Your IEC permit is ending: how to stay in Canada

If your IEC Working Holiday permit is ending and you want to stay in Canada, choose your next status before the expiry date. Each route (another work permit, study, visitor status, permanent residence) has its own rules, and only some of them let you keep working while you wait. Based on IRCC and Quebec government pages checked on October 17, 2026.

Key takeaways

• An IEC permit can be changed only in very specific cases (job extended, new passport, wrong expiry date, extended health insurance…). It isn't a permit you simply renew.
• Applying for a new work permit before yours expires gives you maintained status: you can keep working under your current conditions until IRCC decides, as long as you stay in Canada.
• Applying for a study permit or a visitor record does not let you work past your permit's expiry date.
• Quebec selection and federal permanent residence are separate steps; a pending permanent residence plan doesn't give you status.
• If your status already expired, restoration has its own deadline and conditions, and you can't work in the meantime.

Start with the date on your permit

IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before your work permit expires and checking current in-Canada processing times. The expiry date also drives everything else: once it passes without an application, you lose your status. Note it, then work back from it.

Keep working: an employer-specific permit

Most Working Holiday participants who stay do it through an employer. Two families of routes exist:

• LMIA-based: the employer first gets a labour market impact assessment, then you apply for the work permit. In Quebec, the employer's process also includes provincial steps, including the CAQ for work where required. See our LMIA in Quebec page.
• LMIA-exempt: only when you and the job fit a specific exemption. For most employer-specific exempt permits, the employer submits the offer through IRCC's Employer Portal and pays the compliance fee before you apply. Francophone Mobility, for jobs outside Quebec, is one example; our article on LMIA exemptions explains how to check.

If you apply to change employer before your IEC permit expires, maintained status lets you keep working only for the employer on your current permit (with an open Working Holiday permit, usually any employer, unless your permit lists conditions). You can't start the new job until the new permit is approved.

Settle for good: Quebec or federal permanent residence

• Quebec: the PSTQ starts with a declaration of interest in Arrima and an invitation; the PEQ accepts applications only until October 31, 2026. Both look at Quebec work experience and have French requirements. Selection by Quebec (the CSQ) is followed by a separate federal application.
• Express Entry: the Canadian Experience Class requires one year of skilled work in Canada (1,560 hours) in the last three years, a language test and a plan to live outside Quebec. Our guide on how IRCC counts CEC hours shows the math.

None of these replaces temporary status. Keep a valid permit or apply for one while you wait.

Stay without working: visitor status

A visitor record extends your stay as a visitor. Apply before your permit expires. It doesn't authorize work: IRCC is explicit that you can keep working only until your work permit expires, not while the visitor application is processed. See our page on visitor records.

Study, or another IEC participation

A study permit can fit if you really plan to study and meet the requirements; in Quebec, you also need a CAQ for studies. Applying from inside Canada is limited to listed situations, and a pending study permit application doesn't extend your work rights. Another IEC participation depends on your country's agreement: British citizens can take part twice, French citizens once per category (a second time only through International Co-op), Belgian citizens once. Check your country's entry on IRCC's eligibility page.

If you travel while an application is pending

Maintained status lasts only as long as you stay in Canada. IRCC warns applicants to understand how leaving could affect their ability to work when they return. Plan any trip with that in mind, and make sure you meet the entry requirements.

If your permit already expired

Stop working. Read IRCC's restoration instructions right away: restoration has a time limit and doesn't authorize work while it's processed. Our article on restoring your status within 90 days covers the conditions.

Checklist before the expiry date

1. Write down your permit's expiry date and your passport's expiry date.
2. Pick the status you'll apply for: work, study, visitor or a permanent residence route with a temporary status alongside.
3. If you need an employer, start the conversation early: an LMIA or an exempt offer takes time on their side.
4. Apply before expiry, ideally 30 days ahead, and keep the confirmation.
5. Renew your provincial documents (driver's licence, health card) before your permit expires: IRCC notes they usually can't be renewed while you're on maintained status.

To compare your options, you can describe your situation or book a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I extend my Working Holiday permit?

Only in the specific cases IRCC lists, such as a new passport, a wrong expiry date or extended health insurance. Otherwise, you need a different permit or status.

Does Working Holiday experience count for permanent residence?

It can, if it meets the program's rules (type of job, hours, dates, authorized work). Keep pay stubs, duties and dates for every job.

I applied for a visitor record. Can I keep my job?

Only until your work permit expires. After that, you can stay as a visitor while the application is processed, but you can't work.

My SIN expires with my permit. Can I keep working on maintained status?

Yes. IRCC says you can continue working with an expired SIN until a decision is made on your work permit application, then update it once you receive the new permit.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 17, 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