Program delivery update: Public policy, competitiveness or economy [R205(c)(ii) – C41, C46, C47, C48, C49] – Canadian interest – International Mobility Program

February 3, 2025

Significant changes have been made in respect to work permit access for family members of temporary foreign workers, in order to recalibrate the International Mobility Program to better align with economic objectives, labour market conditions, and community capacity.

These changes include

• rolling back work permit access for spouses of low-skilled foreign workers and dependents of all foreign workers,
• limiting eligibility to spouses of foreign workers in management/professional occupation or jobs linked to a critical sector or government priorities, where the worker’s authorization is valid for at least 16 months from the time of the spouse’s application submission.

Applications for family members of workers transitioning to permanent residence are not subject to these changes.

Existing Program Delivery Instructions (PDIs) found at

• Family members of foreign nationals authorized to work in high-skilled occupations (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) [R205(c)(ii) – C41 and C46] and
• Family members of foreign nationals authorized to work in low-skilled occupations (TEER 4 or 5) [R205(c)(ii) – C47 and C48]

continue to apply to:

• All applications received by IRCC before January 21, 2025;
• Applications for family members of high-skilled or low-skilled workers who are transitioning to permanent residence, regardless of when the work permit application was received;
• For in-Canada applicants only: applications received by IRCC on or after January 21, 2025, from family members of foreign workers applying for a work permit renewal with a requested duration that aligns with the principal foreign national’s existing work authorization. For example, if the spouse received a shorter work permit due to passport expiry, they can renew to match the duration of the worker’s authorization.

As of January 21, 2025, 5:00 A.M. UTC only spouses and common-law partners of foreign workers who meet the following criteria will be eligible for an open work permit under the administrative code C41.

The principal foreign national must:

• Be employed or will be employed in either:
  • any high-skilled occupation at the TEER category 0 or 1 of the NOC at the time the spouse or common-law partner submits their application, or
  • a select high-skilled occupation at the TEER category 2 or category 3 of the NOC, related to the natural and applied sciences, construction, health care, natural resources, education, sports, and military sectors, at the time the spouse or common-law partner submits their application (See Annex A); and
• have a valid work permit or work authorization of at least 16 months at the time the spousal work permit application is received.

Updated instructions

• Family members of foreign nationals authorized to work in high-skilled occupations (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) [R205(c)(ii) – C41 and C46]
• Family members of foreign nationals authorized to work in low-skilled occupations (TEER 4 or 5) [R205(c)(ii) – C47 and C48]
• Family members of work permit holders who are Economic Class permanent resident applicants or were nominated or selected by a province [R205(c)(ii) – C49]
• Overview of work designated by the Minister [R205(c)(ii) – C16, C41, C42, C43, C44, C45, C46, C47, C48, C49, C52, C88]
• Labour market impact assessment (LMIA) exemption codes – International Mobility Program (IMP)

New instructions

• Spouses and common-law partners of foreign nationals authorized to work in high-skilled occupations TEER 0 or 1, or select occupations TEER 2 or 3) [R205(c)(ii) – C41]

Please note a second program delivery update will follow to update all related instructions in which guidance about family members of workers is included.