Inland Spousal Sponsorship with Open Work Permit in Canada: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

For an eligible couple living together in Canada, the spouse or common-law partner in Canada process may be one sponsorship option. The permanent-residence application and the open-work-permit application are separate. Filing sponsorship does not itself authorize work; a person who does not already have work authorization must wait until IRCC approves a work permit before starting to work.

MAK Canadian Immigration Services helps couples navigate this complex journey. With guidance from our Mississauga-based RCICs, you can prepare a stronger application aligned with current IRCC requirements. If you want professional representation for your application, see our spousal sponsorship representation and case strategy.

What Is Inland Spousal Sponsorship?

The spouse or common-law partner in Canada class is for eligible spouses or common-law partners who are living together in Canada with the sponsor and meet the applicable sponsorship and permanent-residence requirements. IRCC assesses the sponsorship and permanent-residence application under the current rules.

Official source: Guide 5289 – Applying to Sponsor a Spouse, Common-law Partner, or Conjugal Partner

What Is an Open Work Permit (OWP)?

An open work permit lets the sponsored spouse or partner work for almost any employer in Canada, without needing a specific job offer. The sponsored person applies for the open work permit after the sponsorship and permanent residence application has been submitted and they have received their Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR). As IRCC states, once you get your AOR letter you can apply for the open work permit. There is one narrow no-AOR exception: you can apply without an AOR only if your work permit, study permit or temporary resident status will expire in 2 weeks or less and you have already applied for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class or the Family Class as a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner.

Key Benefits of an OWP

• With an approved open work permit, the sponsored spouse or partner may work for almost any eligible employer in Canada, subject to the permit conditions and applicable restrictions.
• They do not need a specific job offer or employment contract to apply.
• If IRCC approves the open work permit, they may work for almost any eligible employer while the permit remains valid.
• They gain valuable Canadian work experience.

Learn more: Review IRCC’s current sponsored spouse/partner open work permit rules. For MAK’s broader SOWP eligibility guide, see Spousal Open Work Permit.

Who Is Eligible for Inland Sponsorship with OWP?

To apply, you must meet the following conditions:

Sponsor Requirements

• The sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• The sponsor must be at least 18 years old.
• In most spouse or partner sponsorship cases there is no minimum necessary income requirement. An income requirement can apply where the sponsored spouse or partner has a dependent child who has one or more dependent children of their own. The sponsor still signs an undertaking to provide the sponsored person’s basic needs.

Applicant Requirements

• The person who wants to apply must live together with their sponsor in Canada.
• Temporary status and work authorization must be assessed separately from sponsorship. For the sponsored-spouse open-work-permit route, current IRCC instructions recognize valid temporary resident status, maintained status, or an eligible restoration application in the published circumstances; separate rules apply to applicants processed under the spousal public policy who are out of status.
• The couple must show that their relationship is genuine.

Step-by-Step: Inland Spousal Sponsorship with Open Work Permit

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Before applying, ensure:

• You have a legal marriage or you are in a common-law relationship.
• You and your partner are cohabiting in Canada.
• Your necessary documents have been completed.

Step 2: Gather Required Documents

The exact documents and timing depend on the current IRCC checklist and case-specific instructions. Depending on the application, documents may include:

• Provide a marriage certificate or other evidence supporting the claimed relationship, as applicable.
• Provide evidence of living together and other relationship evidence required for the applicable sponsorship class and checklist.
• Provide the identity, passport and temporary-status documents required by the current checklist and instructions.
• Provide police certificates when required under the current IRCC checklist or instructions.
• Follow the current IRCC medical-examination instructions and provide medical information or results when required.

Tip: Relationship evidence should be complete, accurate and consistent with the forms and the applicable document checklist. For more guidance on gathering your documents, see our tips on the MAK Immigration YouTube Channel.

Step 3: Prepare Sponsorship Application

You must complete:

• Sponsorship forms
• Permanent residence application forms
• Supporting documents

Step 4: Apply for Open Work Permit (OWP)

Apply for the open work permit after you have submitted the sponsorship and PR application and received your Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) (see the narrow two-week exception above). Filing the open work permit application does not, by itself, authorize work. A person who does not already have separate authorization to work must wait until IRCC approves the open work permit before working. A study-permit holder may continue only work already authorized under the conditions of that study permit and the applicable rules; filing the spousal open work permit application does not create or expand work authorization.

Step 5: Submit Your Application

Applications are submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The exact submission method (online or paper) can change, so confirm the current process on the official IRCC application page before you file.

Ensure:

• Fees are paid.
• Documents are clear and complete.
• You keep copies of your receipts.

