News

1. Canada ends temporary public policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits from within the country

  • The temporary residents in Canada, who hold a visitor visa, are no longer allowed to apply for a work permit from within Canada.
  • The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has ended the temporary public policy, which was first introduced in August 2020 to help visitors in the country, who could not return home due to the border closures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Under the policy, visitors in Canada could apply for a work permit without having to leave the country. In addition, foreign nationals who had held a work permit in the previous 12 months but who changed their status in Canada to “visitor” could apply to work legally in Canada while waiting for a decision on their new work permit application.
  • While the temporary policy was set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC is ending the policy as part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system
  • IRCC is also aware that some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization.
  • IRCC will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024 under the policy.
  • Visitors who are currently in Canada and wish to apply for a work permit must now leave the country and apply from abroad. This will affect those who were relying on the policy to switch from visitor status to work permit status without having to travel.

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