The Canadian government has rolled out a policy preventing Nigerians and other holders of Canadian Visitor Visa from applying for a work permit within the country.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
The policy is expected to kick off immediately, the Canadian government stated.
“While the temporary policy was set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC is ending the policy as part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system,” the statement read.
Recall that the policy was introduced in August 2020 to assist visitors in Canada who were unable to return home because of border closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The policy implies that Visitors could apply for a work permit without having to leave Canada.
However, the IRCC in a fresh move said “some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorisation.”
The fresh policy comes amid strict measures by the Canadian government to tighten its immigration policy.
This comes from the country’s recent immigration reforms that have sparked protests, especially among international students.
Tensions heightened earlier this week when several international students hit the streets across Canada to protest against new immigration policies introduced by the country’s government that could see about 70,000 of them deported.
As of 2023, international students made up 37 percent of study visa holders in Canada.
However, the recent limitation on student visas is expected to reduce the intake of foreign students by 35 percent, a move the government argues is necessary to alleviate pressures on housing, unemployment, and public services.
Barely two days ago, the Canadian government further tightened regulations by announcing that foreign nationals would no longer be able to apply for a PGWP at the border.
