Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says there is no truth to reports that Canada is ending its open work permit program this year.
A number of reports have quickly spread on social media recently, with claims originating from unofficial and unverified websites, despite no official announcement from the IRCC.
Apol Apuntar, a licensed paralegal in Toronto, categorized the news as misleading.
“Immigration is about laws and regulations, it’s not about Facebook likes,” Apuntar said.
Apuntar said he believes this news quickly spread due to its sensational nature, leaving many newcomers stressed and worried.
He cited numbers from the IRCC’s Immigration Levels plan under the International Mobility program as an example, which is one of the pathways that gives out open work permits.
“As far as Canada’s Immigration Levels plan is concerned, they are planning to accept 170,000 for 2026, 170,000 in 2027, and 170,000 in 2028.”
According to Apuntar, the only open work permit program applications that are ending as of now are the previously announced changes to the Temporary Resident (TR) to Permanent Resident (PR) pathway.
“The public policy allowing TR to PR applicants back in 2021 to apply for an open work permit will be open until December 2026,” Apuntar said.
“Other than that, there is no announcement from the Canadian government that they will also close all open work permits.”
Kelly Botengan, a Filipino advocate and settlement counsellor, said that the spread of misinformation adds to the worry of a community already under a lot of stress.
“When you’re in that kind of situation, it’s easier to believe the things you hear and read online,” she said.
She points to legal clinics and licensed professionals as a resource for those who may need help.
“A legal clinic is one of the best sources of information because if, for example, your issue isn’t covered by the legal clinic, they usually have a list of other lawyers or legal service providers that they can recommend, and usually the services are free,” Botengan said.
In a statement to OMNI News, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that reports of the end of open work permits in 2026 were false.
“There are two types of work permits, employer-specific and open work permits. For more information, please consult our website: Work permit – Canada.ca.”
They urged people to use the Department’s official website to get the latest information on their programs.
IRCC also reminded the public that it is continuously working to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation about Canada’s immigration system.
