Canada closes post-graduation work permit loophole; Details inside

TORONTO: The Canadian government has announced that foreign nationals can no longer apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) at the Canada-US border, here on Monday.

As per the details, a practice known as ‘flag polling’ occurs when temporary residents of Canada leave the country, bypassing the normal wait times involved in applying for a work or study permit online and then using same-day immigration services. Immediately re-enters to receive.

The practice has now been phased out as the government claims it uses resources, urging applicants to apply in Canada rather than the flag pool.

In an official press release issued on Friday, it was highlighted that the process takes officers away from enforcement activities, causing delays for passengers and slow movement of goods.

As far as statistics go, from March 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024, PGWP (Post Graduate Work Permit) applicants represented nearly one-fifth of foreign nationals who attempted the flag poll.

As the government has phased out the practice, it has vowed to improve processing times, claiming that they will be more integrated, modern and flexible to help speed up application processing globally. Moving to centralized working environments.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Mark Miller commented on the development that while the government continues to support and recognize the contribution of international graduates to Canada’s labor market, ‘flag polling’ is unnecessary.

The time and effort required to process requests from ‘flag pollers’ takes officers on both sides of the border away from their critical role in the safety, security and prosperity of Canadians and Americans. This move will help prevent this practice while maintaining the integrity of our immigration system,” the minister said.

It should be noted that to address the concerns of applicants, the government has announced that it has given workers the option to apply to new employers immediately rather than waiting for their new work permit application to be processed before changing jobs. So start working.