The spouses and common-law partners of some international students may be eligible for an open work permit. An open work permit lets them work for any employer in Canada, except for one that either

• is listed as ineligible on the list of employers who have failed to comply with the conditions, or
• regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services, or erotic massages

Who can apply

Starting March 19, 2024, your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit if you have a valid study permit and you are studying in either:

• a master’s or doctoral degree program in a university or polytechnic institution, or
• one of the following professional degree programs at a university:
  • Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS, DMD)
  • Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor (LLB, JD, BCL)
  • Doctor of Medicine (MD)
  • Doctor of Optometry (OD)
  • Pharmacy (PharmD, BS, BSc, BPharm)
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN, BSN, BNSc)
  • Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.)
  • Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng., BE, BASc)

How long the open work permit will be valid

Most of the time, your spouse or common-law partner’s work permit will be valid for the same period of time as your study permit.

Express Entry is a system used by the Canadian government to manage applications from skilled workers who wish to immigrate to Canada through one of three main economic immigration programs. These three main economic immigration programs include:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC): For individuals who have at least one year of professional, technical, or managerial work experience in Canada.
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): Designed for skilled workers with foreign work experience who meet basic language and education requirements.
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): Established for qualified tradespeople in occupations such as construction, electrical, and plumbing.

The workflow of the Express Entry system is as follows:

1. Eligibility Determination Applicants first need to determine if they meet the eligibility requirements for at least one of the above-mentioned economic immigration programs.

2. Submitting an Express Entry Profile Eligible applicants need to submit an online Express Entry profile, which includes information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other details. This profile essentially serves as a formal declaration of their interest in becoming permanent residents to the Canadian government.

3. Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score Once the profile is submitted, applicants are scored according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assigns points based on factors such as age, education, work experience, and language skills.

4. Receiving an Invitation and Applying for Permanent Residence The Canadian immigration authorities regularly select the highest-scoring applicants from the Express Entry pool and invite them to apply for permanent residence (Invitation to Apply, ITA). Those who receive an ITA have 60 days to submit a complete permanent residence application, including all necessary supporting documents and evidence.

5. Processing and Decision After the complete application is submitted, the Canadian immigration authorities will process the application and make a decision on whether to grant permanent resident status. Successful applicants are granted permanent resident status in Canada and ultimately become eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship.

The goal of the Express Entry system is to streamline and accelerate the economic immigration process to Canada, enabling Canada to respond more quickly to labor market demands and providing applicants with a faster, more transparent immigration process.

The calculation of the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score under Canada's Express Entry system includes multiple factors, with a total possible score of 1200. These factors are mainly divided into four categories: Core/Human Capital Factors, Spouse Factors, Skill Transferability Factors and Additional Factors.

Core/Human Capital Factors (up to 600 points)

This part considers the following factors for the applicant (and their spouse or common-law partner, if applicable):

1. Age: Younger applicants score higher.
2. Education Level: Higher educational levels can earn more points.
3. Language Proficiency: Higher levels of proficiency in official languages (English or French) can earn more points.
4. Canadian Work Experience: Work experience in Canada can add points.

Spouse Factors (up to 40 points)

If the applicant's spouse or common-law partner is also included in the Express Entry application, their education level, language ability, and Canadian work experience will also be considered, potentially impacting the total score.

Skill Transferability Factors (up to 100 points)

This part assesses how the applicant's skills and experience combine with other factors to enhance their likelihood of successfully immigrating and integrating into Canada. It includes:

1. Combination of Education and Language Ability or Canadian Work Experience.
2. Combination of Foreign Work Experience with Language Ability or Canadian Work Experience.
3. Canadian Certification (for certain professions) combined with Language Ability.

Additional Factors (up to 600 points)

These points are awarded for specific factors that could significantly impact the applicant's successful settlement in Canada:

1. Canadian Educational Credentials: The level of education obtained in Canada.
2. Canadian Job Offer: A job offer in Canada obtained through LMIA or other means.
3. Relatives in Canada: Having relatives in Canada, such as siblings.
4. French Language Skills: For applicants with French as a second language, if they reach an intermediate level or higher.
5. Provincial Nomination: Receiving a provincial nomination automatically grants 600 points.

In summary, the calculation of the CRS score is based on the applicant's performance in Core/Human Capital Factors, Spouse Factors, Skill Transferability Factors, and Additional Factors. Through this system, the Canadian immigration authorities can identify and prioritize those applicants who are most likely to successfully settle and contribute to Canada's economy. Strategies to improve the CRS score include enhancing language skills, increasing educational levels, gaining Canadian work experience, or obtaining a provincial nomination.