Extend or change the conditions on your work permit: What to do if your permit expires or is expiring

What to do if your permit expires

If your permit expires after you apply

If you apply to extend or change the conditions of your work permit before it expires, you can legally stay in Canada until a decision is made on your application.

If you applied to extend your work permit

If you applied to extend your work permit and then your permit expires, you have

You can keep working under the same conditions of your current work permit. If you have an employer-specific work permit, this means having the same

  • employer
  • job
  • work location

Open work permit holders can still change employers and jobs.

Proof you can continue to work

You can show employers or others proof that you can keep working while we process your application. The type of proof depends on how you applied:

If you applied for another work permit

If you applied to change either your employer, your job or your work location and then your current permit expires, you have

  • maintained your status
  • authorization to work without a permit until we make a decision
    • However, you must keep working for the employer named on your original work permit until we make a decision on your application.

You can’t start working under the conditions of your new work permit until we process your application.

Proof you can continue to work

You can show employers or others proof that you can keep working while we process your application. The type of proof depends on how you applied:

If you applied for a study permit or visitor record

You can keep working until your work permit expires if you applied

  • for a study permit
  • to extend your stay in Canada as a visitor (visitor record)

If your work permit expires, you must stop working.

If you applied for a study permit, you can’t study until we make a decision on your application.

If your permit expires before you apply

You must stop working if you’re still in Canada and either

However, you may be able to apply to restore your status as a worker.

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