Can my dependent children get an open work permit when I move to Canada as a student or worker?

Before the 2025 changes, dependent children of some temporary residents could apply for an open work permit alongside the spouse. That option was removed on January 21, 2025.

Now only select spouses or common-law partners may qualify, not dependent children. Children who want to work in Canada would need to look at a different work permit category or, if they are studying, the work rights that come with a study permit instead.