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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently implemented a significant policy change to simplify the process for International Experience Canada (IEC) participants already residing in Canada. This new measure allows eligible individuals to receive their IEC work permits by mail, eliminating the previous requirement to exit and re-enter the country—a practice commonly known as "flagpoling."
Key Highlights of the Policy Change
• Mail Delivery of Work Permits: IEC participants who meet specific criteria can now have their new work permits mailed directly to their Canadian address. This change removes the need for international travel solely to activate a new work permit.
• Eligibility Criteria:
o The applicant must have been in Canada with a valid IEC work permit at the time of applying for another IEC participation.
o They must currently hold a valid Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction and request their new work permit before the LOI expires.
o Applicants must have legal status in Canada at the time they request the work permit to be mailed.
• Policy Duration: This temporary policy is effective immediately and will remain in place until December 1, 2025.
Background and Implications
Previously, IEC participants seeking to extend their stay in Canada had to leave the country and re-enter to activate a new work permit. This process was not only inconvenient and costly but also became more complicated after IRCC banned flagpoling at U.S. and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon borders as of December 24, 2024.
The introduction of mail-delivered work permits streamlines the process, allowing eligible IEC participants to continue their work in Canada without interruption. However, it's important to note that work permit processing currently takes 4–6 weeks or longer, so applicants are strongly advised to apply well before their current permit expires.
Source :- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ircc-simplifies-work-permits-iec-participants-already-canada-6igvc/
