Can Visitors Get Work Permit In Canada

Visiting Canada is a dream for many travelers. However, this is not just a leisure trip. Some people intend to find jobs there as well. It has become fashionable in the recent past to work and live in Canada. But, can visitors get work permit? Let’s find out more about the topic.

Can Visitors Get Work Permit In Canada

Canada is a nation of immigrants. Therefore, there is an active program to ensure that people who come to Canada legally are able to stay and work in the country. Visitor visas are available for those who wish to visit Canada but not work or study while here. For example, tourists can enter Canada on a visitor visa, but they should be well aware of the fact that they will not be able to get a job or accept employment while they are in the country.

Can Visitors Get Work Permit in Canada? To work in Canada all you need is a valid work permit. To apply, visit : https://studytemple.com/canada/work-permit-in-canada/

Change intended to benefit employers who are still facing difficulties finding workers

August 24, 2020—Ottawa—Visitors who are currently in Canada and have a valid job offer will be able to apply for an employer-specific work permit and, if approved, receive the permit without having to leave the country, thanks to a new public policy announced today by the Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

This temporary policy change takes effect immediately and will benefit employers in Canada who continue to face difficulties finding the workers they need, as well as temporary residents who would like to contribute their labour and skills to Canada’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, temporary residents who remained in Canada were encouraged to maintain valid legal status. With air travel limited around the world, some visitors to Canada have been unable to leave, while some foreign workers had to change their status to visitor because their work permit was expiring and they didn’t have a job offer to be able to apply for a new work permit. Some employers in Canada have also faced ongoing labour and skills shortages throughout this period, including those who provide important goods and services that Canadians rely on.

To be eligible, an applicant looking to benefit from this temporary public policy must

• have valid status in Canada as a visitor on the day they apply
• have been in Canada on August 24, 2020 and remained in Canada
• have a 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, no later than March 31, 2021
• meet all other standard admissibility criteria

This temporary public policy also provides the opportunity for applicants who meet these criteria and who had a valid work permit in the past 12 months 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 described here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/after-apply-next-steps.html#visitors

Quotes

“We have heard from employers who continue to face challenges recruiting and hiring the workers they need during the pandemic. At the same time, some visitors in Canada may be able to contribute their skills where there are labour shortages. The measures introduced today will now allow visitors to apply for work permits without having to leave the country first. This exemption from the normal temporary work permit requirements is aimed at removing barriers to create a more agile workforce that leverages visitors with the skills and experience to accelerate our economic recovery.”

—The Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick facts

• 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. 
• Foreign nationals who arrive in Canada as visitors after August 24, 2020, are not eligible under the public policy.
• Prior to this temporary policy change, a person applying as a temporary resident would usually need to apply for their initial work permit before they came to Canada. If they were already in Canada with visitor status when they were approved for a work permit, they would need to leave Canada and return before their work permit was issued to them.    

Associated links

• How COVID-19 is affecting IRCC: Foreign workers
• Process for public policy applicants who have had a work permit in the past 12 months
• News release: Government announces help for employers to meet their labour needs
• Web notice: Extension for temporary residents restoring their status

The policy also benefits Canadian employers who are hiring foreign workers, some of whom have faced ongoing labour shortages throughout the pandemic.

“We have heard from employers who continue to face challenges recruiting and hiring the workers they need during the pandemic,” Canada’s immigration minister, Marco Mendicino, said in the release. “This exemption from the normal temporary work permit requirements is aimed at removing barriers to create a more agile workforce that leverages visitors with the skills and experience to accelerate our economic recovery.”

Canada encouraged temporary residents who stayed in Canada to maintain legal status. Given that air travel has been restricted around the world, some visitors have been unable to leave, and some foreign workers had to change their status to “visitor” because their work permit was expiring and they weren’t able to apply for a new work permit because they didn’t have a job offer.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• valid status in Canada as a visitor on August 24, 2020, with the intention to stay in Canada;