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Ford Reverses Plan to Grant Provincial Work Permits to Asylum Seekers

The announcement came after federal data refuted his claim of two-year permit waits with an average processing time below two months.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to the media during the meeting of Canada’s premiers in Huntsville, Ont., last week.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to the media after signing a memorandum of understanding with Alberta and Saskatchewan during the 2025 summer meetings of Canada's Premiers at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on July 22, 2025.

Overview

  • Less than a week after vowing to invoke Section 95 of the Constitution for provincial permits, Ford abandoned the plan at Queen’s Park.
  • Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says asylum seeker work permits take about 45 days nationally and 48 days in Ontario, not the two years Ford cited.
  • Labour Minister David Piccini confirmed Ontario will not issue its own permits while premiers continue urging Ottawa to accelerate refugee claim adjudications.
  • Ford argued that prolonged permit delays forced asylum seekers onto social assistance or into undeclared work, increasing costs for Ontario’s support programs.
  • Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the reversal highlights Ford’s inconsistency and urged him to focus on core provincial responsibilities like health care and infrastructure.