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Feds end exemption allowing visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada

Measure was introduced during pandemic for visitors unable to return home.

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The Liberal government is putting a stop to an immigration exemption that allows visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada. 

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced the policy during the pandemic for visitors who couldn't leave Canada due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.

IRCC said that the exemption was eliminated Aug. 28 as part of the federal government's efforts to cut down on the number of temporary residents in order to "preserve the integrity of the immigration system."

The Liberal government said "bad actors" had been using the exemption to trick foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization.

Applications submitted before Aug. 28 will continue to be processed, IRCC said in a statement. 

• Trudeau announces reduction in temporary foreign workers, suggests more immigration changes to come
• Liberals say they will rein in temporary foreign worker program after historic influx
• Why the health-care sector is hiring temporary foreign workers like never before

IRCC said that while the temporary policy was set to expire on Feb. 28, 2025, it was ending the program early.

"Responding to a racist outcry linking migrants to the affordability crisis, the federal Liberals are making knee-jerk changes to the immigration system to show that they are in control," Syed Hussan, executive director of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, told CBC News.

Hussan said as a result of the change, migrants without permanent residency are losing even more rights. 

"This program was not being used by tourists to become workers," he said. "It was being used by migrant workers to transition in and out of work permits because existing rules make it so hard for workers to find jobs and employers."

Stemming reliance on TFWs

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he is reducing the number of temporary foreign workers in Canada as a part of his government's efforts to reduce the number of temporary residents. 

The rules around the temporary foreign worker program (TFW) were relaxed during a severe post-COVID labour shortage — a decision that led to a spike in the number of low-wage workers in the country.

That historic surge in temporary foreign workers has been identified by some experts as a cause for fuelling unemployment among immigrants and young people.

On Monday, Trudeau said employers in high unemployment areas — places where the unemployment rate is six per cent or higher — will not be able to hire low-wage TFWs, with limited exceptions.

Those exceptions include "food security sectors" like agriculture and food and fish processing as well as construction and health care where acute staffing shortages still exist.

• UN report on Canada's temporary foreign workers details the many ways they've been abused
• From fast food to construction, employers turn more and more to temporary foreign workers

Under the changes, employers will no longer be allowed to hire more than 10 per cent of their total workforce through the TFW program and low-wage TFWs will also be limited to one-year contracts, down from the current two.

"We need Canadian businesses to invest in training and technology, not increasing their reliance on low-cost foreign labour," Trudeau said.

"It's not fair to Canadians struggling to find a good job, and it's not fair to those temporary foreign workers, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited."

Trudeau also said the government is considering a reduction to the number of permanent residents Canada accepts each year — a potentially major policy change after years of increasing immigration levels on the Liberal government's watch.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senior writer

Peter Zimonjic is a senior writer for CBC News. He has worked as a reporter and columnist in London, England, for the Telegraph, Times and Daily Mail, and in Canada for the Ottawa Citizen, Torstar and Sun Media. He is the author of Into The Darkness: An Account of 7/7, published by Random House.

With files from the CBC's John Paul Tasker

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Canada ends temporary public policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits from within the country

Ottawa, August 28, 2024— Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has ended a temporary public policy that allowed visitors to apply for a work permit from within Canada, effective immediately.

IRCC introduced the policy in August 2020 to help visitors who were unable to leave the country due to COVID-19 pandemic–related travel restrictions. 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.

While the temporary policy was set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC is ending the policy as part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system. IRCC is also aware that some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization.

IRCC will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024 under the policy.

Please visit our website for information on how to apply for a work permit .

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• Statement by the Prime Minister on World Humanitarian Day

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The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on World Humanitarian Day:

“Today, on  World Humanitarian Day , we honour the heroes who risk their lives to protect the world’s most vulnerable.

“Twenty-one years ago, an attack on the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, killed 22 humanitarian workers and wounded over 150 others. In the years since, hundreds of aid workers have lost their lives.

“The effects of armed conflict and climate change have resulted in a record-high number of people needing humanitarian assistance. Through our work with humanitarian partners such as the UN, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and non-governmental organizations, Canada is providing urgent assistance and protection to those most in need. We are also ensuring the participation and protection of women and girls through our  Feminist International Assistance Policy .

“One region where humanitarian aid is most needed today is Gaza. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. To date, Canada has committed $165 million to help those in need in Gaza and the West Bank. An urgent ceasefire is needed in Gaza – with the release of hostages, the protection of civilians, and an increased flow of humanitarian aid throughout the region.

