When to apply for a work permit extension
You must apply to extend or change your work permit if it will expire soon, or if you want to change employers, your job, your pay or other conditions. IRCC asks you to apply at least 30 calendar days before your permit expires, and to allow extra time because in-Canada processing can be long. Check the current estimate with IRCC's processing times tool.
The hard deadline is the expiry date itself: IRCC must receive your application before your work permit expires. For online applications, IRCC uses midnight UTC on the expiry day, which is earlier in the evening in Canadian time zones. Do not leave it to the last evening.
Two other limits matter. You cannot extend your work permit beyond the expiry date of your passport, and IRCC cannot issue a permit valid for longer than your biometrics. Renew your passport first if it expires soon.
How to apply online
In most cases you must apply online. Paper applications are accepted only if you cannot apply online because of a disability or a technical problem with the online application.
- Sign in to or create your IRCC secure account and answer the questionnaire.
- Complete form IMM 5710 and upload the documents on your personalized checklist, using a scanner or camera.
- Pay the fees at the end of the application with a valid credit or debit card.
- Submit a complete application. IRCC warns it may refuse an application with missing documents or information.
- Give your biometrics if IRCC asks for them.
- Employer-specific permit needing an LMIA: you should usually wait for your employer's positive LMIA decision letter before applying.
- If your permit expires in two weeks or less and your employer has submitted a complete LMIA (or Quebec CAQ) application, you may apply before receiving it. IRCC will not decide until the LMIA or CAQ arrives.
Fees for a work permit extension
Fees are paid online when you submit. Some applicants are exempt from some or all fees, and the online checklist shows what applies to you.
| Fee | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Work permit processing (including extensions) | $155 |
| Open work permit holder fee | $100 |
| Biometrics, one person | $85 |
| Biometrics, family applying together | Up to $170 |
| Restore your status as a worker (restoration plus work permit) | $401.25 |
Maintained status: working while you wait
If you applied before your permit expired, you are legally allowed to stay in Canada while IRCC processes your application. This is called maintained status. You can keep working under the same conditions as your current permit. For an employer-specific permit, that means the same employer, the same job and the same work location. IRCC says that with an open work permit you can usually change employers, jobs or locations, unless your permit lists specific conditions; check IRCC's expired-permit page for your situation.
If you applied to change your employer or job, keep working for your original employer until a decision. You cannot start the new job until your application is approved or you get an authorization to work while it is processed.
After you apply online, IRCC usually places a letter in your account, called the WP-EXT letter, which you can show your employer as proof that you can keep working. It shows a date 365 days after IRCC received your application, and you can keep working past that date until a decision if your conditions have not changed. You will not get this letter if you applied after your permit expired, if this is your first Canadian work permit, or if you hold a PGWP. Paper applicants do not get it either and can use a copy of the application, proof of fee payment or courier tracking instead.
- Maintained status does not apply if you applied for a temporary resident permit.
- If you applied for a study permit or a visitor record instead of a new work permit, you can only work until your current work permit expires.
- While on maintained status you cannot renew provincial documents such as a driver's licence or health card, and you cannot apply for a SIN or update its expiry date. Renew them before your permit expires if you can. Some provinces have their own rules for health coverage during maintained status (for example, temporary MSP coverage in B.C. if you are already enrolled); see the health card guides in this section.
- Your SIN expires with your permit, but you can keep working with the expired SIN until IRCC decides.
Leaving Canada while your extension is in process
If you applied to renew your work permit before it expired, you can leave Canada and come back, but there are consequences. If your renewal is still in process when you return, you may be allowed back in as a visitor, and you cannot work until your work permit renewal is approved. If you meet the requirements, you may be able to apply for a work permit when you enter.
If your renewal was approved while you were away, you may be allowed to re-enter as a worker and start working as soon as you enter. A work permit is not a travel document: you may also need a valid visitor visa or eTA, depending on your citizenship. Having one does not guarantee re-entry, and you must show the border officer that you meet all the requirements.
For many newcomers, the safest choice is to avoid international travel until the decision arrives, because a trip can cost you weeks of income.
After IRCC decides
If your application is approved, you receive either an extension of your current permit or a new permit with updated conditions. IRCC notifies you in your online account, and you can start working under the new permit as soon as you receive that notice. You do not need to wait for the paper permit in the mail.
Then update everything that depends on your permit. Update your SIN record with the new permit, and renew provincial documents, such as your health card, that you could not renew while on maintained status.
If your permit already expired: restoring your status
If you did not apply before your permit expired, maintained status does not protect you, and IRCC does not issue the WP-EXT letter to people who applied after expiry. Under section 182 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, a worker who has lost temporary resident status can apply to restore it within 90 days after losing it. An officer restores status only if you still meet the initial requirements for your stay and have complied with your other conditions.
Restoring your status as a worker costs $401.25: the $246.25 restoration fee plus the $155 work permit fee. Do not assume you can keep working while a restoration application is in process, and get advice quickly, since the 90-day window is short.
PGWP limits and common mistakes
A post-graduation work permit (PGWP) works differently from other permits. You can get only one: IRCC says you cannot get a PGWP if you already had one after an earlier program of study. Your PGWP is issued only for the period your passport is valid. If it was shortened because your passport was expiring, you can apply on paper to extend it once you have a new passport valid for your full eligibility period.
Common mistakes to avoid: applying after midnight UTC on the expiry day, starting a new job before the new permit is approved, travelling abroad and then working on re-entry before approval, letting a passport limit the new permit, and forgetting to update the SIN after approval.
We don't provide legal opinions; for advice on your file, contact an RCIC-verified consultant or a lawyer.