Recently, the Canadian federal government has released detailed eligibility criteria for foreign nationals to work as academic examiners without a permit for the first time.

The updated guidelines, effective July 31, 2026, state that examiners must be senior academics or industry professionals with a recognized reputation in their field. They must also present an official invitation letter from the inviting governing body.

The revised instructions, titled “International Mobility Program: Authorization to work without a work permit – Examiners and evaluators,” now provide a breakdown of the three qualifying categories: thesis examiners, research proposal evaluators, and program/university project evaluators.

These new guidelines outline specific eligibility criteria and detailed explanations for each category, which were absent in the previous version.

Additionally, the updated instructions introduce three standard requirements applicable to all work permit exemptions: a duration of less than six months, no remuneration from within Canada, and the possibility of specific work authorization limitations set by the officer.

Furthermore, officers can issue a visitor record to foreign nationals outlining the conditions of their permit-exempt work authorization.

Foreign nationals aiming to enter Canada under a work permit exemption must provide sufficient documentation to demonstrate their eligibility to the officer.

About Work Permit Exemptions

Typically, foreign nationals need a work permit to work in Canada as temporary foreign workers. However, under specific exemptions, they can work as visitors if they meet the criteria defined by the federal government’s regulations.