The Canadian immigration department has abruptly ended the temporary public policy that allowed visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada, a measure initially introduced to alleviate financial hardship for visitors stranded due to border closures and to help address labour shortages during the pandemic, News About Nigeria reports.
This COVID-era policy, which was set to expire on February 28, 2025, has been criticised for contributing to the surge of temporary residents and possibly increasing asylum claims at airports.
In a notice on Wednesday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) explained that the decision to end the policy is “part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system.”
The department also acknowledged that some individuals were exploiting the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without proper authorisation.
Earlier this year, the government imposed a two-year cap on new study permits for international students and updated rules to limit employers’ access to temporary foreign workers.
These moves aim to reduce the share of temporary residents in Canada’s population from the current 6.1 percent to five percent over the next three years.
During the pandemic, the Canadian government implemented various policy changes to relax rules for international students and migrant workers to address labour shortages, while also welcoming displaced Ukrainians and Afghans on humanitarian grounds.
These measures have significantly increased the temporary resident population from 1.4 million two years ago to 2.8 million today.
Critics argue that the special policy, which allowed visitors to obtain work permits from within Canada, incentivised some foreign nationals to enter the country under the guise of tourism while actually seeking employment and a pathway to permanent residence.
In response, border enforcement officers have reportedly increased scrutiny of visitors at ports of entry, particularly airports, leading some individuals to declare asylum upon arrival to gain entry and stay in Canada.
