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Once you submit your application to extend or renew your work permit, you can keep working under the same conditions of your current work permit until a decision is made on your application. This is called “maintained status”.
If your employer needs proof that you can keep working, there are documents you can show them.
What should I know about renewing or extending my work permit?
You should apply to extend your work permit at least 30 days before your current permit expires.
- Make sure you notify OHIP that you have applied to renew your permit. It is also a good idea to ensure that your driver’s licence is valid or renewed before your work permit expires.
- When you are waiting on your application, and after the expiry of your work permit:
- You may not be able to renew documents issued by your province or territory (health card, driver’s license)
- You can’t apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) card or update the expiry date of your current SIN
What is “Maintained Status”?
If your work permit expires after you apply to renew or extend it, you can continue working and have “Maintained Status” so long as you remain in Canada.
Maintained Status means that even after your work permit expires, you can legally remain in the country and continue working while your request for a new immigration document is being processed.
What should I know about working with Maintained Status?
While you wait for your application to be processed, there are some things you should know:
- You can keep working under the same conditions of your current work permit.
- If you have an employer-specific work permit, you must have the same employer, job, and work location.
- If you have an Open work permit, you can still change employers and jobs
- You must remain in Canada and should not depart Canada
Required proof to show employers to continue working:
- When you apply online, a letter will be in your account that you can use as proof that you’re authorized to keep working. You can print this letter or show it with your current work permit. This does not apply to Post Graduate Work Permits (PGWP).
- There is an expiry date on the letter, but you can keep working past the expiry date on the letter until IRCC has made a final decision on your application.
If the letter expires and your employer or others need proof that you can continue to work, you can show them this IRCC webpage. If your employer is not satisfied with the information on this page, you can contact IRCC through this contact form.
What if I applied for a different type of work permit?
If you applied to change either your employer, your job or your work location, and then your current permit expires:
- You can continue to work without a permit until a decision is made on your application.
- However, you must keep working for the employer named on your original work permit until a decision is made on your application.
You can’t start working under the conditions of your new work permit until a decision is made on your application.
All other conditions for renewing a work permit also apply when applying for a different work permit.
My work permit expired before I could renew it. What do I do?
You must stop working.
- If you want to stay in Canada and start working again, you must apply to restore your status and get a new work permit. There is an additional fee for restoring your status, so be sure to include the additional fee, or IRCC will reject your application.
If you want to change your work permit.
- If your permit and status have expired, you must apply to restore your status and apply for the new work permit at the same time. There is an additional fee for restoring your status, so be sure to include the additional fee, or IRCC will reject your application.
You can apply to restore your status. You must:
- Apply within 90 days of losing your status and pay the additional IRCC government fee
- Meet the requirements for your stay (for example, you didn’t work illegally)
- Have complied with all the conditions listed on your permit before it expired.
If you lost your status more than 90 days ago and haven’t applied to restore it, it is recommended that you leave Canada and reapply from outside Canada if you want to work in Canada again.
For More Information
Last updated: September 29, 2025 4006671
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