Open Work Permit as the Common Law Partner of an International Student

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help as I cannot seem to find the answer to this anywhere. My partner and I are both from the UK, he is due to start college in Toronto in Jan as an international student and I was granted an open work permit as his common law partner. We understand that our visas will be issued at the border when we arrive in Canada but my question is, can I travel to Canada and have my visa validated before my partner does, even though his is the 'lead' visa, so to speak? He has commitments in the UK until the end of the year that I don't so we were hoping I could travel first and get set up before he arrived.

If anyone has any advice or experience with this it would be greatly appreciated as I would love to travel over as soon as the borders are open and restrictions are lifted.

Thanks!

Over the last few years, a few of my friends have experienced your situation.

Unless the rules changed during the pandemic, your open work permit as a common law partner is tied to the student permit of the primary permit holder, so you would have to wait until your partner's visa is validated.

As a UK citizen, could you be eligible for a working holiday? And then switch over to a common law open work permit?