IRCC updates family open work‑permit rules: dependent children, TEER 4 spouses ineligible for applications received on or after Jan. 21, 2025

IRCC updates family open work‑permit rules: dependent children, TEER 4 spouses ineligible for applications received on or after Jan. 21, 2025

Summary: IRCC has clarified that, for applications received on or after January 21, 2025, dependent children are not eligible for family open work permits under codes C46/C48, and spouses of TEER 4 workers are not eligible under C47, when applications are made outside reciprocal agreements under R205(c)(ii). Related military family instructions have been aligned. IRCC on 2025-11-17 updated its program instructions for the Work Permit stream, clarifying family member eligibility for open work permits under paragraph R205(c)(ii) when applications are filed outside reciprocal agreements. The changes also align instructions for family members of military personnel with the worker-family rules that took effect on January 21, 2025. Key rule clarifications (outside reciprocal agreements under R205(c)(ii)):
- Dependent children ineligible (C46/C48): If the work permit application was received by IRCC or CBSA on or after January 21, 2025, dependent children cannot apply for an open work permit under administrative codes C46 or C48.
- Spouses of TEER 4 applicants ineligible (C47): Spouses of TEER 4 workers are not eligible to apply for an open work permit under administrative code C47 for applications received on or after the same date. Additional instruction updates:
- Added guidance under Documentary Evidence when there is no reciprocal agreement.
- Added guidance under Approval when there is no reciprocal agreement.
- Added guidance under Refusal, plus useful links and previous updates sections. Source: IRCC
Date of update: 2025-11-17
Program affected: Work Permit Independent analysis:
- Potential impacts on families: The clarified ineligibility for dependent children and for spouses of TEER 4 workers may reduce immediate work authorization options for accompanying family members, potentially affecting household income and settlement outcomes where alternate status pathways are limited.
- Employer and applicant planning: The receipt-date cutoff (Jan. 21, 2025) is critical for compliance. Applicants and representatives should verify the administrative code (C46, C47, C48) and whether the application falls outside reciprocal agreements under R205(c)(ii) before relying on family open work permit eligibility.
- Program integrity and clarity: The expanded Documentary Evidence/Approval/Refusal guidance should improve consistency and predictability in decision-making, but narrows the scope of family access to open work permits in these categories.

Closing: Stakeholders should review the updated IRCC instructions, confirm whether their situation involves applications outside R205(c)(ii) reciprocal agreements, and assess family members’ eligibility in light of the Jan. 21, 2025 receipt-date rule and the specified administrative codes.

Tags: IRCC, Work Permit, R205(c)(ii), C46, C47, C48, TEER 4, Open Work Permit, Dependent Children, Spouses, CBSA, Reciprocal Agreements, Canadian Immigration Policy, Military Families