Canada Halts Work Permit Applications for Visitor Visa Holders

Canada has announced an immediate end to the policy allowing holders of visitor visas to apply for work permits from within the country.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, highlighting the move as part of broader efforts to manage the number of temporary residents and maintain the integrity of the immigration system.

The statement noted that while the temporary policy was originally set to expire on February 28, 2025, the decision to terminate it was accelerated due to concerns over misuse.

“IRCC is also aware that some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization,” the statement read.

The IRCC further assured that applications submitted before August 28, 2024, under the policy, will still be processed.

The policy was initially introduced in August 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed at assisting visitors who were unable to return home due to border closures.

It permitted them to apply for a work permit without needing to exit Canada. Additionally, it enabled those who had held a work permit within the previous 12 months but had switched to visitor status to legally work in Canada while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.