How to Restore Your Status in Canada After Your Work Permit Expires
Learn how to restore temporary resident status and apply for a new Canadian work permit within 90 days after losing worker status, including 2026 fees, Form IMM 5710, documents and when you can work again.
CA Canada
Immigration & Travel ~ 13 min read
14 FAQ
Updated 2026-08-25
Helpydo structures practical guidance around official or public sources. For individual cases, confirm requirements with the responsible institution.
If your Canadian work permit and temporary resident status expired before you applied to extend them, you must stop working immediately. In most cases, you can apply from inside Canada to restore your status as a worker and obtain a new work permit if IRCC receives your restoration application within 90 days after you lost status, you complied with the requirements of your stay and the conditions of your expired permit before expiry, and you are not a temporary resident permit holder. In 2026, restoring worker status and applying for a new work permit costs $401.25, consisting of the $246.25 restoration fee and $155 work permit fee. An additional $100 applies if you are applying for an open work permit, and an $85 biometrics fee may apply. You may stay in Canada while IRCC decides the restoration application, but normally you cannot work again until your status is restored and your new work permit is issued.
What you need
- Apply to restore your status within 90 days after losing temporary resident status, unless you qualify for a specific IRCC exemption from the normal restoration rules.
- Have met the requirements of your stay in Canada before losing status, including not working without authorization.
- Have complied with all conditions listed on your expired work permit before it expired.
- Not be a temporary resident permit holder for the standard restoration process.
- Complete Form IMM 5710, Application to Change Conditions, Extend My Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker.
- Select the option to restore your status as a worker on IMM 5710.
- Provide a written explanation describing why you remained in Canada beyond the authorized period or otherwise lost your status.
- Provide the documents required for the new work permit you are requesting, which may include employer documents, an LMIA or an LMIA-exemption offer number depending on the work permit category.
- Provide a valid passport and the identity and immigration documents shown on your personalized IRCC document checklist.
- Pay the restoration fee and work permit processing fee, plus the open work permit holder fee and biometrics fee if applicable.
- Provide biometrics if IRCC requires them.
Eligibility
You can generally apply to restore your status as a worker if IRCC receives your application within 90 days after you lost status, you met the requirements for your stay in Canada, you complied with all conditions on your expired work permit before it expired, and you are not a temporary resident permit holder. Restoration is discretionary and approval is not guaranteed. If more than 90 days have passed and no specific public policy or exemption applies to you, IRCC instructs you to leave Canada and apply from outside Canada if you want to work in Canada again. A special exception currently exists for certain foreign workers with an eligible open work permit support letter from a participating province or territory, who may be exempt from the normal 90-day and compliance requirements.
How to do it
- Check the exact date you lost temporary resident status. This is normally the expiry date on your work permit unless the permit shows a separate Must leave Canada by date.
- Stop working immediately if your authorization to work has expired.
- Confirm that you are still within the 90-day restoration period and that you meet IRCC's standard restoration conditions.
- Confirm that you qualify for the new work permit you want, including any employer-specific or open work permit requirements.
- Gather your passport, expired work permit, employer or work permit eligibility documents and any other items generated by the IRCC personalized document checklist.
- Complete Form IMM 5710 and select Restore my status as a worker under the application options.
- Prepare a separate letter explaining the circumstances that caused you to lose status or remain in Canada beyond the authorized period.
- Sign in to or create your IRCC online account, answer the eligibility questions and upload the required forms and documents.
- Pay the applicable fees. For a standard worker restoration with a new work permit, the current total is $401.25 before any open work permit holder or biometrics fee.
- Submit the online application before the restoration deadline. For online applications, IRCC uses midnight UTC to determine whether the application was received within the 90-day period.
- Remain in Canada while IRCC considers the application if permitted, but do not resume work unless and until IRCC restores your status and issues the new work permit, except where a specific authorization or public policy expressly permits otherwise.
- Monitor your IRCC account for requests, biometrics instructions and the final decision.
What happens when your Canadian work permit expires?
The expiry date printed on your work permit is the date you must normally stop working in Canada. In most cases, it is also the date your temporary resident status expires.
