As of August 28, 2024, Canada has officially halted the ability of temporary residents holding visitor visas to apply for work permits from within the country. This unexpected policy shift marks a significant move in Canada’s efforts to manage and rebalance the number of temporary residents.
Initially introduced in August 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the policy allowed visitors stranded in Canada due to travel restrictions to apply for work permits without leaving the country. It also permitted those who had previously held work permits within the past 12 months to work legally while awaiting new applications. Although this measure was originally set to expire in February 2025, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has decided to terminate it prematurely.
The decision to end the policy aligns with broader efforts by IRCC to maintain the integrity of the immigration system and address concerns over the rising number of temporary residents in Canada. A key factor in this decision is the increasing incidence of immigration fraud, where some individuals exploited the policy to mislead foreign nationals into unauthorized work.
Recent examples highlight the seriousness of these issues. IRCC uncovered that approximately 700 Indian international students had entered Canada using fraudulent letters of acceptance from Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs). Many of these students were unaware their documents were illegitimate. As a corrective measure, IRCC now requires DLIs to verify all letters of acceptance within 10 days of receiving an international student application, and Canada has imposed a cap on the number of international students it will accept over the next two years.
The termination of the work permit application policy is part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing the number of temporary foreign workers in Canada. On August 26, 2024, IRCC announced a pause on processing certain Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under the Low-Wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Effective September 26, 2024, this pause will impact applicants in Census Metropolitan Areas with unemployment rates of 6% or higher.
Additionally, the government has introduced new limits on the number of foreign workers Canadian employers can hire under the TFWP, capping it at 10% of their total workforce. The maximum term of employment for workers in the Low-Wage stream has also been reduced from two years to one.
These changes are part of a broader trend of rolling back pandemic-era immigration measures. As the impact of the pandemic wanes, the Canadian government is reversing temporary policies that were initially implemented to address labor shortages. In May 2024, IRCC and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) began repealing these measures, a process announced by Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault and Immigration Minister Marc Miller.
Immigration continues to be a central issue in Canada, with ongoing efforts to manage and reduce temporary resident levels. Minister Miller has hinted at further adjustments to permanent residence levels, indicating that Canada’s immigration policies are likely to continue evolving in the years to come.