Quebec extends special work permits to spouses of applicants for permanent selection
Spouses and common-law partners of applicants for permanent selection in Quebec can obtain special work permits through a new temporary public policy.
Under the policy, a spouse or common-law partner listed as accompanying a qualifying applicant for permanent selection may be issued an open work permit without needing to meet the usual requirements.
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Qualifying spouses or common-law partners are exempted, under the policy, from the following requirements they would normally need to meet in order to be issued an open work permit and to have their status restored as a temporary resident:
- 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.
The policy applies equally to foreign nationals who are out of status, or who hold or used to hold only visitor status or student status, and are applying for restoration of status as a worker along with their work permit application, though they must still submit the work permit application within 90 days of having held temporary resident status.
For their spouse to qualify, the principal applicant who has applied for permanent selection 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, set to expire on or before December 31, 2026; and
- has submitted an application to extend their work permit with the same employer.
- Maintained status:
- The principal applicant has work authorization through maintained status for a Quebec employer for which they have submitted an application for extension of an employer-specific work permit; and
- they have submitted a subsequent work permit application for the same employer.
- Expired work permit:
- The principal applicant held an employer specific work permit for a Quebec employer, which expired in 2026 on or after March 13; and
- has applied either for an extension of their stay or for restoration of status.
- Valid work permit
In all cases, the principal applicant must include with their work permit application confirmation that they’ve submitted a DSP in response to an invitation for permanent selection through the PSTQ.
The policy is set to remain in place until December 31, 2026, at which point it will expire.
The policy took effect on June 5, 2026, and applies to all applications received on or after that date.
The new policy also applies to any pending applications as of June 5, including applications received under the previous policy, which it has revoked and replaced.
As is usual for temporary public policies, it may be revoked at any time without prior notice.
The policy, titled “ Temporary public policy to facilitate work permits for prospective permanent residence candidates in Quebec and their spouses and common-law partners,” was published on the immigration department’s website on June 5, 2026.
The earlier temporary public policy, “Temporary public policy to facilitate work permits for prospective permanent residence candidates in Quebec,” had come into effect on March 13, 2026.
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