Canada ends policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits

Ottawa: ON PB Media: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has ended a temporary public policy that allows tourists to apply for work permits from within the country, a policy introduced in August 2020 The move was a response to travel restrictions, allowing visitors to Canada to apply for a work permit without leaving the country. It also allowed foreign nationals who had a work permit in the previous 12 months but later changed their status to “visitor” while awaiting a decision on a new work permit application to work. It was originally scheduled to expire on February 28, 2025, a statement on the Canadian government website said. IRCC decided to end the policy early to help manage the number of temporary residents in Canada and maintain the integrity of the immigration system. The agency said the policy was misused by some individuals to mislead foreign nationals for unauthorized work. Under this policy, applications submitted before August 28, 2024 will still be processed by (IRCC).