Announcement: Canada Ends Temporary Policy Allowing Visitors to Apply for Work Permits from Within the Country
Today on August 28, 2024 — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially ended the temporary public policy that allowed visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada, effective immediately.
This policy, introduced in August 2020, was originally implemented to assist visitors who were unable to leave Canada due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allowed visitors in Canada to apply for a work permit without needing to exit the country. Additionally, foreign nationals who had previously held a work permit within the last 12 months and had changed their status to “visitor” were permitted to work legally in Canada while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.
Although the policy was originally set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC has decided to end it early as part of broader efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and uphold the integrity of the immigration system. This decision also addresses concerns that some individuals were exploiting the policy to mislead foreign nationals into unauthorized work in Canada.
It is important to note that this change is unrelated to the Special Measures for Iranian Nationals in Canada, which was also set to end on February 28, 2025. Both policies were independently implemented and have different objectives. IRCC will continue to process any applications submitted before August 28, 2024, under the terms of the now-concluded temporary policy.
