Quebec extends open work permits to spouses of applicants, i.e., Quebec has introduced a new temporary public policy that expands work permit access for spouses and common-law partners of certain permanent selection applicants.
The policy allows eligible spouses and partners to receive an open work permit without having to meet several of the standard requirements that would normally apply. The measure is intended to provide greater flexibility to families already navigating Quebec’s permanent selection process.
Under this new policy, a spouse or common-law partner who is listed as an accompanying family member on a qualifying permanent selection application may be eligible for an open work permit.
The policy also provides exemptions from several requirements that applicants would normally need to satisfy when applying for an open work permit or restoring temporary resident status.
Requirements That Can Be Waived
Eligible spouses or common-law partners are exempt from the following requirements:
- The requirement not to have engaged in an unauthorized period of work or study.
- The requirement not to have committed certain more serious violations of the conditions of their temporary resident status.
- The typical requirements needed to apply for a work permit from within Canada.
These exemptions apply to a broad group of foreign nationals, including those who currently have visitor status, student status, or no valid status at all.
However, individuals seeking restoration of status must still submit their work permit application within 90 days of losing their temporary resident status.
Who Can Qualify Under The Policy?
For a spouse or common-law partner to benefit from the new measure, the principal applicant must meet several conditions.
The principal applicant must:
- Have been invited to apply for permanent selection through Quebec’s Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ);
- Have submitted a Demande de sélection permanente (DSP) to the province of Quebec; and
- Fall into one of the following three situations:
Valid Work Permit
The principal applicant:
- Holds a valid employer-specific work permit for a Quebec employer that expires on or before December 31, 2026; and
- Has submitted an application to extend the work permit with the same employer.
Maintained Status
The principal applicant:
- Has authorization to work through maintained status for a Quebec employer after applying to extend an employer-specific work permit; and
- Has submitted another work permit application for the same employer.
Expired Work Permit
The principal applicant:
- Previously held an employer-specific work permit for a Quebec employer that expired on or after March 13, 2026; and
- Has applied either for an extension of stay or for restoration of status.
In all situations, the principal applicant must include a proof that a DSP application has been submitted following an invitation received through the PSTQ.
Policy Effective Date And Duration
The temporary policy officially came into effect on June 5, 2026.
It applies to all eligible applications received on or after that date. The measure is scheduled to remain in place until December 31, 2026, unless it is withdrawn earlier by the government.
Like other temporary public policies, it may be cancelled at any time without advance notice.
What Happens To Existing Applications?
The new policy also covers applications that were already being processed as of June 5, 2026.
This includes applications submitted under the previous temporary public policy, which has now been revoked and replaced by the updated version.
As a result, eligible applicants with pending files may benefit from the new rules without reapplying.
Background To The New Measure
The policy was published on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website on June 5, 2026, under the title ‘Temporary Public Policy To Facilitate Work Permits For Prospective Permanent Residence Candidates In Quebec And Their Spouses And Common-Law Partners.’
It replaces an earlier policy called ‘Temporary Public Policy To Facilitate Work Permits For Prospective Permanent Residence Candidates In Quebec,’ which first came into effect on March 13, 2026.
The latest update expands support beyond principal applicants by extending special work permit benefits to their spouses and common-law partners, helping more families maintain legal status and work authorization while waiting for Quebec’s permanent selection process to move forward.
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