Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): If your visitor, student or worker status has expired

If you’re in Canada to visit, work or study temporarily, you need to have valid status as a temporary resident. If your status has expired, you may be able to apply restore your status.

You can only restore your status and authorization to work or study in Canada to what you held before it expired. You can’t change your permit until you restore your status and original authorization. If you’re eligible after restoration, you may also be able to apply for a different permit.

Example: you want to apply for a post-graduation work permit, but your study permit has expired

You can restore your status as a student and apply for a post-graduation work permit, if you’re eligible for one. This applies even if it’s been more than 90 days since your status as a student expired as long as

you had valid status on or after January 30, 2020, and your status expired on or before May 31, 2021
you’re still in Canada
you apply before August 31, 2021.

The rest of the instructions on this page do not apply to you. Find out how to apply and pay the correct fees.

Example: you want to apply for a different work permit, but your study permit has expired

If your study permit has expired, you need to apply to

restore your status and
authorization to study

If you’re eligible for one, you could also apply for a work permit at the same time. Our online application system will give you an application form for a work permit. If an officer approves your application, they will restore your status and authorization to study, and then process your work permit application.

Pay the right fees

Our online application system will ask you to pay the fees for

a work permit
restoring your status

It won’t ask you for the study permit processing fee (CAN$150). To avoid processing delays, you should pay this fee separately and upload your receipt in the “Client information” section of your document checklist.

If it’s been less than 90 days since your status expired

You can apply to restore your status.

To restore your status, use the document checklist and guide for extending your stay as a

When you apply, make sure to:

select “Restore my status” under section 3 at the top of the form
include a note explaining the reason you need to extend your stay
include the restoration fee

If your temporary resident status is restored, you’ll get a visitor record or appropriate permit. Your record or permit will outline the conditions of your stay in Canada.

Your temporary resident status in Canada will be extended until a specified date.

If it’s been more than 90 days since your status expired

You have until August 31, 2021, to apply to restore your status if

you had valid status on or after January 30, 2020, and your status expired on or before May 31, 2021
you’re still in Canada

Most people have to apply online to extend their stay in Canada as a temporary resident. There are some people who may not be able to apply online.

To apply online:

Sign in to your IRCC Secure Account
Select Apply to come to Canada.
Select Visitor visa, study or work permit under the “Determine your eligibility and apply online:” heading.
You’ll be asked some questions. You must answer all questions truthfully. We use your answers to create a personalized document checklist for you. To restore your status, you must provide specific answers to some questions:
1. When asked “What you would like to do in Canada?”, select the status which you are restoring.
2. When asked “How long are you planning to stay in Canada?”, select Temporary, more than 6 months or Temporary, less than 6 months.
3. When asked “What is your current immigration status in Canada?”, select the status that you need to restore.
  1. If you’re applying to restore your status as a worker with an employer-specific work permit, when asked “Do you have a written job offer?”, select Yes. You may be eligible to receive authorization to work while you wait for your work permit and restoration application to be processed.
  2. When asked “When does your status in Canada expire?”, enter the date that your status expired.
    - If your status expired less than 90 days ago, please enter the true date on which your temporary resident status expired.
    - If your status expired more than 90 days ago, select any date that is within the past 90 days. (This is a temporary workaround to allow you to apply past the 90-day deadline.)
You’ll be asked if you want to apply to restore your status.
Once you complete the questionnaire, you get your document checklist. You must upload all of the required documents, and pay your fees.

When you complete question 7 of the application form

Under “Status”, select Other
Under Other, type in “Requires restoration”
Leave the “From” and “To” boxes blank.

After you complete your application, follow the online instructions to submit it.

If your temporary resident status is restored, you get a visitor record or appropriate permit. Your record or permit will outline the conditions of your stay in Canada.

Your temporary resident status in Canada will be extended until a specified date.

If you applied to restore your temporary resident status as a worker with an employer-specific work permit

You may be eligible to apply for an authorization to work while you wait for your application to be processed if you

held a valid work permit in the 12 months before the date you submitted your application to restore your status as a worker, and
will work at the same employer and occupation that’s specified in the LMIA or LMIA-exempt offer of employment included in your work permit application.

How to request consideration for an interim work authorization

Step 1: Fill out the IRCC web form

After you apply for an employer-specific work permit, fill out the IRCC Web form.

When you fill out the Your enquiry section, you must copy the text and paste it into the web form. Make sure you fill out the sections in square brackets, including the

dates
name(s) of employer(s)
title of your job

If you applied on paper and don’t know your application number, include your courier tracking number. This will make sure we find your application.

If you have other questions, you need to fill out a new IRCC Web form.

Avoid delays

You must include the code PP2.RESTOREWORK2020 when you copy and paste the text below. We can’t prioritize your application without this code.

Message you need paste into the Web form:

Priority Code pp2.restorework2020: I am requesting consideration under the Temporary Public Policy to Exempt Certain Out-of-status Foreign Nationals in Canada from Immigration Requirements during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. I ask that the applicable exemptions be granted until a decision is made on my employer-specific work permit application or it is withdrawn.

I attest that I formerly held a work permit that was valid until [date] and I have received a job offer for [employer name] / [occupation NOC code]. My LMIA-exempt number is: [A#], or My LMIA number is [#].

I submitted my application for a work permit online, or I submitted my application on paper and the postal/courier tracking number is [number].

I intend to work for [employer name] / [occupation NOC code], as specified in the aforementioned work permit restoration application.

I understand that providing false, misleading or incorrect information is a violation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and may result in enforcement measures against me.

Step 2: Wait for our email

Wait for us to send you an email. It will confirm that you can start your new job or work for your new employer while we process your application.

If you applied online for your work permit, you should get the email in about 30 business days. If you applied on paper, it may take longer.

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