Until recently, foreign workers in Canada who wanted to change the conditions on their employer-specific work permit—such as switching employers, changing job roles, or extending the duration—or those who were working without a work permit but needed to apply for an employer-specific work permit for a new job, had to apply for a new permit and wait for approval before starting the new role. With an estimated processing time of 234 days for work permit applications submitted from inside Canada (as of 28 May 2025 —Check IRCC processing times), this caused long delays, loss of income, and hiring frustrations for employers seeking to retain talent already in Canada. The problem is further exacerbated by Canada’s recent policy to reduce the inflow of new temporary workers.
In response, on 04 March 2025, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship signed a temporary public policy to address this gap (See the link here). Effective 27 May 2025 (12 weeks after being signed), the policy allows certain foreign nationals in Canada who have secured a valid offer of employment to start working in a new position or with a new employer immediately after submitting their work permit application, before it is approved.
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
To benefit from this new policy, you must meet the following conditions:
- You are in Canada
- You applied for a new employer-specific work permit
- You currently either:
- hold an employer-specific work permit, or
- are a worker who can work without a work permit
- This does not include:
- business visitors
- short-term workers under the Global Skills Strategy
- This does not include:
- You have applied for the public policy exemption using IRCC’s designated method (electronically or, if necessary, by alternative format)
- You have explicitly requested authorization to work until a decision is made
How to Request Authorization to Work While the Application is Being Processed
IRCC has suggested a specific message to request this authorization (Check here).
If you are applying for a new employer-specific work permit after the effective date of this policy, make sure to include this message in a letter of explanation and submit it as part of your “Client Information” file.
If you have already applied for a new work permit and are waiting for IRCC to make a decision, you need to send a web form requesting this authorization.
Regardless of your situation, make sure to include the code PPCHANGEWORK2020 in the first line of your request (whether in your explanation letter or in the web form).
The IRCC-suggested messages are templates; you will need to complete or correct any missing or inaccurate information.
If your application passes IRCC’s initial check, they will send you an email confirming your authorization to work while your application is being processed. You cannot start working in a new position or under new conditions until you receive this confirmation email from IRCC.
Final Thoughts
If you currently hold a work permit, make sure you apply to extend it or apply for a new one before your current work permit expires. You cannot benefit from these special measures if you lose your status.
If you have already lost your status, you will have 90 days to apply for restoration. You will not generally be able to work or study while waiting for IRCC to decide on your restoration application.
Temporary policies like this one often undergo further clarification or amendment. Given the Government of Canada’s move to reduce both temporary and permanent resident intake, it is more important than ever to seek experienced legal advice before changing employers or job duties as a temporary foreign worker.
If you have questions or need legal support at any stage of your work permit application, the immigration and refugee law team at Heron Law Offices is here to help.
