unlike the standard spousal open work permit rules for many foreign workers, the principal worker does not need 16 months of work authorization remaining for the spouse to apply under this policy.

This is a notable shift because Canada tightened family open work permit eligibility on January 21, 2025. Since then, most spouses of foreign workers have only been eligible if the principal worker is in TEER 0 or 1, or in certain selected TEER 2 or 3 occupations tied to labour shortages or government priorities. The BC significant investment project measure creates a wider exception by allowing eligibility across any TEER level for covered workers.

IRCC’s guidance also sets out practical filing details. When applying online, the spouse must select Open work permit and enter SIPSPOUSEBC in the Job title field. If the spouse applies separately, they will generally need supporting records such as a copy of the principal worker’s work permit application and the provincial support letter naming the significant investment project.

For families in BC, this can create a much more flexible pathway to live and work together in Canada, especially where the principal worker would not normally meet the stricter general spousal open work permit rules.

At Noaisys Immigration, we help workers and families assess whether they qualify under special work permit measures, including BC-specific exceptions like this one. If you want clarity on eligibility, documents, or the right application strategy, our team is here to guide you.