Visitors can apply for work permits in Canada without leaving country

Toronto: Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that foreign nationals who are in Canada as visitors and who receive a valid job offer will be able to apply for a work permit without leaving the country.

The move, an extension of the Covid-era temporary public policy that was about to end, has now been extended for two years till February 28, 2025.
Visitors applying under this public policy who had a work permit within the past 12 months will also be able to request interim work authorization for their new employer to start work more rapidly.
Prior to this temporary policy change, those applying to work in Canada will usually have to apply for their initial work permit before coming to Canada.
If they were already in Canada with visitor status if approved for a work permit, they would need to leave the country to issue their work permit.
When this policy comes into force, it is not necessary to leave Canada.
Those who wish to benefit from this temporary public policy must have valid status in Canada as a visitor on the day they apply and have a job offer that is supported by the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or the LMIA-free offer of employment.