If you have a study permit but haven't yet landed in Canada, and your spouse wants to visit for a short trip (e.g., one month), applying for a Spouse Open Work Permit (SOWP) isn't the only — or necessarily the best — option for a brief visit.
What the group advised:- Most people land in Canada first, then apply for the SOWP once they're established with a Canadian address — this is the more common and typically smoother order.
- For a short visit specifically (like one month), apply for a visitor visa instead of a SOWP. One member reported their spouse's SOWP application (filed before the student had landed) was refused, but a subsequent visitor visa application for the same spouse was approved.
- Use a notarized invitation letter from a friend or family member in Canada as supporting documentation for the visitor visa application, since you can't yet provide your own Canadian address.
In short: if the goal is a short visit rather than long-term work authorization, a visitor visa application (backed by a notarized invite from someone already in Canada) is a more proven path than trying to file an SOWP before you've landed.