Transitioning from a visitor visa to a work permit in Canada has become a complicated affair in 2025. Recent changes in policy have made things tough, and it was important to know about the latest rules as well as challenges and available options for anyone in Canada on a visitor visa and wanting to work legally.
Historical Background: Temporary Policy for In-Canada Work Permits
In August 2020, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) started a temporary public policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada. This was to fill jobs that were going unfilled during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is typically prohibited: visitors cannot apply for a work permit from inside Canada, but this policy created one-time exceptions for those who had valid job offers from a Canadian employer.
The effective date for termination was set as February 28, 2025. This policy has been highly utilized by foreign nationals wanting to work in Canada without leaving the country.
Premature End of the Policy
The government of Canada herself has decided to prematurely terminate the popular policy mentioned above on August 28, 2024. The further reasons for such termination encompassed the larger immigration reform strategies to manage the influx of temporary residents in the country. The authorities, according to the policy, believed that the same has become abusive and obviously would result in unauthorized work increasing as well as pressure on housing and public resources.
All applications before 28th August 2024 will still be processed under this temporary public policy. However, anyone who wants to apply from within Canada after this date would have to follow standard procedures.
Current Pathway Options for Moving to Work Visa
Currently, the visitors in Canada will find the pathways of obtaining a work permit even more rigid than before with the nullifying of the temporary policy.
First, one must apply for a work permit from outside of Canada. This involves having a genuine job offer and, in most cases, a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), confirming that there is no Canadian citizen or permanent resident available to do the job.
Second, such visitors who receive a job offer while in Canada may be required to exit the country and file their application for a work permit abroad. This would involve planning for travel, paperwork, and possible delays in visa processing, which is quite tricky and full of uncertainties.
Policy Changes that Affect Work Permits in 2025
In the late months of the year 2024, the immigration targets of the Canadian government for the permanent residence and temporary resident status were significantly cut down. The government’s forecast expects the new permanent resident level to fall from 485,000 in the year 2024, to 365,000 by the year 2027. The numbers for temporary residents are also to be decreased by about 30,000, arriving at a figure of about 300,000 in the year 2025.
This reduction in immigration levels is a public measure, influenced mainly by the increasing concern regarding housing shortages and the overall capacity of Canadian infrastructure. Immigration processes, therefore, will become more selective and competitive.
Advice for Visitors Wanting to Work in Canada:
Under tight policies and scrutiny over applications, visitors that would be working in Canada should act early and be well-informed.
It is essential to keep abreast of the most recent developments of IRCC, as policies do undergo rapid changes, and relevant updates will assist in taking the right decision.
To secure a legitimate job offer from an employer who understands the immigration process is the critical first step. Applicants should ensure that the job offer is compliant with all legal requirements and supported by the appropriate documentation, such as an LMIA if applicable.
Applicants should also be prepared for a longer processing time and increased approval scrutiny. This involves ensuring that all documents are accurate, the employment history is verifiable, and the intentions are well supported regarding compliance to immigration laws.
Conclusion:
As far as the year 2025 is concerned, getting from a visitor visa to a work permit in Canada has become less straightforward than it was during the brief period of the public policy. With the policy being terminated in August 2024, and the subsequent focus by the government on a further reduction of immigration numbers, visitors now face a more conventional and often more challenging approach to gaining Canadian employment.
Knowing the rules, building good applications, and seeking help when necessary will greatly help maintain high chances of a successful transition. Canada remains an opportunity-bound nation, but such opportunities are gradually being tied to defined immigration mechanisms.