Presently, temporary foreign workers can begin a new job before being issued a new work permit due to a temporary public policy introduced during the pandemic. Before the introduction of this policy, workers on closed work permits would have had to wait for their new work permit application to be approved before changing employers, implying that it could take many months for them to change jobs. In 2020, the federal government introduced a temporary policy allowing foreign workers in Canada to start working for a new employer even before getting a new work permit approved. Today, we will discuss how you can change employers on a closed work permit.
So, without further ado, let us begin!
Who Is Eligible?
In order to be eligible, a foreign national should:
- Have requested the exemption to be applicable until a decision is made on their work permit application
- Have submitted a work application or be renewing an application for an employer-specific work permit (for which a decision has not yet been made)
- Be in Canada with valid temporary resident status (this includes a maintained status)
- Have held a valid work permit or have been authorized to work without a work permit when their application for a new work permit or work permit renewal was submitted
- Have applied for the public policy exemption, as identified by the department
- Intend to work for the new employer as specified on the job offer
If An Applicant Is Eligible, What Exemptions Apply To Them?
Foreign nationals who are eligible will be exempted from certain Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations:
- Providing biometrics for a new work permit application or work permit renewal, if their local Service Canada office isn’t collecting them due to COVID-19
- The condition to not work unless authorized (by Part 9 or 11 of the Regulations)
- The requirement to be authorized to work in Canada by a work permit or the Regulations
- Following the conditions on their work permit regarding the type of work, employer, and times as well as periods of work they’re permitted to engage in or prohibited from doing in Canada
This temporary public policy primarily benefits foreign nationals who:
- Are work-permit exempt but require a work permit for a new occupation or employer
- Hold a valid work permit that limits them to an employer
- Are on maintained status who are bound to the conditions imposed on their expired work permit, thus prohibiting them from moving to a new occupation or employer
How To Apply?
In order to know how you can change employers on a closed work permit, you need to know how you can apply.
A foreign national should submit an application for an employer-specific work permit from inside Canada.
When filling out the ‘your enquiry’ section of the IRCC web form, applicants need to copy specific text that applies to their situation.
Applicants should include the code ‘PPCHANGEWORK2020’ when they copy and paste the text. This helps officials prioritize their requests.
This application can also be done on paper.
Once An Applicant Has Submitted The Application
Officers will review the public policy considerations.
They might reject it if it doesn’t include:
- A request for assessment
- Enough information to confirm the receipt of an employer-specific work permit application
Those who have submitted the application by web form can expect an email in around 10-15 days. Applying by paper might take more time than obtaining this email.
This email will let applicants know if they are authorized to work while their work permit application is being processed.
Note: If the work permit application is incomplete, the processing officer will offer the applicant 30 days to provide additional information. They will also provide a public policy assessment decision as a reply to the IRCC Webform email. They will also add a case note on their decision.
Why Was This Temporary Public Policy Introduced?
This policy was launched during the pandemic to:
- Help temporary foreign workers who are in Canada start new jobs quicker while waiting for their work permit applications to be processed
- Ensure their work permit applications are finalized so they are better protected under employer compliance regulations
This policy is in effect as of January 14, 2025. As with all temporary public policies, it can be revoked at any time without notice.
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