If your permit has a separate Must leave Canada by date, that date determines when your temporary resident status expires even if it is later than the work permit expiry date.
You lose status if your authorized stay expires before you submit an application to extend or change it, or if you fail to comply with the conditions of your permit.
Can you restore your worker status after your permit expires?
Yes, in many cases. IRCC allows eligible temporary workers to apply to restore their temporary resident status and obtain a new work permit after expiry.
You normally must apply within 90 days of losing your status.
Restoration is not automatic. IRCC must approve both the restoration of status and the new work permit.
Who is eligible to restore status as a worker?
Under the standard IRCC rules, you can apply for restoration if you:
- apply within 90 days after losing your status;
- met the requirements of your stay in Canada;
- complied with all conditions on your expired work permit before it expired; and
- are not a temporary resident permit holder.
For example, IRCC states that you must not have worked illegally while you were required to comply with your previous conditions.
How do you calculate the 90-day restoration deadline?
The 90-day period begins when you lose temporary resident status.
For an online application, IRCC must receive your application no more than 90 days after your status expired. The online system uses Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC, and the application must be submitted before midnight UTC on the applicable deadline.
This detail matters because midnight UTC may occur earlier than midnight in your Canadian time zone.
For a paper application, IRCC normally uses the date the Case Processing Centre receives and stamps the application. IRCC also applies a specific seven-day counting rule if a paper application arrives after the 90-day period.
Can you keep working after your work permit expires?
Not if you allowed both your work authorization and status to expire before applying to extend them. You must stop working.
If you apply for restoration, you may remain in Canada while IRCC decides the application, but IRCC states that you are normally not allowed to work until your status has been restored and your new work permit has been issued.
This is different from maintained status. Maintained status can apply when a qualifying extension application was submitted before the original status expired. Restoration applies after status has already been lost.
Can you stay in Canada while your restoration application is being processed?
IRCC states that a person who has submitted an eligible restoration and work permit application may stay in Canada while a decision is made.
Remaining in Canada while the restoration application is pending does not restore your right to work. Unless a specific authorization applies to your situation, you must wait for the new work permit before working again.
What form do you use to restore worker status?
Use Form IMM 5710, Application to Change Conditions, Extend My Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker.
When completing the form, under question 3 in the first section, select the option Restore my status as a worker.
You must also provide a separate explanation describing your circumstances and clearly explaining why you remained in Canada longer than allowed or otherwise lost your status. For an online application, IRCC says this explanation can be uploaded under Client information in the Optional documents section.
How to apply online to restore your status and work permit
In most cases, IRCC requires you to apply online.
- Sign in to or create an IRCC account.
- Answer the online eligibility questions.
- Use the personalized document checklist generated by the system.
- Complete IMM 5710 and select restoration as a worker.
- Upload your passport, immigration documents and evidence supporting the new work permit.
- Upload your explanation of why you lost status.
- Pay the restoration and work permit fees and any other required fees.
- Submit the complete application before the 90-day deadline.
An online applicant needs a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of documents and an accepted payment card.
Can you apply on paper?
In most cases, restoration applications are submitted online. IRCC permits a paper application if you cannot apply online because of a disability or because there is a problem with the online application system that prevents you from applying online.
How much does it cost to restore worker status in 2026?
As of August 25, 2026, the restoration fee is $246.25.
The standard work permit processing fee is $155.
Therefore, restoring status as a worker and applying for a new standard work permit costs $401.25 in federal fees.
Additional fees can apply:
- $100 open work permit holder fee if you are applying for an open work permit and the fee applies to your category;
- $85 biometrics fee if IRCC requires you to provide biometrics.
Fees can change, so applicants should confirm the amount shown in the IRCC payment system before submitting.
Do you need biometrics for restoration?
You may need to provide fingerprints and a photograph for the new work permit. If biometrics are required, IRCC instructs you to pay the biometrics fee when you submit the application.
If IRCC requires new biometrics, you will receive a biometric instruction letter and must book an appointment at an authorized collection location.
What documents are required?
