A member whose wife had a study permit for a September 2022 intake and was landing in late August wanted to know whether to start their spousal open work permit (SOWP) application right away, or wait until she'd actually landed and was studying.
What the thread offered — two differing views:- One view: wait until your spouse has landed and can show she's actively studying, attaching things like payslips to demonstrate that your presence in Canada is genuinely necessary — this approach treats proof of ongoing study as strengthening the application.
- A different view: apply immediately once your spouse lands and gets her study permit, using her enrollment letter (available on the college portal) as sufficient proof — no payslips needed under this approach.
- Both views agreed the trigger point is your spouse actually landing — no one suggested applying before she arrives in Canada.
The practical takeaway: there's some disagreement in the community about exactly how much proof of active study you need before applying for your SOWP, but the consistent starting point is your spouse's landing — from there, you can apply using her enrollment letter, and optionally strengthen the file with additional proof like payslips if you want extra reassurance.