Your IEC permit is ending: how to stay in Canada

If you want to stay in Canada after your IEC Working Holiday, choose your next step before your working holiday work permit expires. Your options depend on whether you want to keep working, study, visit or pursue permanent residence, and an application does not automatically give you permission to keep working. This guide is based on IRCC and Quebec government pages checked on October 17, 2026.

Key takeaways

• Want to keep working? Explore an employer-specific work permit or another route you qualify for. Check IRCC’s work permit options.
• Want permanent residence in Quebec? Review Quebec’s skilled-worker selection process and the current PSTQ rules. The PEQ stopped accepting applications on October 31, 2026, and no new intake had been announced as of November 2, 2026.
• Considering Express Entry? Check program eligibility and whether you plan to settle outside Quebec. Start with IRCC’s Express Entry requirements.
• Need time in Canada but do not plan to work? A visitor record is the in-Canada application to request a longer stay. It does not authorize work; see IRCC’s visitor extension instructions.
• Thinking of another IEC participation? Check the rules for your citizenship and category. An IEC pool profile is not a work permit.
• Already out of status? You may need to apply to restore it, and you must stop working unless you have authorization. Follow IRCC’s restoration instructions.

Start planning before your IEC work permit expires

Write down the expiry date on your permit and start with the outcome you need: continued work, study, a visit or permanent residence. The date matters because you must act while your current temporary resident status is still valid if you want to apply to extend or change that status from inside Canada. IRCC recommends applying for a work permit extension or change at least 30 days before your current permit expires; use IRCC’s work permit extension instructions for the application you intend to make.

An IEC work permit itself can be changed only in very specific situations listed by IRCC: your job was extended and you’re eligible for a longer permit, you need to change employers (in the employer-specific categories), the expiry date is wrong, you got a new passport, you need medical restrictions removed, or you extended your health insurance. Outside those cases, staying means moving to a different permit or status.

Do not treat an IEC pool profile, a request to participate again or a visitor application as an extension of your work authorization. These are different steps: an IEC profile does not itself issue a work permit, and an application to stay as a visitor does not let you keep working after your work permit expires, as explained in IRCC’s guidance on what to do if your work permit expires.

Prepare the forms and supporting documents for your chosen route before you apply. If you let your status expire without applying to extend or change it, you lose your temporary resident status; restoration has separate conditions and does not itself authorize work.

Our work permit page explains how we help individuals and employers assess work permit options, prepare applications and plan next steps. That can be useful when you need to compare a work permit route with a status change before your IEC permit expires. For help assessing your situation, you can also arrange a consultation or describe your situation.

If you want permanent residence, compare Quebec and federal routes

If you plan to settle in Quebec, Quebec’s Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) is one route to assess. The process begins with a declaration of interest in Arrima; Quebec may then invite a person to apply for permanent selection, under the current PSTQ rules. The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) closed its intake on October 31, 2026: our article on the PEQ after October 31 explains what that means.

Quebec selection and federal permanent residence are separate steps. A Quebec selection certificate (CSQ) is not permanent residence or a work permit, so you still need to follow the federal process and keep valid temporary status while you wait; see our article on what happens after the CSQ.

Our pages on the PSTQ and the Quebec Experience Program give more information about Quebec selection pathways. For the legal requirements and program availability that apply to your case, use Quebec’s official instructions.

Express Entry is a federal option to assess if you meet a program’s criteria and plan to live outside Quebec. The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) requires at least one year of skilled work in Canada, which IRCC expresses as 1,560 hours in total (30 hours per week), within the three years before you apply, in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations. Compare your job duties and work history with IRCC’s CEC requirements.

To screen for the Canadian Experience Class, check that your Canadian work was paid, authorized, in an eligible skilled occupation and within that three-year period. Work done while you were self-employed or studying full time does not count. Hours above 30 per week are not counted, so overtime does not shorten the year. You also need an approved language test result, with the required level depending on the TEER category of your occupation. CEC has no education minimum, although education can affect your Express Entry ranking. Meeting the criteria makes you eligible for the Express Entry pool; it does not by itself lead to an invitation, permanent residence or permission to work. Our guide on how IRCC counts the 1,560 hours shows the math.

