Effective May 12, a new policy will enable temporary workers who are in Canada to begin working while their work permit application is being processed as long as they:

• are changing jobs or employers

• have been offered a job under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program or the International Mobility Program

The eligibility requirements are the temporary workers:

• must be in Canada with a valid temporary resident status,

• had a valid work permit or were authorized to work without a work permit,

• has submitted a new work permit application or a work permit renewal application for an employer-specific work permit,

• plans to work for a new employer or job as specified by the job offer included in their work permit.

The applications must be submitted from inside Canada and can be either online or on paper. Once the application is received IRCC will request the applicant to complete a Web form to enable communication between them and IRCC. IRCC will then send an email within 10 business days to the applicant advising that they can begin working for the new employer.

This new process reduces the work permit approval time from 10 months to 10 days and thus enables the temporary foreign workers to begin working sooner.