Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially ended the temporary public policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada, on 28th August 2024.
The policy, introduced in August 2020 to assist visitors affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions, allowed visitors to apply for work permits without leaving the country. It also enabled foreign nationals who had held a work permit in the past 12 months and had changed their status to “visitor” to work legally while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.
Originally set to expire on February 28, 2025, the policy has been terminated as part of IRCC’s efforts to manage temporary resident numbers and uphold the integrity of the immigration system. IRCC noted that some individuals were abusing the policy to exploit foreign nationals and facilitate unauthorized work in Canada.
Applications submitted before August 28, 2024, under the policy will still be processed.