Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued guidance on situations that require foreign workers to apply for an extension or change of conditions of their work permits. The update affects temporary foreign workers already in the country. According to IRCC, foreign nationals holding a valid Canadian work permit may need to submit an application to extend the validity period of their permit, change the conditions attached to their permit, or update their personal information.
The guidance explains that work permit conditions can be changed, and a request to change a work permit is not limited to extending the period a foreign worker can remain in Canada. Changes may also be required when important employment details are updated, including the worker's job title, duties, employer, or location of work. Some restrictions attached to a permit may also be removed after the worker meets the relevant requirements.
Foreign workers can also change their gender identifier recorded on their immigration documents by following the standard procedure and submitting an additional form known as the Request for a Change of Gender Identifier (IRM 0002). This process is specifically for people who already have a valid Canadian work permit.
Special rules apply when changing jobs for foreign nationals holding employer-specific work permits. An updated permit may be required when an existing job is extended or when key employment conditions, such as salary or duties, are changed. A new work permit is also required when a worker moves to a different position or changes employers.
IRCC states that a worker cannot legally start a new job or work for a different employer until the updated permit reflecting the new conditions has been issued. This means foreign workers should not begin carrying out new duties or working for another employer before receiving the required authorisation.
The extension and modification procedures outlined by IRCC apply to foreign nationals who already hold a valid Canadian work permit. People who do not currently hold a work permit or those outside Canada seeking temporary work authorisation must use the appropriate separate application process.
This update is part of Canada's ongoing efforts to clarify and streamline immigration processes. Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had listed four specific conditions that foreign nationals needed to satisfy to be considered for a temporary resident permit (TRP).
Key points
- Foreign workers may need to extend their work permits due to changes in employment conditions, restrictions attached to work permits, or personal information.
- The guidance from IRCC applies to foreign nationals who already hold a valid Canadian work permit.
- Foreign workers cannot start a new job or work for a different employer until the updated permit has been issued.
