Canada Lists 3 Steps Foreigners Must Take Immediately After Losing Jobs Tied to Their Work Permits

• Canada has outlined specific steps that foreign workers must follow if they lose a job connected to an employer-specific work permit
• The government's guidance covers what workers can and cannot do while waiting for a new work permit to be approved
• Foreign workers who ignore the rules risk falling out of status, which could affect their ability to remain in Canada legally

Canada has released official guidance spelling out exactly what foreign nationals must do if they lose a job that is tied to their employer-specific work permit and still wish to continue living and working in the country.

The guidance, issued by the Canadian government, addresses a situation that affects a significant number of migrant workers whose right to work is linked directly to a specific employer. Losing that job does not automatically end a worker's ability to stay in Canada, but it does trigger a strict set of obligations they must meet.

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Canada work permit: job loss

Canada has identified three specific actions that workers in this situation are required to take.

1. First, the worker must secure a new job offer and use it to apply for a change to the conditions of their existing work permit. Without a new offer in hand, the application process cannot begin.
2. Second, the worker must remain inside Canada throughout this period. Leaving the country before a new work permit is approved could complicate or invalidate the process entirely.
3. Third, and critically, the worker must stop working immediately, for both their former employer and any other employer, until one of two things happens: a new work permit is formally approved, or they receive a work authorisation email from the relevant authority.

Why the rules matter for permit holders

Unlike open work permits, which allow holders to work for almost any employer in Canada, employer-specific permits are tied to a named company or organisation. This means the moment that employment relationship ends, the legal basis for the worker's right to work in Canada changes significantly.

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The Canadian government's guidance makes clear that continuing to work without following these steps, even briefly, is not permitted. Workers who do so may find themselves in an irregular situation that could have consequences for future immigration applications.

The three-step process is designed to give workers a legitimate pathway to stay and transition to new employment, provided they act promptly and follow each requirement in the correct order.

Canada lists countries eligible for work permits

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Canada had published a list of countries and territories whose citizens may qualify to apply for a work permit at a port of entry without applying in advance.

The eligibility criteria include being from a visa-exempt country or territory, with the list featuring several countries in Europe, Asia, and other regions.

Source: Legit.ng