+91 999-822-4688
+1 416-294-2739What is a Spouse Dependent Visa?
Dependent Visa or Spouse Visa is mainly for spouse/partner and children of main applicant having temporary residence status in Canada either on study permit, post study Work permit or work permit.
Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children can come to Canada. This is possible through several means but importantly the criteria will depend on the current status of the main applicant in Canada, i.e. whether person holds Canada Student Visa, Work Visa or is a Canadian Permanent Resident.
Spouse/Partner Dependent Work Permit
If you are an international student, bringing your spouse or partner with you to Canada, they may be eligible for an open work permit that will allow them to work on or off campus full-time, while you study.
An open work permit is a work permit that is not job-specific. It allows your spouse or common-law partner to accept any job with any employer. If your spouse or partner gets an open work permit, it is normally valid as the same period as the study permits.
Who is Eligible for a Spouse Dependent Visa Canada?
Only Canada PR Visa holder and Canadian citizen are entitled to sponsor their spouse. The sponsor and sponsored partner have to be an adult (at least 18 years old) and should state the authenticity of their relationship to fulfill the criteria set by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
In order to be eligible for sponsoring their spouse, one should:
- 18 years or more in age
- Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Must have a clean background or must have not be charged with any serious offence
- Must have not been invited to Canada as a sponsored spouse within a span of last 5 years
Factors that can terminate your chances of sponsoring your spouse:
- If you fall under 18 years of age or were married to someone else at the time of his/her marriage to the sponsored applicant;
- Have failed to provide any financial evidence to support a previous sponsorship
- Lived separately and any one of the two had been involved in a conjugal or common-law relationship with a third person.
- Have been admitted to Canada but not examined by CIC, and
- Have been engaged in an existing sponsorship agreement, which is valid at the time of filing another sponsorship application to CIC.
How Can I Apply for Spouse Work Permit in Canada?
Your spouse/partner can apply for a work permit before or after they arrive in Canada. The work permit will usually be issued for the same length of time as your study permit. Your spouse/partner does not need a job offer to apply for a work permit.
In some cases, Canadian visa offices abroad will process spouse/partner work permit applications at the same time as study permit applications. In this case, you will need to include the additional fee for the work permit and complete the work permit application for your spouse/partner, available from the website of the consulate.
Most spouse/partners come to Canada as visitors first and apply for a work permit after they are in Canada. If your spouse or partner does not require a TRV, they may be able to apply for a work permit at the border or airport where they enter Canada.
Here’s how you can apply online for a Spouse Work Permit Canada
Step 1: Log into my IRCC through GCKey or Sign-in Partner.
Step 2: Click on ‘Apply for Visitor Visa or study/work permit’.
Step 3: Fill in the online application form and gather supporting documentation.
Step 4:Pay the Application Fee.
What is the Processing Time for Spouse Dependent Visa Canada?
The processing time for Canada Spousal Visa varies from country to country. The average processing time of a spousal sponsorship is approximately 12 months. However, depending on specific circumstances and regions, it may be shorter or as long as 36 months.
Is IELTS required for Canada Spouse Dependent Visa?
Factually speaking, IELTS is not required for Canada Spousal Visa, although if you wish to include your spouse under the Canada PR application via express entry, you can get additional points with your partner’s IELTS score.
