Most work permits in Canada have a fixed expiry date — when the permit expires, the holder's authorisation to work in Canada ends. To continue working, the holder must apply to extend the work permit before the expiry date. If the extension application is submitted before the permit expires, the worker is in maintained status and can continue to work under the same conditions while IRCC processes the application — this is sometimes called the "implied status" rule. If the permit expires before an extension is submitted, the authorisation to work ends immediately. This page explains the extension process, the maintained status rule, when a new permit (rather than an extension) is required, and what happens if a permit expires without a pending application.

For the current application process and forms, refer to the IRCC extend your work permit page.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), s 29(2) — a temporary resident must comply with any conditions imposed on entry and leave by the end of the authorized stay
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), s 183(5) — implied status: a temporary resident who applies for an extension before their authorized period expires maintains their status while the application is pending
• IRPR, s 186 — circumstances where work is authorized without a permit; and conditions on work permit holders
• IRCC: Extend or change your work permit — canada.ca/extend-work-permit
• IRCC: Guide 5553 — Applying for a work permit inside Canada — canada.ca/guide-5553

When to apply — before expiry

The cardinal rule for work permit extensions is to apply before the existing permit expires. IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before the expiry date, though applying earlier (several months in advance) is advisable where processing times are longer than expected. Key points:

• Submitting the extension application before expiry preserves maintained status — the worker does not need to stop working when the permit expires
• There is no benefit to applying very early that outweighs applying well in advance — the new permit period typically starts when the previous one ends
• Submitting just before expiry is risky — system outages, portal errors, or incomplete applications can cause delays

Maintained status — continue working after expiry

Under IRPR s 183(5), a temporary resident who applies to extend their status (or change the conditions of their work permit) before the existing permit expires is in maintained status. During maintained status:

• The worker can continue working after the permit's expiry date — under the same conditions as the original permit (same employer, same occupation, same location) — until IRCC makes a decision on the extension application
• The worker can continue residing in Canada — there is no requirement to leave while the extension is pending
• The worker's expired SIN remains usable for work — the employer should be informed of the maintained status situation; the worker does not need a new SIN to continue working

Maintained status does not allow the worker to change the conditions of the permit during the pending period — the worker must work under the same conditions as the expired permit. For information on the maintained status concept more broadly, see the implied and maintained status page.

How to apply — the extension process

Work permit extensions are applied for inside Canada through the IRCC online portal:

1. Log in to the IRCC secure portal (or create an account if this is the first application online)
2. Complete the application form — provide current employer information, LMIA number (if applicable), NOC code, job title, and requested new expiry date
3. Upload supporting documents — valid passport, current work permit, LMIA or LMIA-exempt documentation, and any other required supporting materials
4. Pay the application fee
5. Submit the application before the existing permit expires

After submission, the applicant receives an acknowledgement of receipt. The application is placed in the processing queue — IRCC will process it and either approve, refuse, or request additional information.

Change of conditions vs extension

An extension simply extends the validity period of the current work permit — the same employer, occupation, and location. A change of conditions is required when the worker wants to change:

• Employer: most employer-specific (closed) work permits cannot be used with a different employer without a new permit
• Occupation: working in a different NOC occupation than the one on the permit may require a new permit
• Location: some permits are location-specific

A change of conditions application follows the same process as an extension but requires documentation for the new employment arrangement — including a new LMIA or LMIA-exempt employer offer, as applicable. For open work permit holders (who can work for any employer), an extension does not require a new LMIA — the extension is for the open work permit category they hold.

Work permit expired — no pending extension

If the work permit expires without an extension application having been submitted before expiry, the worker's authorisation to work ends immediately on the expiry date. At that point:

• The worker must stop working — continuing to work after the permit expires (without maintained status) is working without authorisation, which is a violation of IRPA
• The worker has 90 days from the expiry date to apply for restoration of status — if restoration is granted, the work permit may be reinstated. For information on restoration, see the restoration of status page
• If the 90-day restoration window has also passed, the worker must leave Canada and apply for a new work permit from outside

Processing times

Work permit extension processing times vary by category — LMIA-based permits may take longer than LMIA-exempt permits. For current processing times, refer to the IRCC processing times page. The maintained status protection means that a pending application does not result in loss of work authorisation, but the worker cannot assume they are in maintained status without actually having submitted a complete application before expiry.

The most common mistake in work permit extensions is late application — workers who do not submit before the expiry date lose maintained status protection and must immediately stop working, even if they submit the same day the permit expires. The 30-day advance recommendation from IRCC is a minimum, not an ideal — workers facing uncertain employment documentation (such as delays in obtaining a new LMIA) should apply earlier or seek bridging open work permit advice. Workers in maintained status should keep a copy of the IRCC submission confirmation as proof of the pending application — employers and institutions may require evidence that maintained status exists. For current application forms, fees, and processing times, refer to the IRCC work permit extension page.