Temporary Public Policy for Work Permit Applications

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, visitors who are currently in Canada and have a valid job offer can now apply for an employer-specific work permit and, if approved, receive the permit without having to leave Canada. Any type of visitor who meets the criteria is eligible to apply under this new public policy, including super visa holders, business visitors, and those who entered Canada through a Global Skills Strategy work permit exemption.

To be eligible, applicants must

• have valid visitor status in Canada on the date of application;
• have been in Canada continuously since August 24th, 2020;
• have a valid job offer;
• submit an application for an employer-specific work permit that is supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment by March 31st, 2021; and
• meet all other standard admissibility criteria.

This temporary public policy also provides for applicants who meet these criteria and who had a valid work permit in the past year to begin working for their new employer before their work permit application has been fully approved. To do so, they need to follow the instructions for the process at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/after-apply-next-steps.html#visitors

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/08/new-temporary-public-policy-will-allow-visitors-to-apply-for-a-work-permit-without-having-to-leave-canada.html