Open work permit for a common-law partner

[LISON]

Hello everyone,

I am a PR holder and I would like to know if my girlfriend (common-law partner) can get an open work permit. She has already a work permit, but it is for specific employer. We were trying to answer the questions on her account for an open work permit, but without answering YES on this question:

"Are you a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child of a person who:

• Holds a Work Permit for a job in National Occupation Classification O, A, B;
• Holds a study permit and is a full-time student at a university, community college, CÉGEP or other authorized educational institution;
• Holds a Temporary Resident Permit that is valid for six months or more;
• Applied for Permanent Residence to an office in Canada and was determined to be eligible for Permanent Resident status (first stage approval)
• Is subject of a removal order that is unenforceable."

it does not give us an application for an open work permit. Like I said above I am a PR holder, so I am not sure if we can say "Yes" on this question.''

Thanks,

 

[armoured]

No. The usual path would je for you to sponsor her so that she becomes a pr and no longer needs a work permit.

(During that process she can also apply for an OWP but that's just a temporary thing while the pr is finalizing. It also takes quite a bit of time)

Otherwise her options - if not via sponsorship - are those available in other programs.

 

[scylla]

Hello everyone,

I am a PR holder and I would like to know if my girlfriend (common-law partner) can get an open work permit. She has already a work permit, but it is for specific employer. We were trying to answer the questions on her account for an open work permit, but without answering YES on this question:

"Are you a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child of a person who:

• Holds a Work Permit for a job in National Occupation Classification O, A, B;
• Holds a study permit and is a full-time student at a university, community college, CÉGEP or other authorized educational institution;
• Holds a Temporary Resident Permit that is valid for six months or more;
• Applied for Permanent Residence to an office in Canada and was determined to be eligible for Permanent Resident status (first stage approval)
• Is subject of a removal order that is unenforceable."

it does not give us an application for an open work permit. Like I said above I am a PR holder, so I am not sure if we can say "Yes" on this question.''

Thanks,

The only option available is for you to sponsor her for PR inland and include an OWP with the inland spousal sponsorship application. Once the OWP is approved (this takes a number of months), she can then switch employers.

That's the only path. As said above, she does not qualify for an OWP just based on being in a common law relationship with you.