Key Takeaways
• As of August 28, Canada has banned temporary residents on visitor visas from applying for work permits within the country.
• The policy`s early termination is part of IRCC`s efforts to manage the influx of temporary residents and combat immigration fraud.
• Starting September 26, 2024, Canada will cut the number of temporary foreign workers by about 65,000.
Canada has recently launched a new policy that prohibits temporary residents on visitor visas from applying for work permits within the country, a decision that significantly impacts their ability to work and stay in Canada.
This policy change, effective yesterday, August 28, ended a measure introduced in August 2020 to support visitors stranded in Canada due to COVID-19-related border closures, VisaGuide.World reports.
As the Government of Canada revealed, this policy was set to remain in place until February 28, 2025. However, now that the country wants to recalibrate the number of temporary residents and preserve immigration system integrity, the policy has been halted.
Under the policy, visitors in Canada could apply for a work permit without having to leave the country. In addition, foreign nationals who had held a work permit in the previous 12 months but who changed their status in Canada to “visitor” could apply to work legally in Canada while waiting for a decision on their new work permit application.
Government of Canada
IRCC Ends Policy Early to Tackle Temporary Resident Surge and Combat Immigration Fraud
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has decided to terminate it early as part of broader efforts to manage the influx of temporary residents and uphold the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
The decision aligns with IRCC’s ongoing battle against

immigration fraud and aims to reduce the number of temporary residents in the country. For example, last year, 700 Indian international students were found to have entered Canada using fraudulent admission letters from Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs), many of whom were unaware of the fraud.
In response, IRCC now mandates that DLIs confirm the authenticity of acceptance letters within ten days of receiving student applications and has capped the number of international students admitted over the next two years.
During the pandemic, Canada eased rules for international students and migrant workers to address labor shortages and welcomed Ukrainians and Afghans displaced for humanitarian reasons. These policies contributed to a dramatic increase in the temporary resident population, which has more than doubled, rising to 2.8 million from 1.4 million two years ago.
With the pandemic over, critics argue that the policy allowing work permit applications from within Canada encouraged some visitors to come under the guise of tourism while seeking employment and pathways to permanent residency. In response, border enforcement has intensified checks at entry points, particularly airports, to ensure that visitors are genuine travelers.
Canada to Reduce Temporary Foreign Workers by 65,000
Moreover, Canada will reduce the number of temporary foreign workers by about 65,000, with new regulations set to take effect on September 26, 2024. Under the updated rules, permits for low-wage foreign workers in regions experiencing high unemployment will be terminated. Additionally, the duration of low-wage temporary foreign worker permits will be cut from two years to one year V.5583

Germany`s Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) and Kenya`s President William Ruto signed the deal in Berlin Germany has agreed to open the doors to 250,000 skilled and semi-skilled Kenyan workers in a controlled and targeted labour migration deal. Kenya is struggling with increasing difficulties in providing work and sufficient income for its young professionals, while Germany is facing a shortage of skilled labour. V.5609
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BEIJING - China said it would gradually raise its statutory retirement age, as the country grapples with a looming demographic crisis and an older population. Hundreds of millions of people in China are set to enter old age in the coming decades while the birth rate dwindles dramatically. V.5610
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A surprise inspection at a Pretoria restaurant resulted in the arrest of two foreign national employees who allegedly did not have documentation to be in the country. (Alex Mitchley/News24) • The Department of Labour has conducted a `blitz` inspection at a restaurant in Menlyn. • The surprise inspection came after a complaint alleging the flouting of labour practices by a former employee that started making the rounds on social media. • One of the restaurant owners dismissed the allegations. V.5611
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The Western Cape High Court has temporarily stopped the initiation of any process to deport a foreign national who has indicated an intent to apply for asylum, until their application has been finalised. • The Western Cape High Court has temporarily halted the initiation of any process to deport a foreign national who has indicated an intent to apply for asylum, until their application has been finalised. • The interim interdict will remain in place pending the outcome of the main court application brought by the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town. • The court is expected to hear that main challenge in February 2025. V.5612
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South Africa’s plan to attract more professionals to its skills-starved economy through the introduction of a so-called nomad visa for remote workers has been slowed by the need to amend tax regulations. The impediment comes after an initial delay when changes to the visa regime had to be temporarily withdrawn because mandatory public consultation procedures hadn’t been followed. V.5613
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Illegal land occupation has been a very big problem in Pretoria east for decades now, with the evolution of more than two informal settlements, with dwellers being illegal immigrants. Tshwane metro will look to work with Home Affairs to combat illegal land occupation, illegal immigration and theft, according to FF Plus councillor and MMC for community safety in Tshwane, Grandi Theunissen. V.5607
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The City of Tshwane’s fight against hijacking of inner-city buildings could soon take a new turn aimed at deporting illegal immigrants likely to be found guilty of invading those properties. This comes after MMC for Community Safety, Grandi Theunissen, also FF Plus councillor, indicated that the municipality and the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, agreed to join hands in addressing the problem. V.5608
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The departments of Home Affairs and Basic Education deployed mobile units to 1 625 school nationwide to assist young people in rural areas. The Department of Home Affairs is on a drive to assist young people get their IDs. In partnership with the Department of Basic Education, mobile units have scoured the nation’s schools to provide DHA services. V.5603
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South Africa is set to simplify travel for Indian tourists by introducing a 90-day visa waiver starting in January 2025. Along with the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme, these initiatives aim to streamline the visa process and boost tourism significantly. Great news for travelers from India and China! South Africa is taking significant steps to attract more Indian tourists by introducing a 90-day visa waiver starting in January 2025. The new policy aims to simplify travel for Indian visitors and is expected to increase the number of tourists from India. V.5604
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Kuwait’s Central Agency for Remedying Illegal Residents’ Status (CARIRS) has revoked the citizenship of more than 10,000 people with dual nationality between 2011 and last month, the KUNA news agency has reported. According to the agency, the step is the result of a full decade of Kuwaiti efforts to address the dual nationality file, and comes as a culmination of a campaign that began last year to confront those who obtain Kuwaiti citizenship illegally. V.5605
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