Visitors will no longer be able to apply for work permits within Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the immigration department of the federal government, has announced that it has ended the “temporary” public policy that allowed visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada.

IRCC introduced the policy in August 2020 to help visitors who were unable to leave the country due to COVID-19 pandemic–related travel restrictions.

Under the policy, visitors in Canada could apply for a work permit without having to leave the country. In addition, foreign nationals who had held a work permit in the previous 12 months but who changed their status in Canada to “visitor” could apply to work legally in Canada while waiting for a decision on their new work permit application.

While the temporary policy was set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC said that it’s ending the policy now “as part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system.”

IRCC also said that it will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024 under the policy.

Read the official announcement here.