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Jobless on an ICT closed work permit — how your spouse's LMIA/PNP move affects you

Canada • Provincial Nominee Program • work 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Step-by-Step

For someone on an ICT (intra-company transfer) closed work permit who no longer has the job it was tied to, while their spouse has a spouse open work permit and a possible PNP/LMIA route:

  1. An ICT work permit without the underlying job is effectively invalid — a closed work permit is tied to a specific employer/role, so losing that job undermines the permit itself.

  2. Your spouse's status is linked to yours, not independent. Check your spouse's open work permit documentation — it typically states explicitly that it's tied to your primary work permit's validity. If your ICT permit becomes invalid, your spouse's open work permit is affected too.

  3. If your spouse secures an employer-supported LMIA and their own work permit, that route would help establish your own work authorization (e.g., via a spousal open work permit tied to their new, valid permit), rather than continuing to rely on your invalid ICT status.


Given the linkage between spousal permits, the priority is resolving your own work permit's validity (or pursuing the LMIA route through your spouse's new employer) rather than assuming the current permits remain independently valid.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Tip: Check your spouse's open work permit — it likely states it's dependent on your primary work permit remaining valid.
  • Do: If your ICT permit no longer has an underlying job, treat it as effectively invalid and pursue an alternative route (e.g., LMIA through your spouse's employer) rather than relying on it.

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