An applicant's work permit technically showed as expired, though IRCC had sent a formal blanket email extending status for everyone with expired/expiring work permits while extension applications were processed. Their employer and IRCC were both fine with their status, but the Police Certificate vendor (CGI/Vancouver) refused to process their PCC application because their system showed the work permit as expired.
What the thread suggested:- A Canadian police certificate may not actually be required for CEC/PR applications in some cases. One member noted that local police services (e.g., Surrey RCMP) explicitly state they don't issue PCCs for PR purposes — so double-check whether a Canadian PCC is even the right document to be requesting.
- Consider applying for a local PCC through your home country in parallel (e.g., via family members applying on your behalf) while working out the Canadian PCC issue, since it doesn't rely on your Canadian work permit status.
- Make sure any updated passport or work permit extension information has already been submitted to IRCC via webform before your PGWP or related decision is made, since gaps in what's on file can cause exactly this kind of mismatch with third-party vendors like CGI.
Practical takeaway: if a PCC vendor is blocked by a status mismatch that IRCC itself has already addressed via a blanket extension policy, don't assume you're stuck — verify whether a Canadian PCC is actually required for your application type, and pursue a home-country PCC as a parallel path if it is.