Canada Extends Visitors to Work Permit Temporary Policy Until 2025

February 28, 2023 – Canada announced an extension of temporary policy that would allow visitor visa holders to apply for work permits in Canada for another 2 years, until February 2025.

This extension came in at exact time as the prior interim policy was set to expire today. This is fantastic news for visitors with visiting visas.

Foreign nationals who are visiting Canada and getting a genuine job offer will be able to apply for and acquire a work visa without leaving the country.

Visitors applying under this public policy who have held a work permit within the past 12 months may also obtain temporary work permission to begin working for their new company sooner.

Keeping this interim regulation in place gives firms in Canada another choice, since many are suffering major labour shortages during this era of economic development.

Previous to this temporary policy adjustment, anyone wishing to work in Canada had to apply for their initial work visa before arriving.

If they were already in Canada with visitor status when they were authorized for a work permit, they would have to depart before their work permit could be given.

Leaving Canada is no longer necessary with this temporary policy in effect.

Eligibility

To be qualified to apply for this temporary public policy, a candidate must have a

1. valid visitor status in Canada on the day they apply
2. job offer backed by a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment submit an application for an employer-specific work permit no later than February 28, 2025

Candidates with visitor status who have held a valid work permit in the last 12 months can follow specific guidelines to get interim work authorization and begin working for their new company before their work permit application is approved.

Click here for more details and how to apply

Eligibility for visitors seeking for a work permit in Canada who have held a valid work permit in the previous 12 months

1. While applying, you must be physically present in Canada.
   • You must remain in Canada while immigration department process your application.
   • If you depart while your application is being handled, you will not be eligible under this public policy.
2. When you apply for a work permit, you must be a visitor with legitimate status.
   • If your visitor status has expired, you must restore it before applying for a work permit.
3. applied for an employer-specific work permit between August 24, 2020, and February 28, 2025 had a valid work permit in the 12 months before applying for a new work permit