Workers with permits allowed in Canada, restrictions relaxed

Canada immigration is probably the most positive immigration process in the world today. It has kept going even in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. The nation has a rich history of welcoming talented and skilled professionals to the country. When the pandemic finally clears, Canada will have benefitted from its uninterrupted immigration activities today.

The good news is that Canadian work permit holders now have permission to enter the country. This is applicable even for those who got the government’s approval after the travel ban was imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Earlier, many were apparently banned from traveling to Canada. This was in cases where the traveler’s permits were approved after March 18, 2020. In the latest update, work permit holders can fly to Canada if they aren't showing COVID-19 symptoms. These could be even those who come from outside the US.

Those travelers who show symptoms of COVID-19 may still be allowed to enter by land. But it will be mandatory for them to practice self-isolation.

It’s still mandatory for all travelers to self-isolate for 14 days once they enter Canada from abroad. Only truck drivers are exempt from this rule. This is because they regularly cross the Canada-US border to keep the supply of goods intact.

Some temporary modifications have also been implementedby Canada to the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. These process modifications are applicable to agriculture and food-processing employers. There will be a waiver in the required 2-week recruitment period. The waiver will be for the next 6 months. There will also be an increase in the maximum employment duration allowable for workers. This will be applied to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program low-wage stream from 1 to 2 years.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) won’t close or reject any application in progress owing to a lack of documentation. IRCC also won’t decline applicants found unable to complete certain steps in the process. These could be steps like completing a medical exam or giving biometrics.

Temporary residents in Canada can apply for an extension of their status online. They can stay back in the country until a decision is made on their new application. They can live in Canada on an “implied” status if their initial temporary residence status expires.

It's to be noted that applying directly to a border services officer at a port of entry isn't treated as “essential travel”. In such a case, no service will be given to such applicants.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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