Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has ended the temporary work permit policy for visitors, effective immediately.

This policy, introduced in August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada without leaving the country.

Initially intended to assist visitors unable to leave Canada due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, the policy also allowed foreign nationals who held a work permit in the previous 12 months to apply for a new one while in visitor status. This flexibility provided temporary relief for many during the challenging period.

Though the policy was initially set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC has chosen to end it earlier as part of efforts to manage the number of temporary residents in Canada and maintain the integrity of the immigration system.

There have been concerns about misuse, with some bad actors exploiting the policy to mislead foreign nationals into unauthorised work.

However, IRCC has confirmed that applications submitted before August 28, 2024, will still be processed under the now-ended policy.

This change marks a significant shift in Canada’s approach to managing temporary residents as the country moves beyond its pandemic-era immigration policies.

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.