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Spousal Open Work Permit (C41) Exemption for Quebec Health Sector

Validated finding · five-country-2010-20260922-v118-evidence-presentation-fix

CountryCanada
Operative dateMay 25, 2026
CategoryFamily, skilled work
Policy toolEligibility
Affected groupExisting holders

Policy effect

IRCC updated Program Delivery Instructions for administrative code C41, providing an exemption to the 16-month open work permit validity limit. Spouses of foreign-trained healthcare professionals undergoing licensing or credentialing in Quebec are now exempt from this restriction.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: IRCC updated Program Delivery Instructions for administrative code C41, providing an exemption to the 16-month open work permit validity limit.; Spouses of foreign-trained healthcare professionals undergoing licensing or credentialing in Quebec are now exempt from this restriction.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… stay, evidence that their principal foreign national has been provisionally approved for a work permit (that the letter of introduction is issued). 4. evidence that their principal foreign national’s authority or provisional approval to work in Canada is valid for 16 months or longer (see exemption from the 16-month rule below) **after** the receipt date of the spousal’s work permit application - For example, a copy of a work permit or passport stamps showing the period of authorized work (for work-permit exempt foreign nationals) or a copy of the letter of introduction. **Exemption from open … work permit restrictions for spouses of foreign-trained health care professionals in Quebec** Beginning on May 25, 2026, spouses of foreign-trained health care professionals in Quebec are exempt from the requirement that the principal foreign national’s work permit must be valid for at least 16 months for their spouse to qualify for an open work permit. In order to identify that they are the spouse or common-law partner of a foreign-trained health care professional in Quebec, applicants must include code **conjointsanteqc** in both the job title box and the brief description of duties box on … the application form. The principal applicant must be employed in one of the following occupations: - NOC 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses - NOC 32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists - NOC 32120 – Medical laboratory technologists Officers should be satisfied that the applicants have demonstrated that they meet the eligibility requirements noted in the C41 general processing information. Additionally, applicants being assessed under this exemption must provide - the principal foreign national’s letter of selection sig …
Canada.ca - Spouses or common-law partners of skilled workers open work permitCanada.ca - Spouses or common-law partners of skilled workers open work permit. Spousal Open Work Permit (C41) Exemption for Quebec Health Sector. Effective 2026-01-21.Open official source
Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/exemption-codes/public-policy-competitiveness-economy/spouses-common-law-authorized-work-high-skilled-occupations.html

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Automated source validation is not independent human legal review. The finding should not be treated as legal advice. Record repair-fcp3-075be9067faf9d3c9336. Something wrong? Flag this record.

Other Canada changes operative in 2026