On May 26, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a series of measures aimed at enhancing family reunification. These measures include:

• Faster temporary resident visa (TRV) processing times for spousal applicants
• New and dedicated processing tools for spousal TRV applicants
• A new open work permit for spousal and family class applicants
• Open work permit extensions for open work permit holders expiring between August 1 and the end of 2023

More importantly, spousal applicants, along with other open work permit holders, whose open work permits expire between August 1 and the end of 2023, will be able to extend their work permits for an additional 18 months.