Experience can be treated differently under different permanent residence routes. Check the specific occupation, duties, work period and other program requirements before building a working holiday to permanent residence plan; our pages on Express Entry and permanent residence give more information.

If you may qualify through a spouse or partner, assess that as a separate family sponsorship route; IEC work experience alone does not establish eligibility. For Quebec-related assistance, see our spousal sponsorship page.

If you want to keep working, explore an employer-specific permit

An employer-specific work permit authorizes work under the employer and conditions stated on the permit, while an open work permit is not tied to one employer. Your eligibility and application route depend on your circumstances, so use IRCC’s work permit guidance before making plans to change jobs or remain at work after your IEC permit ends.

For an LMIA-based application, the employer’s labour market impact assessment comes before the worker applies for a work permit. The process is handled under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program; the employer should determine the applicable stream and requirements for the position. In Quebec, LMIA applications for jobs of more than 30 consecutive days are submitted at the same time to Service Canada and to the MII (formerly MIFI), in French, and until December 31, 2026 certain low-wage applications in the Montréal and Laval regions are not processed.

Quebec employment can involve provincial steps as well as federal ones. Where required, the worker needs a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for temporary work alongside the federal process; see our page on the LMIA in Quebec.

Some work permit routes are LMIA-exempt, but an exemption applies only when the worker and job meet the specific requirements. Francophone Mobility, for example, covers jobs outside Quebec for workers with intermediate French. Review the relevant category under IRCC’s International Mobility Program rather than treating an exemption as automatic; our article on LMIA or LMIA exemption explains how to check.

For most employer-specific LMIA-exempt permits, the employer must submit an offer through IRCC’s Employer Portal and pay the employer compliance fee before you apply, unless the category is exempt from those steps. The worker and position must meet the requirements of a specific exemption category. Ask the employer which category applies and what steps remain; describing a job as LMIA-exempt does not by itself establish eligibility or authorize you to work while an application is pending.

Our LMIA assistance for Quebec employers covers analyzing a position, choosing a stream and preparing the LMIA, CAQ and work permit steps. Employers can find related information through our employer services.

If you want to stay temporarily without working, consider visitor status

A visitor record is the document you apply for from inside Canada when requesting an extension of your stay. A visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) is for travel to Canada, not an in-Canada extension; see IRCC’s visitor extension instructions and our article on the visitor record.

Visitor status does not authorize employment, and submitting a visitor application does not preserve IEC work authorization. IRCC is explicit: if you applied to extend your stay as a visitor, you can keep working only until your work permit expires, and you cannot continue to work while waiting for a decision on your visitor application. You may remain in Canada while IRCC processes it, if you applied before your status expired.

Apply before your current status expires if you want to request an extension from within Canada. A visitor record concerns how long you may remain in Canada; it is not a travel document or a work permit. Our visitor visa page covers visitor visa and visitor record assistance.

Study or another IEC participation may fit some plans

A study permit may fit if you genuinely plan to study, have admission to an eligible institution, can show the required funds and meet the other current requirements. Applying from inside Canada is allowed only for listed categories; IEC status alone does not make you eligible. A pending study permit application does not extend the work rights on your IEC permit after it expires: IRCC says you can keep working only until your work permit expires, and you can’t start your studies until a decision is made.

In Quebec, study permit applicants also need to complete Quebec’s provincial process. Review the official Quebec study instructions; our pages on the CAQ for studies and on study permits give more information.

Another IEC participation is not automatic. Eligibility depends on your citizenship, age, category, participation history and the agreement between Canada and your country. British citizens, for example, can take part twice (24 months, then 12 months); French citizens can take each category only once, and after a first Working Holiday or Young Professionals participation, only International Co-op remains possible; Belgian citizens can take part only once. Check the country-specific rules before relying on another invitation. A pool profile or invitation is not a work permit: you need the new permit before working under it.

If you later complete an eligible Canadian study program, a post-graduation work permit may be a separate option, subject to its own requirements. See our post-graduation work permit page.

Know what happens while an application is pending or if you travel

A pending application does not automatically let you work. You may continue working only if you submit a complete, eligible application to extend or change your work permit before it expires, remain in Canada and meet IRCC’s maintained-status conditions.

