Visitors who are currently in Canada and have a valid job offer will be able to apply for a specific work permit from their employer and, if approved, receive the permit without having to leave the country thanks to a new public policy announced today by the Honorable Marco EL Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
This temporary policy change takes effect immediately and will benefit employers across Canada who still struggle to find the workers they need, as well as temporary residents who would like to work with their skills as Canada recovers from the pandemic. of COVID-19.
During the pandemic, temporary residents who remained in Canada were encouraged to maintain valid legal status. As air travel is limited around the world, some visitors to Canada were unable to leave, while some foreign workers had to change their visitor status because their work permits were expiring and they did not have no job offer to apply for a new work permit. Some employers in Canada have also faced labor and skill shortages throughout this period, particularly those who provide important goods and services on which Canadians rely.
In most cases, however, visitors are not able to obtain a work permit while they remain in Canada, especially those whose employer has approved hiring as part of the study process. impact on the labor market (LMIA).
To be eligible, an applicant seeking to benefit from this temporary public policy must:
- have valid visitor status in Canada as of August 24, 2020 and remain in Canada;
- have a job offer;
- apply by March 31, 2021 for an employer-specific work permit that is supported by a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt job offer;
- meet all other standard eligibility criteria.
This temporary public policy also allows applicants who meet these criteria and who have obtained a valid work permit within the last 12 months to start working for their new employer before their work permit application has been fully approved.
