By Emmanuel Kwada
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that, effective immediately, visitor visa holders are no longer eligible to apply for work permits. This decision is part of the IRCC’s efforts to rebalance the number of temporary residents in Canada and maintain the integrity of the immigration system.
The policy, introduced in August 2020, was initially intended to assist visitors stranded in Canada due to COVID-19 border closures. It allowed them to apply for work permits without leaving the country.
Additionally, individuals who had held a work permit in the past 12 months and had changed their status to “visitor” were eligible to work legally while awaiting a decision on their new work permit application.
IRCC has become aware of instances where the policy was being exploited by unscrupulous individuals to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without proper authorization
However, the IRCC has become aware of instances where the policy was being exploited by unscrupulous individuals to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without proper authorization. Applications submitted before August 28, 2024, will still be processed under the previous policy.
Read Also: Fight to Finish: Sokoto Residents Storm Forest to Confront Bandits