In these instructions, “officer” refers to an employee of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These instructions do not apply to the Canada Border Services Agency, as applicants are not eligible to apply for this program at the port of entry.
A temporary public policy has been issued to allow certain temporary residents in Canada with a visitor status to apply for a work permit from within Canada. While all visitors in Canada can apply for an employer-specific work permit under the public policy, only those who held a work permit in the last 12 months may request interim authorization to work.
The public policy came into effect on August 24, 2020, and the eligibility criteria were expanded to allow all visitors who are in Canada with valid temporary resident status to apply inland for an employer-specific work permit, regardless of when they arrived in Canada. The public policy is being extended until February 28, 2023.
If you are interested to learn more about this public policy and its eligibility, click here.