Extend or change the conditions on your work permit: Traveling outside Canada and re-entering

What to do if you want to travel outside Canada and then re-enter

A work permit isn’t a travel document. It doesn’t give you the right to travel to Canada. Along with your permit, you need a valid passport and:

• a visitor visa or
• an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

Having an eTA or a visa, along with your work permit, doesn’t guarantee that we’ll let you back into Canada. You must show the border services officer that you meet all the requirements before we will let you re-enter.

If you’re from a visa-exempt country

Along with your work permit, you need:

• a valid passport and
• an eTA (if you plan to travel to Canada by air)

You don’t need an eTA if you’re arriving by car, bus, train or boat (including cruise ship).

If you received your initial work permit before August 1, 2015, you need to apply for an eTA if you haven’t already done so.

If you received your initial work permit on or after August 1, 2015, you already have an eTA. We automatically issued it to you when we approved your initial work permit. It’s valid for 5 years or until your passport expires. See your letter of introduction for details.

Renewing your work permit

If we issue your renewed work permit on or after May 1, 2017, we will automatically issue you an eTA as well.

If we issued your renewed work permit before May 1, 2017 and you don’t already have an eTA, you will need to get one before you return to Canada by air.

If you’re a lawful permanent resident of the United States

Lawful permanent residents of the U.S. need an eTA to fly to Canada. If you received your work permit before August 1, 2015, you need to apply for an eTA if you:

• don’t already have one and
• plan to travel from and return to Canada by air

If you received your work permit on or after August 1, 2015, we automatically issued you an eTA.

Your eTA is linked to the passport you used to apply for your work permit. When flying to Canada you must travel with:

• the valid passport you used to apply for your work permit and
• your proof of status in the U.S. (like a valid Green Card)

You don’t need an eTA when driving to Canada or arriving by train, bus, or boat. However, you you will need to provide proof of your U.S. lawful permanent resident status (such as your Green Card).

If you’re from a visa-required country

You’ll need a valid visa and a valid work permit to return to Canada to work. You don’t need a valid visa if you return directly from a visit only to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon. You must re-apply for a visitor visa if your visa:

• has expired or
• was only valid for a single entry to Canada

If you already have a valid visitor visa, you can use it to travel to Canada until it expires. A visitor visa will let you travel to Canada by plane, car, bus, train or boat.

U.S. citizens

United States citizens should carry:

• a valid U.S. passport when flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport and
• the right travel documents when driving or arriving in Canada by train, bus or boat

Find out about Canada’s re-admittance conditions if you:

• applied to extend your status and
• you need to travel outside Canada before you get your new permit because of an emergency