Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has reminded foreign workers that holding a valid work permit is the first step to working legally in the country. The reminder, posted on IRCC's verified X (formerly Twitter) page on Saturday, September 12, 2026, was directed at foreign nationals currently working in Canada on work permits.
Permit Alone Is Not Enough: Conditions Must Be Met
IRCC said that while a valid work permit is the foundation of working legally in Canada, the permit alone is not sufficient. Workers must also understand and comply with every condition listed on the document. The department outlined three specific steps workers must follow to maintain their legal status.
First, workers should read and meet all the conditions stated on their work permits. Second, they must apply to extend their permits at least 30 days before the expiry date. Third, they should apply to change any conditions on their permits whenever their circumstances require it.
30-Day Extension Window: A Critical Deadline
The 30-day extension window is particularly important. Applying too late risks a break in authorised status, which can have serious consequences for a worker's ability to remain and work legally in Canada. IRCC did not specify what penalties workers face if they fail to comply. Still, Canadian immigration law generally requires workers to leave or stop working once a permit expires without a renewal application in place.
Canada remains one of the top destinations for Nigerians looking to work abroad, particularly as the japa wave continues to drive emigration from Nigeria. Many Nigerian workers in Canada hold employer-specific or sector-specific permits, making it especially important to track expiry dates and comply with permit conditions. Changing jobs or roles without updating permit conditions could put their status at risk.
Compliance Is Worker Responsibility
IRCC's reminder serves as a direct signal to foreign workers that staying compliant is their own responsibility, and that ignorance of permit conditions will not be treated as an excuse. The department's post on X concerning the consequences of unauthorised work was shared publicly as part of the reminder.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government of Nigeria told Canada that persistent delays in processing visa applications for Nigerian citizens, including students, are hurting the relationship between both countries and must be addressed urgently. The ministry of interior's permanent secretary, Magdalene Ajani, raised the concerns during a recent meeting with David Sproule, the Charge D'Affairs of the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria. The meeting was confirmed in a statement signed by Mary Ali, the ministry's head of media.
Ajani, who represented the interior minister at the talks, said Nigerian students had on several occasions been unable to travel to Canada to begin their studies, even after their visa applications were approved, because study permits were not issued on time. This ongoing issue underscores the importance of timely permit processing for both workers and students.