“On World Humanitarian Day, I invite all Canadians to learn more about humanitarian workers and their work to build a better world. To humanitarian workers from Canada and around the world: We thank you for your dedication and bravery.”

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For 30 years, World Travel Protection (WTP) has taken care of corporate and leisure travellers across the globe as a 24-hour emergency assistance and third-party administration (TPA) services specialist. We differentiate ourselves by delivering exceptional care in exceptional circumstances, always.

WTP is part of Cover-More Group, which in 2017 became part of the Zurich Insurance Group. Zurich is one of the world’s leading multi-line insurers, which adds global significance, capacity and opportunity to the World Travel Protection brand.

World Travel Protection’s experienced team of around 200+ full time staff includes case managers, doctors, specialists, nurses, paramedics, counsellors, logistics and security experts who handle over 100,000 assistance cases annually with >1000 medical evacuations / repatriations every year*.

We operate 365 days a year to deliver services seamlessly from our 2 x 24-hour multi-lingual command centres in Toronto & Brisbane that in combination handle more than 1 million inbound and outbound calls and emails for assistance per year. We also provide a range of medical and consulting services directly to corporations, particularly those operating in remote or high-risk locations.

Our clinical and health expertise powers the heart of our operations and is strengthened by a culture of customer service excellence. Most importantly, we know how to assist travellers, whoever and wherever they are. Safe and healthy travel is about more than having medical assistance on hand – it’s also about the preparation, with protection and security services when you need them. That’s why we offer our clients end-to-end, holistic travel programs or, if you prefer, a customised choice of support services.

If you seek uncompromising commitment to customer service, or have an incredible appetite for innovation and determination to make the travel experience better for all, then partner with us. You will discover that we invest in quality partnerships and services that redefine world travel.

* based on 2019 numbers

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Canada has been named the safest country in the world for travel

In second and third place are Switzerland and Norway.

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According to a  report  by Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, Canada has been named the safest country in the world to visit in 2024.

The results of the report were determined using a compilation of survey results, in addition to data on risk, crime, climate resilience and more. Canada’s relative lack of gun crime was highlighted as a leading measure of safety.

“As travel destinations go, it really doesn’t get much safer than Canada. Violent crime is comparatively low and there is a low incidence of gun-related crime.”

The Safest Countries for Travelers in 2024 1.🇨🇦 Canada 2.🇨🇭 Switzerland 3.🇳🇴 Norway 4.🇮🇪 Ireland 5.🇳🇱 Netherlands 6.🇬🇧 UK 7.🇵🇹 Portugal 8.🇩🇰 Denmark 9.🇮🇸 Iceland 10.🇦🇺 Australia (Berkshire Hathaway Travel) — World Index (@theworldindex) January 12, 2024

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Canada ranked as world’s safest country for travel in 2024

According to a Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) report released in late 2023 , Canada is considered the world’s safest country for travellers in 2023-2024.

BHTP notes that the overall rankings are based on an average of “all measures from [BHTP’s] State of Travel Insurance research”, which combines “six sub-category scores as the basis” for the rankings.

Furthermore, BHTP notes that it balances its own surveyed “ratings with other indices and information, including the Global Peace Index and the State Department’s own travel safety ratings ”, adding that BHTP “also [averages] the GeoSure Global scores of the major cities in each country.”

Together BHTP uses this variety of measures to “calculate a weighted score that reflects each country’s overall safety.”

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

More: To read BHTP’s full 2023-2024 report, including information on changes in BHTP rankings over the years, caveats and the history and methodology of these rankings, click here .

Canada’s ranking is up five spots from a year ago

Up from sixth place in BHTP’s rankings last year, Canada has ascended to the top spot in the rankings for the world’s safest places to travel this year.

According to the report, key reasons for Canada’s high ranking include “cold weather and low population density, [which] make for safe travels.”

Further, each of the top 15 countries in BHTP’s rankings was given a dedicated section in this year’s report, which included a section titled “what you need to watch out for.”

For Canada, this section identified wildfires as an area of concern for travellers, noting that “Canada’s plethora of forests were seemingly all burning, which has reduced air quality in most major Canadian cities. This made travel to Canada difficult for people with respiratory conditions.”

Still, the quote included in Canada’s dedicated section of the report (from Gap Year Travel Store) sums up travel safety across the country this way, saying “as travelling destinations go it really doesn’t get much safer than Canada … Violent crime is comparatively low and there is a low incidence of gun-related crime.”

Breaking down Canada’s ranking by sub-category

BHTP’s report uses the following dimensions to produce an overall ranking of the safest countries for travel:

• Safety from violent crime
• Safety from terrorism
• Transportation safety*
• Health measures (including disease)
• Safety for groups (women, travellers of colour and LGBTQ+ travellers)

Notably, Canada ranked first in all sub-categories included as part of this year’s ranking. Click here to view the top 10 countries according to each sub-category.

