Work Permit Expiring in Canada: What Happens and What to Do (2026)

If your work permit is expiring in Canada, what happens next depends on one thing: whether you applied to extend before the expiry date. Apply before it expires and you can keep working under maintained status while IRCC reviews your application. Miss the deadline and your authorization to work ends the day your permit expires, no matter how long you have been in Canada.

Here is exactly how each scenario works.

If you applied before your work permit expiry: maintained status

If you submitted a work permit extension application before your current permit expired, you are protected by maintained status (previously called implied status) under section 183 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

Maintained status means:

• You can continue working for the same employer, in the same occupation, and under the same conditions as your expiring permit

• Your legal authorization continues automatically while IRCC processes your extension

• You are not required to stop working between the expiry date and the new permit arriving

• Maintained status continues until you receive a decision on your extension application

You do not need to do anything extra once you have applied. Keep a copy of your extension application and the IRCC acknowledgement of receipt with you at work, so you can show your employer why you are still authorized.

One detail people miss: if your permit shows a "Must leave Canada by" date that is later than the permit expiry date, that later date is when your status ends. Check both dates on your document.

For the step-by-step extension process, read how to extend a work permit in Canada.

If your work permit has already expired: restoration of status

If your work permit expired and you did not apply to extend before that date, your status has lapsed. You can no longer work legally in Canada.

Your only in-Canada remedy is a restoration of status application, which must be filed within 90 days of the date your status was lost.

Key facts about restoration:

• You can remain in Canada during the 90-day window and while your restoration application is processed

• You cannot work during this period, even if the restoration is approved later

• Fees: $246.25 to restore your status plus $155 for the new work permit, $401.25 in total, per IRCC's published fee list

• Processing was running roughly 99 to 180 days as of mid-2026; check IRCC's current processing times before you plan around a date

• You must apply on the correct form (IMM 5710, selecting "Restore my status as a worker") and show you still meet the original work permit requirements

If the 90-day window has already passed, there is no restoration option inside Canada. You would need to leave and apply for a new work permit from abroad.

For the full process and current timelines, read restoration of status in Canada: processing time and how to apply. IRCC's own instructions are at canada.ca: restore your status and get a work permit, and the fee amounts above come from the IRCC fee list.

Worried your window is closing? A 30-minute Ansari Immigration consultation ($80) tells you which option you actually still have: maintained status, restoration, or a bridging open work permit. If your situation is straightforward enough to file yourself, that is what you will be told. Book a consultation ($80, 30 min).

If a permanent residence application is pending: bridging open work permit

If you have a permanent residence application in progress under Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, or Federal Skilled Trades), you may qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).

A BOWP lets you keep working for any employer while your PR application is processed. To qualify, your current work permit must still be valid when you apply, your PR application must have received an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR), and the application must be in a BOWP-eligible stream.

Apply for the BOWP before your current work permit expires. Miss that window and you cannot get a BOWP while maintaining status; you would have to go through restoration first.

Learn more on the Ansari Immigration work permits page, or read about the broader permanent residence pathways to understand your PR options.

What counts as losing status: the most common mistake

In practice, the most common mistake seen in this office is a client who assumes they can keep working past their permit expiry because their extension application is "in the system." Maintained status only protects you if you applied before the permit expired. Submitting an extension one day after expiry means you have no maintained status and cannot legally work, even while that application is pending.

Timing is not a technicality here. Working without valid authorization is an immigration violation that can affect future applications for work permits, permanent residence, and even visitor status. If you are close to your expiry date and have not applied yet, apply now.

IRCC's official guidance is at canada.ca: what to do if your work permit expires or is expiring.

Ansari Immigration is led by a licensed RCIC (R709304, verifiable on the CICC public register), practicing since 2019 and handling work permit extensions and status problems for clients in Vancouver and across Canada. If your permit is expiring, or has already expired, reserve a consultation ($80, 30 min) before your options narrow.

Frequently asked questions about work permit expiry in Canada

Can I stay in Canada after my work permit expires?

Yes, in two situations: if you have maintained status because you applied to extend before expiry, or if you filed a restoration application within 90 days of losing status. Staying beyond those windows puts you out of status, which carries serious consequences.

Can I work in Canada with an expired work permit?

No. An expired work permit does not authorize work. The only exception is maintained status, which applies only if you applied to extend before the expiry date. If your permit expired without a timely renewal application, you cannot work until a valid new permit is in hand.

Do I have to leave Canada when my work permit expires?

Not necessarily. If you applied to extend before expiry, you can stay and keep working under maintained status. If you did not apply in time, you can still stay for up to 90 days to file a restoration application, though you cannot work during that period.

What should I do first if my work permit is about to expire?

Submit your extension application as early as you can, ideally two to three months before the expiry date. That protects you with maintained status if processing runs long. Also check whether you qualify for a BOWP if a PR application is already in progress.

What if my passport expires before my work permit does?

Your work permit stays valid even if your passport expires first, but you must renew the passport separately. You need a valid passport to travel or to be issued a new permit, so include the renewed passport with any extension application.

Related reading

• What is implied status in Canada?: a full explanation of maintained status, what it covers, what it does not, and when it ends.

• Restoration of status in Canada: processing time and how to apply: what to do if your permit has already expired, and what the 90-day process looks like.

• How to extend a work permit in Canada: the step-by-step guide to applying before your current permit expires.

• LMIA jobs in Canada: what an employer-specific permit tied to an LMIA means for your status.

  
  

This article is for general information only. It is not legal advice. Program criteria, requirements, processing times, and selection approaches can change without notice. Always confirm details on official government websites or consult a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) for advice specific to your situation.