This is one of the most common questions applicants who are planning to go to Canada on a visit visa or who are already in Canada as a visitor commonly asked the Royal Migration. If you are in Canada as a visitor and you are considering getting a work permit, it is crucial that you understand the rules and policies, so that you won’t be going against the terms of the visit visa.

The covid 19 has transformed many things around the globe and to adapt to these changes, Canada has had to come up with policies to support the Canadian employers who are having issues with labor shortages during this pandemic. This involves converting a work visa to a work permit without having to leave Canada. With this, it is advisable to work with a reputable immigration company that can walk you through your options and the correct process. You do not want your application to be rejected due to a mistake that could have been avoided neither do you want to spend a lot of time and money that could cause delay to your application process. Here, Royal migration explains how you can secure a work permit as a visitor in Canada. While at it, go through Royal Migration Review for more on how the company has successfully helped a lot of people to secure their visas during this period of the pandemic.

Can a visitor apply for a work permit?

Initially, visitors in Canada are not allowed to work as they considered temporary residents who need to have proved such as jobs, assets, or family that shows that they will be going back to their native country. This means applying for a work permit as a temporary resident will require you to apply for the work permit before traveling to Canada. If however, you are already in Canada before applying for a work permit, you might have to travel to your native country for further processes. These rules are put in place to ensure that visitors are in Canada for the purpose they put in for “visit” and not engaging in any commercial activity.

How do the new rules favor those under visit visa in Canada?

International visitors who are currently in Canada can now apply for a work permit without having to leave the country, thanks to the public policy announced by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship. This new policy will benefit visitors who can put their skills and experiences to good use as well as employers who are on the lookout for foreign workers who can help meet up the challenge of shortage of labor. This goes without saying that this policy takes effect immediately as at the time of announcement which is August 24. Therefore, an intending applicant will need to check whether the rules still in place as the government is regularly revising their policies and this new one might be canceled at any time.

What are the eligibility criteria?

Here are the conditions a visitor in Canada has to meet to be eligible for a work visa in Canada:

• Have a valid visit visa in Canada
• Have been in Canada on August 24, 2020, and still remain there
• Must have a job offer from an eligible employer
• An application for an employer-specific work permit supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt job offer submitted no later than March 31, 2021; and
• Any other eligibility requirement.

While all applicants with a visit visa can apply for an employer-specific work permit, only those who hold a work permit in the last 12 months are allowed to work with their new employer before the work permit is finally approved.

For more on how to go about getting a work visa as a visitor in Canada, Royal migration is here to help! Check out Royal Migration Review for more.