Exposed: How Fake Work Permit Applications Are Undermining Canada’s Immigration System
Overview
Canada’s immigration system is under increasing strain from a growing and controversial practice: the use of “fake work permit extensions” by temporary foreign workers. These applications, often submitted without genuine job offers or employment intentions, are being used strategically to extend stays in Canada under “maintained status” while awaiting outcomes for permanent residency pathways.
While these applications can offer short-term relief for foreign nationals seeking more time in Canada, they are creating serious consequences for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and legitimate applicants—prompting a stronger enforcement response from the federal agency.
What Are Fake Work Permit Extensions?
Fake work permit extensions—sometimes called “placeholder” or “dummy” applications—are filed with the primary goal of buying time, not for genuine employment purposes. They exploit a legal provision known as “maintained status,” which allows individuals to remain and work in Canada under their current permit terms while their new application is being processed.
This tactic gives temporary residents months of legal stay—even when the application is weak, unsupported, or ineligible.
Why the Surge in Fake Extensions?
Multiple systemic and individual factors have led to the increase in such applications:
1. Limited PR Pathways
Canada’s immigration targets have shifted, with the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan aiming to reduce temporary residents to just 5% of the total population. This has made permanent residency more competitive and driven many to exploit temporary loopholes to stay longer.
2. Long Processing Times
The current average processing time for work permit extensions stands at 158 days. This delay is a key factor, offering applicants a nearly six-month legal stay even if their application holds no merit.
3. Maintained Status Loophole
Temporary foreign workers can legally remain in Canada under the same conditions of their expiring work permit once they submit a new application. Because many are applying for open work permits—which don’t require employer-specific verification—these extensions often pass through initial screening undetected.
4. Strategic Career Planning
Many applicants use these fake extensions to gain time for:
- Gaining Experience: Especially PGWP holders who need one year of skilled work experience for Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
- Waiting for Invitations: Express Entry candidates waiting for their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores to improve.
- Waiting on Nominations: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants needing time to receive a nomination.
How the Scheme Works
The fake extension process often goes like this:
- Valid Permit Needed: The individual applies before their existing permit expires.
- Avoiding LMIA: Applications are typically for open work permits or general categories that don’t need Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), making detection harder.
- Delays as a Strategy: While the IRCC processes their application (which could take 5 months or more), the applicant remains legally employed and continues building immigration credentials.
In many cases, immigration consultants may even suggest this tactic as a short-term strategy, despite the long-term risks.
When Is a Work Permit Without LMIA Legitimate?
IRCC has made it clear: A work permit application that lacks LMIA approval is only valid when:
- The employer has already submitted an LMIA request.
- The decision on that LMIA is expected within 1–3 months.
- The applicant is eligible to apply from within Canada.
Yet, many fake extensions bypass these conditions using vague job offers and open permits, undermining the rules.
IRCC’s Response: Increased Scrutiny and Faster Rejections
IRCC is now cracking down by:
- Implementing Triage Screening: Questionable applications are identified early and processed more critically.
- Cancelling Non-Genuine Applications: IRCC has begun actively rejecting fake applications and issuing penalties.
- Stakeholder Feedback and Policy Reform: Employers, immigration experts, and community organizations have pushed the federal government to tighten intake systems and prioritize legitimate applicants.
As of May 2025, IRCC had processed nearly 500,000 work permits in just four months and reduced its backlog by 35%. However, fake applications continue to slow progress.
5 Disturbing Examples of System Abuse
Here are key ways fake extensions are being used to manipulate the system:
- PGWP Holders Gaining Eligibility
Graduates with short-term permits use fake applications to complete one year of skilled work, qualifying them for Express Entry under CEC. - PNP Applicants Delaying Status Expiry
Candidates waiting on a nomination extend their stay through placeholder applications to avoid falling out of status. - Express Entry Score Boosters
Candidates with low CRS scores stay longer to gather Canadian work experience and improve their scores while waiting for an ITA. - Open Permit Loophole
Open permits don’t require employer verification, allowing vague or fabricated employment claims to go unnoticed. - Financial Bridge Tactic
Individuals who’ve lost jobs or are between employers apply to maintain legal status and continue earning while job-hunting.
Consequences for Misuse
While it may appear to be a low-risk strategy, fake work permit extensions can lead to:
- Rejection and Loss of Status
Once IRCC identifies the application as frivolous, it can be denied, leaving the applicant out of status and subject to removal. - Misrepresentation Penalties
Submitting a false application can result in a five-year ban from entering or applying to Canada. - Systemic Delays
Genuine applicants suffer due to inflated backlogs, forcing employers and foreign workers to wait months unnecessarily. - Long-Term Repercussions
A flagged application may affect future immigration or visa prospects in Canada and other countries.
Stakeholders Call for Reform
Immigration lawyers, employers, and community groups are calling for urgent changes. Employers say hiring is delayed by these backlogs, especially in essential fields like healthcare and skilled trades.
Meanwhile, workers themselves—often unaware of the risks—fall into this trap out of desperation for a better future in Canada.
Policy Suggestions to Curb Abuse
To address this growing concern, experts recommend:
- Stricter Intake Filters
Flagging applications with unverifiable claims or weak documentation at the intake stage. - Faster Pathways for Genuine Cases
Streamlined systems for legitimate work permit holders to reduce the appeal of fake extensions. - Expanded PR Access
Improving access to permanent residency through Express Entry and PNP programs could reduce the motivation for misuse. - Education Campaigns
Raising awareness among temporary workers about the risks of misrepresentation and the importance of compliance.
Final Thoughts
Fake work permit extensions are a growing issue that jeopardizes the fairness and efficiency of Canada’s immigration system. While temporary foreign workers face real obstacles, the misuse of legal provisions for personal advantage threatens to destabilize the entire process.
IRCC is now taking firm steps to tighten the system, but further policy changes and awareness efforts are needed to restore integrity and trust.
For a consultation about Immigration options, reach out to the CAD IMMIGRATION today!