*BHTP notes that transportation safety includes “countries with either well-developed road and transportation systems (everywhere but Iceland) or a limited need to travel far (Iceland).”

BHTP rankings by age and income

BHTP also notes that survey respondents for the 2023-2024 version of these rankings “had wildly different perceptions of the world’s safest countries depending on their age and income.”

Still, in most cases, Canada remained in the top four safest countries for travel according to these sub-groups.

In comparison to the overall rankings, the following indicates how Canada’s place in BHTP’s rankings would have differed if presented based on the responses from specific groups of respondents.

Millennials

Among Millennials who responded to BHTP’s survey, Canada ranked fourth in overall travel safety behind Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK).

Among members of Gen Z who responded to BHTP’s survey, Canada remained number one in overall travel safety.

Respondents with a household income over $200,000

Among BHTP survey respondents who fell into this household income category, Canada ranked second in overall travel safety behind only Portugal.

Respondents spending more than $25,000 per year on travel

Among BHTP survey respondents who fell into this travel spending category, Canada ranked sixth in overall travel safety behind the Netherlands, Hungary, the UK, the Bahamas and Portugal.

“Mature” survey respondents

Although the report does not specify the age that qualifies respondents as “mature”, BHTP survey respondents who fell into this age group ranked Canada as the ninth safest country for travel overall. For this group of respondents, Canada ranked behind:

• South Korea
• New Zealand

For parents who responded to BHTP’s survey, Canada remained number one in overall travel safety.

LGBTQ+ travellers

Uniquely, BHTP survey respondents who identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community were the only sub-group of respondents who completely left Canada outside their top 10 safest countries for travel.

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Protecting travellers – and supporting those responsible for their safety – is our business.

Our experienced World Travel Protection team is dedicated to providing expert medical , travel and security assistance for travellers and expatriates before, during and after they travel.

By helping travellers prevent and mitigate risks – and get the help they need whenever and wherever they need it – our travellers and their risk managers feel empowered, supported, and safe.

Why Choose World Travel Protection?

We have a long-standing history of helping travellers and their risk managers.

At World Travel Protection, protecting people is our priority. We have taken care of corporate and leisure travellers for over 30 years, helping them prevent and mitigate risks before they escalate and providing them with immediate access to the right experts when an emergency occurs.

Our decades of experience in global travel risk management is the reason we are trusted by travellers and organisations across the globe, who allow us to help prepare them for potential travel threats and assist them when they need it most.

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If travellers need emergency help, our medical and security experts are only a phone call away. We have a team of over 200 full-time registered nurses, registered paramedics, doctors, intensive care workers and security professionals who are experts in emergency assistance . This means our travellers get the help they need, fast.

Our experts are based in dedicated Command Centres in Australia, Canada, the UK, and in Argentina via our sister company Universal Assistance , where they provide travellers with access to immediate advice and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

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Travel assistance isn’t only about helping travellers once disaster strikes – it’s also about empowering them to mitigate risks before they occur. We stay ahead of potential risks affecting our travellers by conducting important medical or security risk analysis and reporting on a daily basis.

Because our world is in a constant state of change, it’s important we support our travellers and their risk managers in mitigating emerging medical and security risks, such as pandemics, civil or political unrest, severe weather events, terrorist acts, major transport accidents, or industrial action.

Our World Travel Protection risk experts also help prepare travellers pre-trip with our travel risk training , procedures and policies. This not only empowers the traveller, but keeps them safe and aware of potential risks while they’re away from home.

We provide true worldwide support

We have been part of Cover-More Group – a global travel insurance and traveller assistance company – for over 30 years. During this time, we have helped Cover-More Group provide more than 15 million leisure and business travellers with access to world-class emergency medical assistance and health support each year.

In 2017, we became part of the Zurich Insurance Group – one of the world’s leading multi-line insurers. This global partnership further helps our travellers by providing them with access to 24/7 centres around the world, as well as a network of correspondents and accredited providers to help support them when they need it most.

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Our World Travel Protection team is at the forefront of utilising technology to enhance travel risk management and innovations for our clients. We help support our travellers via our:

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If our travellers need help away from home, we can help them find it. Our industry-leading network includes more than 85,000 medical and security providers located on every continent. To ensure the providers continue to meet our high-standards, our team of qualified staff evaluates our critical providers biennially and conduct in-person, on-site inspections to any that meet our criteria.

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