IRCC Extends Temporary Policy to Allow Visitors to Obtain Work Permits in Canada with a Valid Job Offer

This policy will remain in effect until February 28, 2025, for Work Permits

Obtain Work Permits in Canada with a Valid Job Offer: Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that any foreign national who receives a job offer while in Canada will be able to apply for, and receive, a work permit, so long as they apply for a work permit, prior to February 28, 2025.

Eligibility – Work Permits in Canada

To be eligible to apply, an applicant looking to benefit from this temporary public policy must:

• have valid status in Canada as a visitor on the day they apply
• have a job offer that is supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt job
• submit an application for an employer-specific work permit no later than February 28, 2025
• meet all other standard admissibility criteria

What is a Valid Job Offer

A valid job offer is defined as a written offer of a full-time, non-seasonal job for one year or more, as well as a positive LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), or a valid LMIA exempt job.

What is an LMIA

An LMIA is an application that an employer makes to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to evaluate if hiring foreign workers will have a positive, neutral or negative impact on the Canadian economy and attest that there are no qualified Canadian (or permanent resident) workers available. If ESDC deems the impact is negative, the employer will not be eligible to hire foreign nationals.

Interim Work Authorization

For applicants who are in Canada with a valid visitor status and previously help a valid work permit in the past 12 months, they are eligible for interim work authorization to start working for their new employer before their work permit application is finalized.

Prior to the initial policy change, anyone applying to work in Canada would generally need to apply for their work permit before arriving, or if they were already in Canada on valid visitor status, they would need to leave the country to be issued their work permit. This policy makes this step unnecessary.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact us via email at info@poonahimmigrationlaw.com for further information.