Permitting Work Permit Applications from Visitor Visa Holders Ends in Canada

August 28:
Canada ended a procedure that let visitors with temporary resident visas apply for work permits while they were still in the nation. This program, which was put in place in August 2020 in response to COVID-19 travel restrictions, was intended to help tourists who were left behind when borders were closed.

As part of a larger strategy to restrict temporary resident numbers and protect the integrity of the immigration system, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the early termination of the scheme. "IRCC is aware that some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization," according to the organization.

In spite of the policy's intended expiration date of February 28, 2025, IRCC has decided to terminate it earlier. As a whole, this move is one element of the IRCC's plan to control the flow of temporary foreign workers into the country and ensure that the immigration system is fair. Tourists could apply for work permits without leaving the country, and people who had a work permit before could continue working lawfully until theirs was renewed.

All applications received before to August 28th will still be considered. However, reports of abuse, such as instances of immigration fraud, led to the policy's early termination. The Canadian government discovered 700 Indian students last year who had received fake acceptance letters from DLIs. In light of this, the International Recruitment and Citizenship Council (IRCC) has clamped down on fraudulent applications by foreign students by capping admissions for the next two years and requiring acceptance letters to be verified within ten days.

Furthermore, the IRCC declared on August 26 that the Low-Wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) would no longer be accepting Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications. The change will take effect on September 26, 2024. Regions with a 6% or greater unemployment rate are the ones this pause is aimed at. The TFWP had given Canadian firms more leeway in their hiring practices during the pandemic, but these changes are a part of a larger effort to take back those laws.