Your permit expired: how to restore your status in Canada within 90 days

You just realized your permit expired weeks ago, and you never applied to extend it. Breathe, then act quickly. If you are still in Canada, you can usually apply to restore your status, but only within 90 days of losing it, and you must stop working or studying until it is restored. Here is what to do this week.

Step 1: find the real date your status ended

Not the date on your visa, which is only an entry document, but the date on the document that set your stay: your work permit, study permit or visitor record, or the end date set when you entered. That date starts the 90-day clock.

If you applied to extend before that date, you did not lose status: you are on maintained status and can continue under the same conditions until IRCC decides, as long as you stay in Canada. Restoration is for people who did not apply in time.

Step 2: stop working or studying

This is the hardest part and the most important. Once your status has expired, you are not allowed to work until your status is restored and a new work permit is issued, or to study until a new study permit is issued. Working while waiting can make your situation much worse.

Step 3: check that you qualify

According to IRCC, you must:

• apply within 90 days of losing your status;
• have met the requirements for your stay, for example not having worked illegally;
• have met the conditions of your permit before it expired;
• not hold a temporary resident permit.

You must also meet the requirements of the status or permit you are asking for. Restoration is not automatic.

Step 4: apply, with the right permit

Apply online from inside Canada, indicating that you are restoring your status, and include the application for the permit you need. Budget for:

• the restoration fee, $246.25;
• the permit fee: $155 for a work permit (plus $100 for an open work permit), or $150 for a study permit;
• biometrics, $85, if required.

Check IRCC's fee list on the day you pay; the restoration fee is indexed. Add a short timeline explaining when your status ended, when you noticed and what you have done since, with evidence if a medical or other reason caused the delay. Each family member who lost status needs their own application.

If the decision is negative

If restoration is refused, you have to leave Canada unless another authorization lets you stay. Read the refusal and the officer's note carefully before deciding on the next step. Our guide on reading the officer's decision note explains your options, and our work permit page covers the permit types.

Frequently asked questions

It has been more than 90 days. Is there anything I can do?

The regular restoration process is no longer available. Get advice quickly, because staying in Canada without status has consequences.

Can I leave Canada and apply from abroad?

Restoration is only for people in Canada. If you leave, you would need to apply for a new authorization to return, with its own requirements.

Can my employer keep me on while I wait?

No. Until your status is restored and your new work permit is issued, you cannot work, even for the same employer.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 11, 2026:

• IRCC — Restore your status (French page)
• IRCC — Extend your study permit: when to apply