IRCC Announces Temporary Policy Allowing Visitors to Apply for Work Permit from Inside Canada Will Be Extended for 2 Years

On February 28, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced a COVID-era temporary public policy – which enabled foreign nationals inside Canada as visitors and who receive a valid job offer, to apply for a work permit inside Canada – will be extended by 2 years until February 28, 2025.

Prior to this temporary public policy, work permit applicants typically needed to apply for their initial work permit before coming to Canada. If a foreign national was already in Canada as a visitor and was approved for a work permit, they would need to leave Canada to be issued their initial work permit.

While this policy continues to be in place, leaving Canada is not necessary.

In order to benefit from this temporary public policy, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Have valid visitor status in Canada on the day they apply;
• Have a job offer that is supported by a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA
  exempt offer of employment;
• Submit an application for an employer-specific work permit no later than February 28, 2025;
• Meet all other standard admissibility criteria.

In addition, Applicants who currently have visitor status but who held a valid work permit in the past 12 months can follow special instruction to receive interim work authorization to start working for their new employer before their work permit application is finalized.

For more information about applying for a work permit under this policy, and all other work permit options, contact Laura Schemitsch at Race and Company today. To arrange a consultation please email: OfficeAssistant@raceandco.com