Canada imposes immediate ban on work permit applications for visitor visa holders

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Canada has now implemented a new policy that prevents visitors with visas from applying for work permits while they are in the country.

This change took effect immediately following the announcement by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Wednesday.

“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,” the IRCC stated.

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The IRCC clarified that the policy change was driven by concerns that some individuals were exploiting the system to facilitate unauthorized employment for foreign nationals in Canada.

“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 read.

Originally introduced in August 2020 as a response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the policy allowed visitors stranded in Canada due to international travel restrictions and border closures to apply for work permits without leaving the country. It also enabled those who had held a work permit within the last 12 months and switched to visitor status to legally work in Canada while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.