Canada Adds 30 Days to International Travel Restrictions
Travel restrictions were originally put in place from March 18, 2020 to June 30, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada has since extended the travel restrictions, now restricting visitors until September 30, 2020 with the possibility of another extension.
Along with this extension comes the continuance of the mandatory quarantine order for any essential travellers who enter Canada. Exempt travellers must quarantine for 14 days upon entering the country.
Updates to Post-Graduate Work Permit COVID-19
Earlier this Summer, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that international students whose study permits were not approved before March 18th, 2020 could begin their Canadian studies online from their country of residence.
Many students issued concern about their eligibility for the Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) program after studying outside of Canada. IRCC assured students that they could study remotely until December 31, 2020 without impacting their eligibility for a PGWP.
Recently, IRCC issued updates to this announcement:
Students may now study online from abroad until April 30, 2021, with no time deducted from the length of a future post-graduation work permit, provided 50% of their program of study is eventually completed in Canada.
Students who have enrolled in a program that is between 8 and 12 months in length, with a start date from May to September 2020, will be able to complete their entire program online from abroad and still be eligible for a post-graduation work permit.
Students who have enrolled in a program with a start date from May to September 2020 and study online up to April 30, 2021, and who graduate from more than one eligible program of study, may be able to combine the length of their programs of study when they apply for a post-graduation work permit in the future, as long as 50% of their total studies are completed in Canada.
This announcement is highly beneficial for international students who cannot come to Canada due to COVID-19 travel restrictions but wish to maintain their eligibility for a PGWP application, which would allow them to work in Canada after their studies.
Visitors Can Apply for a Work Permit Inside Canada
Visitors in Canada with a valid job offer can now apply for an employer-specific work permit and, if approved, receive the permit without having to leave the country. This temporary policy was announced on August 25, 2020 and will take effect immediately.
During the pandemic, temporary residents who remained in Canada were encouraged to maintain valid legal status. With travel restrictions in place for many countries, some visitors have been unable to leave. Further, some foreign workers had to change their status to visitor because their work permit was expiring and they didn’t have a job offer to be able to apply for a new work permit.
This temporary policy will benefit these visitors and foreign workers, in addition to Canadian employers seeking in-Canada talent to fill open positions.
To be eligible, an applicant looking to benefit from this temporary public policy must
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
Our Services
Calver and Associates is a leading provider of Canadian Immigration services in Durham Region. We serve clients in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, and beyond. Our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant has over 10 years of experience in Canadian Immigration law and over four years of experience serving those in the Oshawa area.
We can provide assistance with applications for both temporary and permanent residency in Canada. We handle applications for study permits, permanent residency, family class sponsorship, visitor visas, work permits, and Canadian citizenship. We also handle criminal inadmissibility cases by developing remedies for refusal.
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