The Temporary Foreign Worker program was originally designed to fill labour gaps when qualified Canadians were In response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC introduced a special measure in August 2020. This policy was designed to assist visitors who were unable to leave Canada due to travel restrictions. It allowed them to apply for work permits from within the country, bypassing the usual requirement to leave Canada first. Additionally, foreign nationals who had recently held a work permit and had since changed their status to “visitor” were allowed to obtain an authorization to work while waiting for a decision on their work permit application.

Initially set to expire on February 28, 2025, the IRCC has decided to terminate the policy earlier in an effort to better regulate the number of temporary residents in Canada and uphold the integrity of the immigration system. The decision comes after concerns that some individuals were exploiting the policy, misleading foreign nationals into working in Canada without proper
authorization.

As a result, those who were relying on this policy to transition from visitor status to a work permit within Canada will now face significant challenges. They will have to leave the country to apply for a work permit from abroad. However, applications submitted before August 28, 2024, will still be processed under the now-expired policy, providing some relief to those who acted before the deadline.

Written by: Rion Scott