Canada Ends Policy Allowing Nigerians, Other Visitors to Apply for Work Permits: “It's Enough”

• Canada has announced the end of a temporary policy that allows visitors to apply for work permits from within the country
• Introduced in August 2020, the policy was designed to assist visitors who were unable to leave the country due to COVID-19 travel restrictions to apply for a work permit while remaining in Canada
• The Canadian government terminated this policy as part of its efforts to manage immigration and work permit applications due to changing travel conditions

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Ottawa, Canada - The government of Canada, through the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has ended a temporary public policy that allowed visitors to apply for a work permit from within the country, effective immediately.

IRCC confirmed this in a statement shared on its website on Wednesday, August 28, 2024.

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Why Canada stopped work permit for visitors

According to the Immigration News Canada, the policy which was originally established to expire on February 28, 2025, is now seeing an early termination, effective August 28, 2024. 

However, to the relief of some, applications submitted before August 28, 2024, will still be processed under the previous policy. 

IRCC noted that this decision was taken because it had been made aware that “bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization.”

“While the temporary policy was set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC is ending the policy as part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system. IRCC is also aware that some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization.

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“IRCC will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024,” the Canadian government said in a statement published on its website on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, IRCC introduced the policy in August 2020 to help visitors who were unable to leave the country due to COVID-19 pandemic–related travel restrictions. Under the policy, visitors in Canada could apply for a work permit without having to leave the country.

In addition, foreign nationals who had held a work permit in the previous 12 months but who changed their status in Canada to “visitor” could apply to work legally in Canada while waiting for a decision on their new work permit application.

Canada is a destination for many Nigerians seeking greener pastures and education, especially in the wave of ‘Japa’ that has hit the country.

Read more about Canada and UK govt here:

• 3 years after moving to Canada on scholarship, Nigerian man bags job
• How to get free visa for Canadian jobs
• UK govt announces more names of companies ready to sponsor Nigerians’ work visa

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Canada invites skilled Nigerians

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a Canadian province was looking for skilled workers from all over the world, including Nigeria, to fill open positions.

Those who meet the criteria will have an easier chance to obtain a visa at the Canadian embassy in Nigeria.

Reports show that 42,500 workers, or 23% of the province's workforce, were set to retire in 2023.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng