Can my spouse or common-law partner work in Canada?

Perhaps. If your spouse or common-law partner wants to work in Canada, they must apply for their own work permit. Normally, they must meet the same requirements that you do.
In most cases, your spouse or common-law partner must apply for a work permit for a specific job. The employer may have to get a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. An LMO allows a particular employer to hire someone for a specific job.
However, your spouse or common-law partner may be able to apply for an "open" work permit—allowing him or her to accept any job with any employer—if you meet one of these conditions:

You are
• allowed to work in Canada for at least six months,
• doing work in Canada that meets a minimum skill level (usually work that requires at least a college diploma) and
• doing a job listed in Skill Level 0, A or B in the National Occupational Classification, or

You are
• allowed to work in Canada and
• doing work in Canada that is on a list of eligible occupations in participating provinces.

If your spouse or common-law partner gets an open work permit, it is normally valid for the same period as yours. In some cases, your spouse or common-law partner will need a medical exam.

As a live-in caregiver, can I return to my home country for a vacation?

Yes, as a live-in caregiver you can return to your home country for a vacation. The length of your vacation should be written in your employment contract. If you take a longer vacation than that, without written consent from your employer, you could lose your job in Canada.
If you leave Canada before your application for permanent residence is approved, you may not be allowed to come back into Canada, especially if:

• you come from a country whose citizens need a temporary resident visa to enter Canada; or
• your work permit has expired and you no longer have legal status in Canada.

In this case, if you cannot return to Canada for any reason, your application may be abandoned.
Before traveling, check with your country’s government for information on visiting or exit visa requirements. They may have changed while you have been working in Canada.
Citizens from some countries and territories must have temporary resident visas to enter Canada. If you are from one of these countries, you may have to get another visa before you can return to Canada. This could take time. Find out the rules before you leave Canada.
If you stay outside Canada for more than one year or if your work permit expires while you are outside Canada, you will have to reapply to return to Canada under the Live-in Caregiver Program.