Foreign nationals who are visiting Canada and obtain a genuine employment offer will be able to apply for and acquire a work visa without leaving the country. Visitors applying under this public policy who have held a work permit within the past 12 months may also obtain temporary work permits to begin working for their new company sooner.
This COVID-era temporary public policy, which was set to expire today, has been extended by two years, until February 28, 2025.
Keeping this temporary regulation in place makes visitors an option for companies in Canada since many are suffering major manpower shortages during this era of economic development.
Before this temporary policy adjustment, anyone wishing to work in Canada had to apply for their initial work visa before arriving. If they were already in Canada with visitor status when they were authorized for a work permit, they would have to depart before their work permit could be issued.
Leaving Canada is no longer necessary with this policy in effect.
To be eligible to apply for this temporary public policy, an applicant must have valid visitor status in Canada on the day they apply and have a work offer backed by a labor market impact assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment.
No, later than February 28, 2025, apply for an employer-specific work visa.
satisfy all other standard admissibility requirements
Candidates with visitor status who have held a valid work permit in the last 12 months can follow specific guidelines to get interim work authorization and begin working for their new company before their work permit application is processed.