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Can spouses with approved OWP travel to Canada with Student during Covid-19 restrictions?

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,684
13,553
The problem is I got my second stage approval and ready to flight but unfortunately they have not approved my spouse's open work permit yet. So, if I forced to travel alone next month and my spouse gets his approval after, can he fly to Canada alone to join me? because it is not our fault that they didn't issue the visa at the same time!
No currently he would need proof of employment to travel.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,684
13,553
So I believe SOWP and a Travel exemption letter= Spouse can fly
Currently a spouse is supposed to be able to accompany a spouse if they leave at the same time and have an OWP or TRV. We have seen people get denied permission to travel if they want to join their spouse for travel not being essential.
 
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Sad93

Star Member
Jul 31, 2020
180
49
Yes you would need proof of employment
This is super crazy!!!! We applied together at the same time and same VFC. They issued my visa last week and no update for my spouse yet! and because they don't want to issue the visa at the same time my spouse needs to search for a job and find an employer to be able to join me later!!! Gosh why I have brought my self into this swamp
 
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canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
55,684
13,553
This is super crazy!!!! We applied together at the same time and same VFC. They issued my visa last week and no update for my spouse yet! and because they don't want to issue the visa at the same time my spouse needs to search for a job and find an employer to be able to join me later!!! Gosh why I have brought my self into this swamp
Spouses of international students aren't even guaranteed a TRV or SOWP. Approval rates are 50/50. Nobody is forcing you to come to Canada if you feel so strongly. The majority of international students weren't even allowed to travel in September. There is a global pandemic so most countries are limiting who can enter. Compared to countries like NZ and Australia Canada's policies are very generous.
 

Sad93

Star Member
Jul 31, 2020
180
49
Spouses of international students aren't even guaranteed a TRV or SOWP. Approval rates are 50/50. Nobody is forcing you to come to Canada if you feel so strongly. The majority of international students weren't even allowed to travel in September. There is a global pandemic so most countries are limiting who can enter. Compared to countries like NZ and Australia Canada's policies are very generous.
Generous!!!! they could let everyone know that for example only the students can travel to Canada during the pandemic and not their family members! So we could decide if we want come to Canada or not! I'm not coming to Canada as a refugee or assylum seeker. I'm paying 40.000$ tuition fee and just chose Canada cause they told me that my spouse can come with me on a open work permit visa! We applied before the pandemic and lockdown! After the lockdown they could let me know that the travel of my spouse will concider non-essential then I could decide if I want to continue with my study permit application or not! We are traveling from Denmark with a really low infection rate and they can easily let us in with taking a covid test at the airport and quarantine us for two weeks! They don't issue the visa at the same time and then consider the spouse's travel az non-essential! HOW GENEROUS
 

lanp2606

Star Member
Jun 4, 2020
56
20
Generous!!!! they could let everyone know that for example only the students can travel to Canada during the pandemic and not their family members! So we could decide if we want come to Canada or not! I'm not coming to Canada as a refugee or assylum seeker. I'm paying 40.000$ tuition fee and just chose Canada cause they told me that my spouse can come with me on a open work permit visa! We applied before the pandemic and lockdown! After the lockdown they could let me know that the travel of my spouse will concider non-essential then I could decide if I want to continue with my study permit application or not! We are traveling from Denmark with a really low infection rate and they can easily let us in with taking a covid test at the airport and quarantine us for two weeks! They don't issue the visa at the same time and then consider the spouse's travel az non-essential! HOW GENEROUS
I know it's frustrating. I totally understand but being stressed out doesn't solve anything. The only thing we could do right now is to submit webform to IRCC, maybe contact the embassy in your country, try many contact method to let them know about your case.. this is some thing that Ive been coming up with... Try to solve our situation
 
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Sameeh87

Full Member
Mar 13, 2017
39
5
Hi All,

I am looking for information regarding SOWP, we applied our Visa's together. SP for my husband and SOWP for me.
If our visas are approved, are both of us allowed to go to Canada under the current situation?
I asked the same question from the IRCC... though I was a little confused w.r.t. TRV. Please see the response of the IRCC Twitter account, the spouse is allowed to accompany student without any authorization letter. I can share with you the screenshot if you need one.
 
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Sad93

Star Member
Jul 31, 2020
180
49
I asked the same question from the IRCC... though I was a little confused w.r.t. TRV. Please see the response of the IRCC Twitter account, the spouse is allowed to accompany student without any authorization letter. I can share with you the screenshot if you need one.
Student and the spouse can travel to Canada without any problem IF they travel together. That is the problem because they approved many students and put their spouse's applications on hold! So when they issue the visa for spouse's, they need to have a job offer to be able to travel to Canada! they are just making new barriers for the people who just want to be with their families.
 

sanjee881

Full Member
Nov 2, 2020
28
13
As far as I know, if you have a valid study permit and spouse Open work permit also your college is in the DLI Covid Readiness plan list, All Can Travel without any problem.
But if your college is not on the DLI covid readiness plan list, No one can travel even if you have a job offer for SOWP.
Because you got your SWOP for your Study Permit. If the Main applicant Student Can't go No One Can Go...
 
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DianaFilip

Star Member
Jul 14, 2020
69
27
As far as I know, if you have a valid study permit and spouse Open work permit also your college is in the DLI Covid Readiness plan list, All Can Travel without any problem.
But if your college is not on the DLI covid readiness plan list, No one can travel even if you have a job offer for SOWP.
Because you got your SWOP for your Study Permit. If the Main applicant Student Can't go No One Can Go...
Yes. This is my understanding as well. We have SP and OWP approved for both of us. However, travel exception letter we are yet to receive. Hope it will come once our passports are stamped.
 

Sad93

Star Member
Jul 31, 2020
180
49
As far as I know, if you have a valid study permit and spouse Open work permit also your college is in the DLI Covid Readiness plan list, All Can Travel without any problem.
But if your college is not on the DLI covid readiness plan list, No one can travel even if you have a job offer for SOWP.
Because you got your SWOP for your Study Permit. If the Main applicant Student Can't go No One Can Go...
My college is on the list and they approved my study permit last week. I am ready to flight right now as I've all of the required documents but the problem is they havn't issued my spouse's OWP yet and the silly rule is he can not travel alone without the job offer!!! We applied together at the same say and same visa office. I have to attend to my classes in person from January 18th and as Ineed to be in quarantine for 14 days I have to be there before January 3rd. My sponsor called the IRCC's call center in Canada, I have sent webforms and contacted the embassy in our country and still not a single useful answer from them!!
 
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Rajni1488

Star Member
Aug 27, 2020
63
10
Hi All,

Our family application is approved for all individuals as we applied together. Please wait for some more time, your spouse will be approved too in a day or two. Once your spouse and a kid are approved, you all can fly together without any travel authorization just with a condition that your DLI should be on the readiness plan approved list. Cheers!
 
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lanp2606

Star Member
Jun 4, 2020
56
20
Hi All,

Our family application is approved for all individuals as we applied together. Please wait for some more time, your spouse will be approved too in a day or two. Once your spouse and a kid are approved, you all can fly together without any travel authorization just with a condition that your DLI should be on the readiness plan approved list. Cheers!
Congratulations and thank you for the encouragement.