Canada has officially halted the practice of allowing visitor visa holders to apply for work permits while in the country, effective immediately.
The change, announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Wednesday, represents a significant policy shift.
The temporary policy, initially set to expire on February 28, 2025, has been discontinued as part of broader efforts to manage the number of temporary residents in Canada and maintain the integrity of the immigration system.
According to the IRCC, the policy’s termination was also driven by concerns that some individuals were abusing the system to mislead foreign nationals into unauthorized employment in Canada.
“IRCC is aware that some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization. We will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024, under the previous policy,” the IRCC stated.
The policy was originally introduced in August 2020 in response to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, many visitors found themselves stranded in Canada due to global travel restrictions and border closures.
The policy allowed these visitors to apply for work permits without leaving the country and also permitted individuals who had held a work permit in the previous 12 months and had switched their status to “visitor” to work legally while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.
The IRCC’s decision marks the end of a temporary measure that had provided flexibility during a challenging period but also highlighted the need for careful management of Canada’s immigration processes.
