Holding a Canadian work permit or study permit does not restrict travel outside Canada — temporary residents on valid permits can leave and re-enter Canada freely, subject to having the required re-entry documents. However, there are important considerations that can create serious problems if not understood: the need for a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to re-enter, what happens if a permit expires while the holder is abroad, and the critical rule that implied/maintained status does not survive departure from Canada (with limited exceptions for brief travel to the US). This page explains these rules and how to plan travel outside Canada safely as a temporary resident.

For current re-entry requirements and the rules on implied status and travel, refer to the IRCC re-entry page and the IRCC entry requirements by country.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), s 22 — temporary resident status: persons must seek to enter for a temporary purpose
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), s 183 — conditions of temporary resident status
• IRPR, s 186 — when a person is exempt from needing a work permit on re-entry
• IRPR, s 190 — restoration of status does not apply after departure; implied status rules
• IRCC: Re-enter Canada as a temporary resident — canada.ca/re-entry
• IRCC: Implied status — leaving and returning to Canada

Re-entry documents — TRV or eTA required

To re-enter Canada, a temporary resident on a work or study permit must have both:

1. A valid work or study permit (or a letter of introduction for a new permit, if approved from abroad), and
2. A valid re-entry document — either:
   • A valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), for nationals of countries that require a visa to enter Canada; or
   • A valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), for visa-exempt nationals traveling by air

Many temporary residents are issued a TRV at the same time as their initial work or study permit. However, TRVs can expire even if the work or study permit remains valid — a common scenario is a 2-year study permit issued with a single-entry or 1-year TRV. Once that TRV expires, the student cannot re-enter Canada on it even if the study permit itself is still valid. The student would need to apply for a new TRV before traveling outside Canada (or before attempting to re-enter). For information on TRVs, see the TRV page.

If the work or study permit expires while abroad

This is one of the most common travel errors for temporary residents. If a person's work or study permit expires while they are outside Canada:

• The person cannot re-enter Canada on the expired permit
• They must apply for a new work or study permit from their home country (or the country they are in) before attempting to return
• For study permits: the student must apply for a new study permit from abroad and receive a new letter of introduction before traveling to Canada
• For work permits: depending on the work permit category, the employer may need to obtain a new LMIA (if LMIA-based) or file a new Employer Portal offer of employment (if IMP-based) before a new permit can be issued

Allowing a permit to expire while abroad — even unintentionally — can cause significant delays and disruptions, particularly for students mid-semester or workers mid-assignment.

Implied status and travel outside Canada

Implied/maintained status (the continued right to remain in Canada and work/study while an extension application is pending) is a status that exists only within Canada. The critical rule:

• If a person on implied status leaves Canada, their implied status ends immediately upon departure
• They cannot re-enter Canada on implied status — they would need to have a valid permit (the one they applied to extend, or a new permit) to re-enter
• Re-entering Canada with only a pending extension application (but an expired permit) is generally not possible — a valid permit is required at the point of entry

For more on implied status, see the implied/maintained status page.

Exception — brief travel to the United States and St. Pierre and Miquelon

There is a limited exception: temporary residents who travel briefly to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon and then return to Canada within a specified period may be able to maintain their implied status, provided:

• They had valid implied status before departing
• They return to Canada within the period specified in IRPR (typically within the period of the original authorized stay)
• They were in Canada legally when they departed

This exception is limited and fact-dependent. Temporary residents should verify current IRCC guidance before relying on this exception — refer to the IRCC re-entry page for current conditions.

Travel during the study permit application window

International students who have applied for a new study permit (renewing an expiring permit) face a particular risk when traveling:

• If they travel outside Canada before the new study permit is approved, they cannot return to Canada on the pending application alone
• They must wait until the new study permit is approved (and receive a new letter of introduction) before traveling
• Alternatively, they can apply for a new study permit from abroad and enter with the new permit once issued

Students mid-semester who travel for personal reasons (family visits, holidays) without checking the status of their renewal application run a significant risk of being unable to return in time for classes.

International Experience Canada (IEC) — Working Holiday re-entry

Participants in IEC Working Holiday programs receive open work permits. These permits allow multiple entries to Canada during the permit's validity period, and the holder can travel outside Canada and return freely as long as:

• The work permit is still valid at the time of re-entry
• The holder has a valid re-entry document (TRV or eTA as applicable)

IEC Working Holiday participants should note that the permit's validity is fixed from the date of first entry — time spent outside Canada does not "pause" the permit; the expiry date advances regardless of travel.

Travel outside Canada on a work or study permit is straightforward when planned properly but can create serious complications if the permit expiry, TRV expiry, or implied status rules are not checked before departure. The most common errors are: (1) traveling on an expired TRV after the work/study permit was extended but the TRV was not renewed; (2) leaving Canada while on implied status and being unable to re-enter; and (3) allowing a permit to expire during an international trip. Temporary residents planning any travel outside Canada should verify the expiry dates of both their permit and their entry document (TRV or eTA) before booking flights. For current re-entry requirements, TRV renewal procedures, and the rules on implied status and departure, refer to the IRCC re-entry page.