You missed the date. Your work permit expired before you applied to extend it, or your extension was refused. You are now out of status — but not necessarily out of options. Canada gives temporary residents a 90-day window to apply to restore their status. The catch that surprises most people: you normally cannot work during that time, even after you apply.
Quick Answer
If you lost your status as a worker, IRCC must receive your restoration application no more than 90 days after your status expired. You apply for restoration and a new work permit together, pay the restoration fee plus the work permit fees, and you may stay in Canada while IRCC decides. But IRCC says that normally you are not allowed to work until your status is restored and your new work permit is issued. If the application is refused, you must leave Canada.
This guide explains general rules. It is not legal advice. Restoration is discretionary and a refusal means leaving Canada. If you are in this situation, a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer is worth the cost.
Maintained Status vs Restoration
| Maintained status | Restoration | |
|---|---|---|
| When it applies | You applied before your permit expired | You applied after your status expired (within 90 days) |
| Can you work while waiting? | Yes, under the same conditions | Normally no |
| Extra fee | No | Yes, a restoration fee on top of the permit fees |
| Status while waiting | You keep your status | You are out of status but may remain in Canada pending the decision |
If you applied on time, you are on maintained status, not restoration — see how to prove maintained status to your employer.
How the 90 Days Are Counted
Official rule: IRCC must receive your application no more than 90 days after your status expired. Online applications must be submitted before midnight UTC on the last day; paper applications count from the date they are received at the processing centre, not the date you mailed them.
Practical example: if your work permit expired on October 1, day 90 is December 30. Submit online well before that date — and remember that midnight UTC is evening in Canada (8 p.m. Eastern during daylight time, 7 p.m. during standard time). If your extension was refused while you were on maintained status, your status ended on the date of the refusal, which is where the 90 days start.
Our Status Expiry Timeline calculates the deadline for you.
Who Can Apply
IRCC says you can apply if you:
- apply within 90 days of losing your status,
- met the requirements for your stay before your status expired,
- followed the conditions of your permit (for example, only worked where you were allowed to), and
- are not a temporary resident permit holder.
You must also meet the requirements of the new work permit you are asking for — for example, a valid LMIA and job offer, or eligibility for an open work permit such as a bridging open work permit if your PR application qualifies. IRCC notes an exception for some foreign workers who have a support letter from a province; check the IRCC page if that applies to you.
Step by Step
- Stop working as soon as your status expires, unless you are on maintained status.
- Work out your 90-day deadline and aim to apply weeks before it.
- Apply online for restoration together with the work permit you qualify for. Explain in a letter why your status lapsed.
- Pay the restoration fee and the work permit fees (plus the open work permit holder fee and biometrics if they apply) — check the current amounts on IRCC’s fee list.
- Stay in Canada and do not work while you wait.
- After approval, update your SIN and health card with the new permit.
What Restoration Does to Everything Else
- Your job: tell your employer you must stop working temporarily. An employer-specific LMIA may need to still be valid when the new permit is issued.
- Your SIN: expired with your permit; you update it after the new permit is issued (SIN guide).
- Health coverage: most provinces end coverage when your permit expires. Alberta says coverage may be reinstated and backdated if your new document is marked “restored” (provincial rules).
- Your PR application: a period out of status, and any work done without authorization, can create problems. Mention it honestly; misrepresentation is far worse.
- Travel: leaving Canada while out of status can make it impossible to restore from inside.
If Restoration Is Refused
IRCC states that if your application is refused, you have to leave Canada. From outside, you would apply for a new permit in the normal way. Our guide to options after a refusal explains GCMS notes and when a reconsideration request or judicial review makes sense.
FAQ
Can I work while my restoration application is being processed?
IRCC says that normally you are not allowed to work until your status is restored and your new work permit is issued.
What if day 90 has already passed?
You can no longer restore from inside Canada in the normal way and will generally need to leave and apply from outside. Get professional advice immediately.
Can I apply for restoration more than once?
Restoration is tied to the 90 days after losing status. Each situation is assessed on its own facts, and repeated lapses weigh against you.