Step 6: Receive Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR)

After IRCC reviews the permanent-residence application package for completeness, the sponsor receives an AOR confirming that the PR application is being processed:

• The AOR includes the permanent-residence application number
• The AOR does not itself create work authorization

Step 7: Open Work Permit Processing

IRCC does not guarantee a fixed processing time for this open work permit. Check IRCC’s current published processing-time estimate for your situation; any timeframe is an estimate, not a guarantee. Once approved:

• You can start working legally in Canada
• An approved open work permit generally allows work for almost any employer, subject to the conditions and employer restrictions that apply to open work permits

Step 8: Background Checks & Final Decision

IRCC will:

• Review your relationship
• Conduct background checks
• Verify documents

If IRCC approves the permanent-residence application and final processing is completed, the sponsored person can become a permanent resident.

Processing Time for Inland Sponsorship with OWP (2026)

• Sponsorship + PR (inland): Processing times change regularly — check the current estimate on IRCC’s processing times tool under “Spouse or common-law partner in Canada.”
• Open Work Permit: Check the current estimate on the same IRCC tool. The open work permit and the permanent-residence application are separate decisions, and timing varies by application.

Processing times may vary based on application completeness and volume.

Benefits of Inland Sponsorship with OWP

• The in-Canada class is available to eligible spouses or common-law partners living together in Canada with the sponsor while the permanent-residence application is processed.
• The applicant can work only while they hold valid work authorization; filing sponsorship or an OWP application does not by itself create a right to work.
• The applicant can obtain Canadian work experience through their approved work permit.
• The applicant must continue to meet the applicable temporary-status and in-Canada sponsorship requirements; sponsorship filing by itself does not create temporary resident status.

Limitations You Should Know

• Travel and re-entry are separate from the sponsorship decision. Leaving Canada is not automatically prohibited, but re-entry is not guaranteed – it depends on valid travel documents and admissibility at the border. You must keep meeting the in-Canada class residence requirement (living in Canada with your sponsor). If the applicant leaves Canada and cannot return, the in-Canada application may not be able to continue and a new overseas sponsorship application may be required. Get advice before travelling.
• No appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division for an in-Canada (inland) refusal (Federal Court judicial review may be possible)
• Keep your temporary resident status valid. If you applied to extend or change it before it expired, your status is generally maintained; continued work is not automatic and depends on having applied to extend a work permit before it expired and meeting the same conditions. If status has lapsed, you must apply to restore it within 90 days and normally cannot work until your status is restored and a new permit is issued.

Application and Status Issues to Check

• Required sponsorship or open-work-permit eligibility conditions are not established by the submitted evidence.
• Relationship evidence does not adequately establish the claimed relationship or cohabitation where required.
• The open-work-permit application is filed at the wrong stage; the normal sponsored-spouse route requires the PR AOR, subject to IRCC’s narrow no-AOR exception.
• Travel plans are not assessed for re-entry risk, valid travel documents and continued in-Canada eligibility.

The Spousal Sponsorship Video Playlist provides additional educational discussion of relationship evidence and application preparation. Current written IRCC guidance controls where rules or procedures have changed.

Evidence and Filing Checks Before Submission

• Provide relationship evidence that meets the current checklist and supports the facts declared in the application.
• Double-check all forms before submission
• Submit the sponsorship/PR application first, then apply for the open work permit once you receive your Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR)
• Keep your status valid in Canada

Frequently Asked Questions

While applying for an inland spousal sponsorship, can the applicant also work?
Yes, you can apply for an open work permit; you can work once it is approved.

May I travel outside Canada?
Travel is not automatically prohibited, but re-entry is not guaranteed. Valid travel documents, admissibility and continued in-Canada eligibility must be considered before travel.

What will happen if my application is refused?
For the in-Canada (inland) class there is no appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division. You may be able to ask the Federal Court for a judicial review, which examines whether the decision was fair and reasonable rather than re-deciding the case. This is why complete, accurate information from the start is so important.

Can I apply with no status in Canada?
Eligibility depends on the applicable sponsorship public policy and open-work-permit rules. Applicants without valid temporary resident status can face different conditions, including approval-in-principle requirements. Sponsorship filing does not itself restore temporary status or create work authorization.

Conclusion

For eligible couples already living together in Canada, the in-Canada sponsorship process and the separate open-work-permit option can address permanent-residence and temporary-work objectives under different rules. The file should accurately document the relationship, sponsorship eligibility, temporary status and any work-permit eligibility. Professional review can help identify factual or documentary gaps before submission, but it cannot guarantee an immigration outcome. At MAK Canadian Immigration Services, our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) include:

• Usman Khalil (RCIC #R709592)
• Omer Khalil (RCIC #R710149)

For information about our professional memberships and credentials, visit our Professional Affiliations or subscribe to our YouTube channel.