The exact document list depends on the work permit category and the answers you provide in the IRCC online questionnaire. Typical documents can include:
- a valid passport or travel document;
- your expired work permit;
- Form IMM 5710;
- a letter explaining why you lost status;
- documents showing that you qualify for the new work permit;
- employer documents for an employer-specific permit;
- an LMIA or information supporting an LMIA exemption where applicable;
- proof of payment;
- biometrics if required;
- medical examination evidence if required for the type of work or circumstances.
Your IRCC personalized checklist is authoritative for the documents required in your particular application.
Does your employer need to do anything before you apply?
Possibly. IRCC tells restoration applicants to make sure their employer has completed all required steps before the application is submitted.
For an employer-specific work permit, those steps depend on the work permit category. They may include obtaining a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment or submitting an offer of employment through the Employer Portal under an LMIA-exempt category and paying the employer compliance fee where required.
You must still independently qualify for the work permit requested.
Can you restore status and change to a different permit?
IRCC states that when your permit and status have expired, you generally need to restore your initial status and authorization first before changing to a different type of permit.
Some applications allow related permit requests to be processed together. The exact procedure depends on the permit type. For example, special instructions apply to a former student seeking a post-graduation work permit after losing student status.
What if more than 90 days have passed?
Under the standard restoration rules, if you lost status more than 90 days ago and did not submit an eligible restoration application, IRCC instructs you to leave Canada and apply from outside Canada if you want to work in Canada again.
Do not assume that paying a restoration fee after the deadline restores your legal status. You must meet the eligibility rules for restoration.
Are there exceptions to the 90-day rule?
Yes, but only in specific situations established by IRCC.
One current exception applies to certain foreign workers who are applying for an open work permit and have an eligible support letter from a participating province or territory confirming placement in its Provincial Nominee Program Expression of Interest pool or application inventory.
Eligible workers under that measure can be exempt from:
- the normal 90-day restoration deadline;
- the normal requirement to have met the requirements of their stay; and
- the normal requirement to have complied with the conditions of the expired work permit before expiry.
This is a specific policy and should not be treated as a general extension of the 90-day restoration period.
Can International Experience Canada participants restore status?
International Experience Canada participants are subject to additional program-specific rules. IRCC advises IEC participants with expired permits to check the rules for extending or changing an IEC work permit before relying on the general restoration procedure.
What if your family members also lost status?
Each family member who lost temporary resident status must submit their own restoration application.
IRCC states that each person must pay the applicable restoration fee. There is no family or group restoration rate.
The correct procedure depends on whether the family member previously held worker, student or visitor status.
How long does restoration of worker status take?
IRCC does not publish one fixed processing time specifically for restoration of worker status on its restoration instructions.
Processing times vary and are updated regularly. IRCC's processing-time tool explains that temporary residence processing estimates are based on recent completed applications and can change.
Processing begins when IRCC receives a complete application and ends when a decision is made. Missing documents, complex circumstances, security checks or requests for additional information can increase the processing time.
How do you check the application status?
Your IRCC online account can be used to submit the application, pay fees, receive messages and check the status of the application.
Monitor the account after submission because IRCC may request additional documents, biometrics, a medical examination or clarification.
What happens if IRCC approves the restoration application?
If IRCC approves both the restoration of your temporary resident status and your work permit application, it restores your status and issues the new work permit.
You should review all conditions on the new permit before resuming work, including the employer, occupation, location or other restrictions shown on the document.
What happens if restoration is refused?
There is no guarantee that IRCC will approve restoration or the new work permit.
If the restoration application is refused, IRCC states that you must leave Canada.
Submitting an application within 90 days gives IRCC authority to consider restoration; it does not create an automatic right to have status restored.
Restoration versus maintained status
Maintained status
If you submitted an eligible application to extend your work permit before your previous permit and status expired, you may have maintained status and may be able to continue working under the applicable conditions while waiting for a decision.
Restoration of status
If you did not submit the extension before expiry, you lost status. A restoration application does not give you the same work authorization as maintained status. You normally cannot work while restoration is pending.
