Public Policy facilitating entry into Canada for short term work

Background

Highly skilled foreign nationals coming to Canada for short periods of time bring important economic benefits while having a limited impact on the labour market. Facilitating the entry of these workers through work permit exemptions will remove financial and administrative barriers for Canadian employers, improve the competitiveness of Canadian knowledge economy firms, and incentivize additional economic activity within Canada.

Public Policy Considerations

Similar to economic employers, Canadian degree granting institutions and affiliated research institutions sometimes require highly specialized foreign researchers for short periods of time to produce world class research. Canadian institutions are in competition with top tier research institutions from around the world to attract foreign researchers with rare and highly specialized expertise. Enacting facilitative measures via this policy will assist Canadian institutions in the recruitment of top tier researchers and increase the number of opportunities for Canadian researchers to collaborate with top tier foreign researchers.

Therefore, I hereby establish that there are sufficient public policy considerations that justify granting, in accordance with section 25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act exemptions from the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Regulations) listed below to foreign nationals who meet the conditions set out below.

Conditions

Based on public policy considerations, delegated officers may grant an exemption for 15, 30 or 120 consecutive days from the requirements of the Regulations identified below to a foreign national seeking to enter Canada if:

1. The foreign national
   1. intends to perform work – in an occupation that is listed in Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility (TEER) Category 0 or 1 of the National Occupation Classification, as defined in section 2 of the Regulations – for up to 15 consecutive days; and
   2. has not been granted an exemption under this public policy in the last six months;
2. The foreign national
   1. intends to perform work – in an occupation that is listed in TEER Category 0 or 1 of the National Occupation Classification, as defined in section 2 of the Regulations – for up to 30 consecutive days; and
   2. has not been granted an exemption under this public policy in the last 12 months; or
3. The foreign national
   1. after having received an offer from a publicly funded Canadian degree granting institution, or their affiliated research institution, intends to perform work as a researcher for up to 120 consecutive days;
   2. has a significant role to play or value to add to the research project;
   3. when seeking to enter Canada, on the request of an officer, produced a written confirmation from the institution, which includes the description and duration of the work, and
   4. has not been granted an exemption under this public policy in the last 12 months.

Provisions of the Regulations for which an exemption may be granted:

• Section 183(1)(b) – The condition to not work unless authorized by Part 9 or 11 of the Regulations.
• Section 196 – The requirement to be authorized to work in Canada by a work permit or the Regulations.

Other Admissibility and Selection Criteria

Foreign nationals eligible under this public policy are subject to all other legislative admissibility and selection requirements not exempted under this public policy.

Effective Date

This public policy takes effect on the day on November 16, 2022.
This Public Policy supersedes the Public Policy facilitating entry into Canada for short term work signed on June 12, 2017.