Canada – Mail Service Interruption Will Cause Delay for Mailed Applications and Work Permits
A strike between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is imminent. A two week extension to the July 2nd deadline was officially declined by the Canada Post CEO, Deepak Chopra. The two parties have been bargaining over retirement benefits and overtime. This strike would disrupt mail service across Canada, halting 50,000 postal workers. All mailed applications and work permit extensions will encounter a delay, as work permit extensions are only mailed via regular post.
Applicants should be aware that there will be a delay in processing mailed applications. Work permit extensions filed online will also be delayed since the work permit extension is issued through mail. The last time mail service was interrupted in Canada was in 2011, a lock out that lasted for three weeks.