A special permit issued by the office of the Immigration Minister, allowing a person not otherwise eligible to do so to enter Canada and remain there for up to three years.
Origin
1970s; earliest use found in The Globe and Mail.
Definition of minister's permit in US English:
minister's permit
noun
Canadian
A special permit issued by the office of the Immigration Minister, allowing a person not otherwise eligible to do so to enter Canada and remain there for up to three years.