December 22, 2014 – The Government of Canada has announced that, effective immediately, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will expedite the issuing open work permits to applicants for permanent residence in the Spouses or Common-Law Partners in Canada class (SCLPC). The SCLPC permits Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor a spouse or common-law partner to come to Canada.
This change means that the spouses and common-law partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents will now benefit from expedited access to open work permits while their applications for permanent residency are being processed. This represents a substantial shift from the previous practice of holding work permits until an approval-in-principle had been obtained on the application for permanent residency.
If you would like to sponsor a spouse or common-law partner to come to Canada, or you have already made an application in the SCLPC class but have not yet applied for a work permit, please contact Green and Spiegel LLP for more information or assistance.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