Example of the 90-day restoration rule
If your temporary resident status expired on June 1 and you did not apply for an extension before that date, you generally have 90 days from the loss of status to submit an eligible restoration application.
Because IRCC uses UTC for online submissions, do not wait until the last local evening to submit. Calculate the deadline carefully and submit well before it expires.
Worker restoration checklist
- Confirm the exact date your temporary resident status expired.
- Stop working as soon as your authorization expires.
- Confirm that fewer than 90 days have passed unless a specific exemption applies.
- Check that you complied with the requirements of your stay and your previous work permit conditions.
- Confirm that you qualify for the new work permit requested.
- Make sure your employer has completed any required LMIA or employer-compliance steps.
- Complete IMM 5710 and select Restore my status as a worker.
- Write a clear explanation of why you lost status.
- Upload all documents shown on your personalized checklist.
- Pay the restoration and work permit fees and any additional applicable fees.
- Submit before midnight UTC on the applicable online deadline.
- Do not work while waiting unless IRCC expressly authorizes you to do so.
- Monitor your IRCC account for requests and the decision.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to restore my status after my work permit expires?
Under the standard IRCC restoration rules, you must apply within 90 days after losing your temporary resident status. Specific public policies can create exceptions for certain workers, but the 90-day rule remains the general rule.
Can I work while waiting for my status to be restored?
Normally, no. If your work permit and status expired before you applied, you must stop working and generally cannot work again until IRCC restores your status and issues the new work permit.
Can I stay in Canada while my restoration application is being processed?
Yes. IRCC states that an eligible restoration applicant may stay in Canada while a decision is made, but this does not normally authorize you to work.
How much does it cost to restore worker status in Canada in 2026?
As of August 25, 2026, restoration costs $246.25 and a new work permit costs $155, for a total of $401.25. An additional $100 open work permit holder fee and $85 biometrics fee may apply.
Which form do I use to restore my work permit status?
Use Form IMM 5710, Application to Change Conditions, Extend My Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker, and select Restore my status as a worker in the application options.
Do I need to explain why my work permit expired?
Yes. IRCC instructs restoration applicants to provide a separate explanation describing the circumstances and clearly explaining why they remained in Canada beyond the authorized period or otherwise lost status.
Can I restore my status online?
Yes. In most cases, you must apply online through your IRCC account. Paper applications are generally limited to applicants who cannot apply online because of a disability or a problem with the online application.
What time is the online 90-day restoration deadline?
IRCC uses Coordinated Universal Time for online applications. The application must be submitted before midnight UTC no more than 90 days after your status expired.
What if my work permit expired more than 90 days ago?
If more than 90 days have passed and you do not qualify under a specific exception or public policy, IRCC instructs you to leave Canada and apply from outside Canada if you want to work in Canada again.
Is restoration guaranteed if I apply within 90 days?
No. Applying within the deadline allows IRCC to consider the request, but restoration and the new work permit are discretionary. IRCC can refuse either application.
What happens if my restoration application is refused?
IRCC states that if the restoration application is refused, you must leave Canada.
Is restoration the same as maintained status?
No. Maintained status generally applies when an eligible extension application was submitted before status expired. Restoration applies after status has already been lost and normally does not allow you to continue working while the application is processed.
Does each family member need a separate restoration application?
Yes. If family members in Canada also lost their status, each person must apply separately for restoration and pay the applicable restoration fee. There is no family restoration rate.
How long does worker status restoration take?
IRCC does not publish one fixed processing time specifically for worker restoration on the restoration page. Processing times change and should be checked with IRCC's current processing-time tool.
Official sources
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Restore your status and get a work permitImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Guide 5553 Applying for a work permit inside CanadaImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Work permit applying from inside CanadaImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Wait for a decision after applying for a work permit inside CanadaImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Citizenship and immigration application fee changesImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Check current IRCC processing timesImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - My work permit expired and I did not apply to extend itImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - My work permit has expired, can I apply for another oneRelated procedures
Useful next steps and closely related guides for Canada.
Others were interested in
Other practical guides people exploring this topic may find useful.