Temporary residents will be given more to extend their stay in Canada

The coronavirus pandemic has not kept the Canadian government from being considerate towards immigrants. Canada has decided to provide flexible options to temporary residents who are looking to extend their stay in the country. Former workers, visitors, and students will have time until December 31, 2020, to submit their application for restoring their temporary status.

Why the measure?

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was affected because of the coronavirus shutdown and travel restrictions. So, they have announced this new policy allowing individuals to have an extended deadline for applying for restoration of status.

Before this, temporary residents were only given 90-days to submit an application for restoration of status. Now, they will be able to apply anytime before December 31, 2020, if they want to restore their status. They must satisfy all the requirements of the status that they want to restore.

Requirements:

The policy will be applicable for former holders of study permits, work permits, and temporary resident visas (TRV), living in Canada at the moment. Their status must have expired after January 30, 2020. With this new measure in place, former work-permit holders will be able to continue working in Canada when they are applying for an employer-specific work permit.

The candidates must have a job offer in order to qualify for this. They either have to submit a work permit application that is supported by the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or have an LMIA-exempt job offer. It is important the candidates keep the IRCC informed about their status at all times.

IRCC has provided motivation and encouragement to temporary residents in Canada throughout the pandemic. Candidates have been advised to renew their study, work, or temporary resident status so they can hold on to their legal authority in Canada.