Visitor Visa Holders In Canada Banned From Applying For Work Permits

Canada has officially ended the practice of allowing visitors on temporary visas to apply for work permits while inside the country, a policy change that took effect immediately.

Naija News reports that this decision, announced by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Wednesday, marks a significant shift in immigration policy.

The IRCC clarified that while this temporary policy was originally scheduled to expire on February 28, 2025, the government decided to terminate it earlier as part of efforts to regulate the number of temporary residents in the country and maintain the integrity of the immigration system.

“While the temporary policy was set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC is ending the policy as part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system.

“IRCC is also aware that some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization. IRCC will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024, under the policy.

“IRCC is also aware that some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization. IRCC will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024, under the policy,” the statement partly read.

This policy was first introduced in August 2020 in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which many visitors were stranded in Canada due to global travel restrictions and border closures.

The temporary measure allowed visitors to apply for work permits without needing to leave the country.

It also provided a provision for those who had previously held a work permit within the last 12 months and had switched their immigration status to “visitor” to work legally in Canada while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.

However, the IRCC’s decision to end the policy was driven by concerns that some individuals were exploiting it, leading to unauthorized employment among foreign nationals.

The department emphasized its commitment to addressing these issues while continuing to process pending applications submitted before the policy’s end date.