BREAKING: Quebec extends special work permits to spouses of applicants for…
Quebec has extended special work permits to spouses and common-law partners of applicants for permanent selection in the province under a new temporary public policy that took effect June 5, 2026. The policy allows spouses listed as accompanying a qualifying applicant for permanent selection to receive work permits without meeting standard requirements, as reported by CIC News.
The measure expands a previous temporary public policy introduced March 13, 2026, which covered only principal applicants for permanent selection in Quebec. That earlier policy did not extend work authorization to family members, leaving spouses dependent on separate applications subject to full eligibility criteria and processing times that often exceeded the validity period of the principal applicant's work permit.
Under the new policy, spouses and common-law partners are exempted from several requirements normally needed to obtain a work permit or restore temporary resident status. They no longer need to demonstrate they have not engaged in unauthorized work or study, have not committed serious violations of temporary resident conditions, or meet the typical requirements for applying for a work permit from within Canada. The exemptions apply equally to foreign nationals who are out of status or hold a different status than foreign worker and are applying for restoration of status alongside their work permit application.
"The policy applies equally to foreign nationals who are out of status, or on a different status than a foreign worker, and are applying for restoration of status along with their work permit application," the announcement states.
For a spouse to qualify, the principal applicant must have been invited to apply for permanent selection through Quebec's Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) and submitted a Demande de sélection permanente (DSP) to the province. The principal applicant must also fall into one of three situations: holding a valid employer-specific work permit for a Quebec employer set to expire on or before December 31, 2026, and having submitted an extension application with the same employer; having work authorization through maintained status for a Quebec employer and having submitted a subsequent work permit application for the same employer; or having held an employer-specific work permit for a Quebec employer that expired after March 13, 2026, and having applied for an extension or restoration of status. In all cases, the principal applicant must include confirmation of their DSP submission in response to a PSTQ invitation.
The policy affects spouses of Quebec permanent selection applicants who previously faced barriers to work authorization due to expired permits, unauthorized work periods, or status violations. It particularly benefits families where the principal applicant holds or recently held an employer-specific work permit for a Quebec employer and has been invited through the PSTQ.
Spouses should submit work permit applications alongside documentation confirming the principal applicant's DSP submission and PSTQ invitation. The policy applies to all applications received on or after June 5, 2026, and to applications pending on that date, including those received under the earlier March 13 policy.
Source: CIC News — published 2026-06-05.