Visitor To Work Permit

International tourists with a job offer who are currently in Canada can now apply for a work permit without leaving the country.

According to a press statement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the new policy takes effect immediately. It will help temporary residents with a work offer who are already in Canada, but it will not apply to anyone entering as a visitor after August 24.

Visitors who match the qualifying criteria, which include Super Visa holders, business visitors, and persons who came to Canada under a Global Skills Strategy work visa exemption, can apply for the new temporary immigration policy.

Temporary residents who stayed in Canada during the epidemic were urged to keep their legal status. Some visitors to Canada have been unable to depart due to limited air travel across the world, while some foreign workers have been forced to alter their status to tourist since their work permit was about to expire and they didn't have a job offer to file for a new work permit. During this time, several firms in Canada, notably those who provide critical goods and services to Canadians, have encountered ongoing labour and skills shortages.

An applicant seeking to profit from this temporary public policy must meet the following criteria in order to be considered.

• have been in Canada on August 24, 2020 and remained in Canada
• have received a job offer
• fulfil all other standard admissibility requirements
• No later than March 31, 2021, submit an application for an employer-specific work permit that is accompanied by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment.
• have valid visitor status in Canada on the day they apply

This interim public policy also allows candidates who meet these requirements and have held a valid work permit for the previous 12 months to start working for their new employer before their work permit application is entirely accepted.