As of January 21, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented significant changes to the Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) program. These modifications affect eligibility criteria, the list of qualifying occupations, application procedures, and the context behind these changes.
Full List of Eligible Occupations
Under the new regulations, spouses or common-law partners of foreign workers are eligible for an open work permit if the principal foreign worker is employed in specific occupations categorized under the Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) system. The eligible TEER categories include:
- TEER 0: Management occupations.
- TEER 1: Occupations that usually require a university degree.
- TEER 2 and TEER 3: Selected occupations that typically require college diplomas or apprenticeships.
Additionally, for a spouse or partner to qualify under the new rules, the foreign worker must have at least 16 months remaining on their work permit at the time of the SOWP application.
Prior to this update, spouses of foreign workers could be eligible for SOWPs regardless of the foreign worker’s occupation.
*TEER, which stands for Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities, is a classification system under Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC), with TEER 0 being the highest and TEER 5 being the lowest.
List of Eligible TEER 2 and TEER 3 Occupations for SOWPs
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | 22313 |
Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics | 22312 |
Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment) | 22311 |
Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 22310 |
Construction estimators | 22303 |
Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians | 22302 |
Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | 22301 |
Civil engineering technologists and technicians | 22300 |
Construction inspectors | 22233 |
Occupational health and safety specialists | 22232 |
Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers | 22231 |
Non-destructive testers and inspectors | 22230 |
Information systems testing technicians | 22222 |
User support technicians | 22221 |
Computer network and web technicians | 22220 |
Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology | 22214 |
Land survey technologists and technicians | 22213 |
Drafting technologists and technicians | 22212 |
Industrial designers | 22211 |
Architectural technologists and technicians | 22210 |
Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists | 22114 |
Conservation and fishery officers | 22113 |
Forestry technologists and technicians | 22112 |
Agricultural and fish products inspectors | 22111 |
Biological technologists and technicians | 22110 |
Geological and mineral technologists and technicians | 22101 |
Chemical technologists and technicians | 22100 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Opticians | 32100 |
Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
Denturists | 32110 |
Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
Dental technologists and technicians | 32112 |
Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
Medical sonographers | 32122 |
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists | 32200 |
Massage therapists | 32201 |
Other practitioners of natural healing | 32209 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces | 42102 |
Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations | 72010 |
Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations | 72011 |
Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades | 72012 |
Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades | 72013 |
Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers | 72014 |
Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades | 72020 |
Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews | 72021 |
Supervisors, printing and related occupations | 72022 |
Supervisors, railway transport operations | 72023 |
Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators | 72024 |
Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations | 72025 |
Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 |
Tool and die makers | 72101 |
Sheet metal workers | 72102 |
Boilermakers | 72103 |
Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters | 72104 |
Ironworkers | 72105 |
Welders and related machine operators | 72106 |
Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 |
Industrial electricians | 72201 |
Power system electricians | 72202 |
Electrical power line and cable workers | 72203 |
Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers | 72204 |
Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians | 72205 |
Plumbers | 72300 |
Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | 72301 |
Gas fitters | 72302 |
Carpenters | 72310 |
Cabinetmakers | 72311 |
Bricklayers | 72320 |
Insulators | 72321 |
Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 |
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 |
Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 |
Railway carmen/women | 72403 |
Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 72404 |
Machine fitters | 72405 |
Elevator constructors and mechanics | 72406 |
Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 72410 |
Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators | 72411 |
Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics | 72420 |
Appliance servicers and repairers | 72421 |
Electrical mechanics | 72422 |
Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics | 72423 |
Other small engine and small equipment repairers | 72429 |
Crane operators | 72500 |
Water well drillers | 72501 |
Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | 72600 |
Air traffic controllers and related occupations | 72601 |
Deck officers, water transport | 72602 |
Engineer officers, water transport | 72603 |
Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators | 72604 |
Other technical trades and related occupations | 72999 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Supervisors, logging and forestry | 82010 |
Supervisors, mining and quarrying | 82020 |
Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 82021 |
Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | 82030 |
Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | 82031 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants | 33100 |
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
Other assisting occupations in support of health services | 33109 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 43100 |
Operations Members of the Canadian Armed Forces | 43204 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Athletes | 53200 |
Coaches | 53201 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Concrete finishers | 73100 |
Tilesetters | 73101 |
Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers | 73102 |
Roofers and shinglers | 73110 |
Glaziers | 73111 |
Painters and decorators (except interior decorators | 73112 |
Floor covering installers | 73113 |
Residential and commercial installers and servicers | 73200 |
General building maintenance workers and building superintendents | 73201 |
Pest controllers and fumigators | 73202 |
Other repairers and servicers | 73209 |
Transport truck drivers | 73300 |
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators | 73301 |
Railway and yard locomotive engineers | 73310 |
Railway conductors and brakemen/women | 73311 |
Heavy equipment operators | 73400 |
Printing press operators | 73401 |
Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction | 73402 |
Occupation | NOC |
---|---|
Underground production and development miners | 83100 |
Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers | 83101 |
Logging machinery operators | 83110 |
Fishing masters and officers | 83120 |
Fishermen/women | 83121 |
How to find your occupation’s NOC code
To identify the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code for your spouse’s or partner’s job:
Visit the NOC Website: Access the official NOC website.
Search for the Job Title: Use the search function to enter your spouse’s or partner’s job title.
Review Job Descriptions: Compare the job duties listed in the NOC with your spouse’s or partner’s actual job responsibilities to ensure an accurate match.
Note the NOC Code and TEER Category: Once identified, note the corresponding NOC code and its TEER category to confirm eligibility.
The Canadian government announced these changes to the SOWP program on January 14, 2025, with the new regulations taking effect on January 21, 2025. The primary objectives of these modifications are to:
Align with Labor Market Needs: By restricting SOWP eligibility to spouses of workers in specific occupations, the policy aims to address labor shortages in high-demand sectors.
Manage Temporary Resident Numbers: These changes are part of broader measures to regulate the number of temporary residents in Canada, ensuring that immigration policies align with the country’s economic and social objectives.
It’s important to note that these changes do not affect valid work permits approved under previous measures that have not expired, nor do they impact eligible renewals of such work permits.