Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the immediate termination of a temporary public policy that allowed visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada.
Originally introduced in August 2020, the policy aimed to assist visitors who were unable to leave Canada due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this policy, visitors could apply for a work permit without the need to exit the country. Additionally, foreign nationals who had held a work permit in the previous 12 months and had since changed their status to “visitor” could legally work in Canada while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.
Although the policy was initially scheduled to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC has decided to end it early as part of broader efforts to manage the number of temporary residents in Canada and maintain the integrity of the immigration system. The decision also comes in response to concerns that some individuals were exploiting the policy to mislead foreign nationals into unauthorized work.
Applications submitted under the policy before August 28, 2024, will continue to be processed by IRCC.
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