Temporary residents who are in Canada with valid visitor status could apply for an employer-specific work permit from within Canada since August 24, 2020. This measure was introduced to help employers find workers and to allow visitors facing visa status challenges due to the pandemic to enter the labour market. This benefitted visitors who were unable to leave the country and foreign workers whose status had changed to a visitor as their work permit had expired. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the extension of this temporary policy till February 28, 2022.

The policy initially allowed visitors who had arrived in Canada before August 24, 2020, to apply for a work permit, provided they were still in Canada with valid temporary resident status. Later, IRCC expanded the eligibility criteria to include all visitors regardless of when they had arrived in Canada.

For a candidate (with visitor status) to be eligible for an employer-specific work permit, s(he) must:

• be a temporary resident in Canada as a visitor at the time of submission of the work permit application
• submit an employer-specific work permit application
• be in Canada with valid status
• apply no later than February 28, 2022

The policy also allows foreign nationals who have a valid Canadian work permit in the previous 12 months to apply for interim work authorization in a new job while their application status is pending. To apply for interim work authorization, candidates must:

• have a valid temporary status at the time of their application submission and remain in Canada with the same status
• work for their employer in the occupation as specified on their work permit application
• complete an IRCC web form

This benefits visitors who have come to Canada despite travel restrictions. The country is redoubling its efforts to make up for the economic and social losses faced by the country in the past year by enabling people already in the country as well as new migrants to help drive the economic recovery and strengthen the Canadian labour market.

Check out Owlspriority Immigration’s Canada Settlement Resources to learn more about ways to find a new job in Canada, making your initial days in Canada stress-free and confident, etc.