Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has made a temporary change to one of their policies of converting a visitor visa to a work permit. Typically this is not allowed, however, as Canada recovers from the pandemic, visitors may now apply for temporary work if the below conditions are met:

  • 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

Those who may be eligible are encouraged to contact an immigration specialist for case-specific advice.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.