When maintained status applies, you may work only under the conditions of your expiring permit while IRCC decides. If your current permit is employer-specific, you must keep the same employer, job and work location; a pending application naming a different employer does not let you start that job until it is approved, unless you request and receive an authorization to work while it is processed. With an open Working Holiday permit, you can usually change employers unless your permit lists specific conditions. Applying for visitor or study status, or for permanent residence, does not preserve work authorization. Our guide on maintained status goes through each situation.

Two practical points from IRCC: while you’re on maintained status, you usually can’t renew provincial documents such as your driver’s licence or health card, so renew them before your permit expires; and your social insurance number expires with your work permit, but you can keep working with an expired SIN until IRCC decides on your work permit application.

Think carefully before leaving Canada while an application is pending. A pending application is not a travel document, and if your renewal is still being processed when you return, you might be allowed back only as a visitor and unable to work until it is approved. Follow IRCC’s instructions for applicants who travel during processing and make sure you meet the entry requirements that apply to you.

If you lose temporary resident status, you may be able to apply for restoration within the applicable period, but you cannot keep working while out of status. Read our article on restoring your status within 90 days promptly. For a refusal or other complicated situation, see our information on complex cases; if inadmissibility is a concern, see our inadmissibility page.

Use a transition checklist before the expiry date

1. Record key dates. Note the expiry date on your work permit, your passport and your health insurance, and the submission deadline for the application you plan to make.
2. Choose your intended status. Decide whether you are applying for a new work permit, visitor status, a study permit or permanent residence. A permanent residence plan does not by itself replace temporary status or work authorization.
3. Coordinate with your employer early. If you need an employer-specific permit, discuss the LMIA or LMIA-exempt process and any required Quebec CAQ with your employer months ahead, not weeks.
4. Plan for the possibility of no decision before expiry. If you will not have new work authorization by the time your current permit ends, apply on time so maintained status applies, and know exactly what you may and may not do while you wait.
5. Keep application records. Save copies of forms, supporting documents and submission confirmations; IRCC explains what proof of maintained status you can show an employer, depending on whether you applied online or on paper.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I stay in Canada on an IEC Working Holiday permit?

You may work and stay under the conditions and expiry date shown on your permit. Your permit can’t be valid longer than your passport, and the length of the Working Holiday depends on your country (for example, up to 24 months for French citizens and up to 12 months for Belgian citizens).

Can I apply for a study permit from inside Canada after my IEC permit expires?

Expiry does not make you eligible to apply from inside Canada. Your ability to use that route depends on whether you fit one of IRCC’s listed categories, and you should apply before your status ends.

What should I do if my IEC work permit has already expired and I did not apply in time?

Stop working and check right away whether you can apply to restore your status within the period set by IRCC. If you are not eligible for restoration or miss that period, follow IRCC’s instructions about leaving Canada and applying for the appropriate status.

Can I return to Canada if I travel while an application to extend my stay is being processed?

A pending application is not a travel document, and maintained status doesn’t travel with you. You must meet the entry requirements when you return, and the border officer decides whether you may enter. If your work permit application is still in process, you may be let back in as a visitor, and you can’t work until it’s approved.

Can I get permanent residence in Canada after getting a work permit?

A work permit can be a step toward permanent residence, but it does not by itself establish eligibility or approval. You must qualify under a permanent residence program, and your work experience counts only if it meets that program’s requirements.

Can IEC work experience count toward a Quebec or federal permanent residence application?

It can count when it meets the specific program’s rules, but a job title alone is not enough. Keep records of your duties, hours, dates and pay so you can assess your experience against the CEC criteria or Quebec selection requirements.

Conclusion

To stay in Canada after your IEC Working Holiday, map out your next move early: work, study, visitor status or a permanent residence route, then follow the official requirements for that route. Apply before your current status expires, ideally at least 30 days ahead, and never assume that an IEC pool profile, a visitor application or a permanent residence plan gives you permission to keep working.

For related reading, visit our immigration articles or our page on visa refusals.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on November 2, 2026:

• IRCC — IEC: make changes to your work permit in limited cases
• IRCC — IEC: eligibility by country and category
• IRCC — What to do if your work permit expires
• IRCC — Travel outside Canada while your work permit is renewed