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:
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).
Note: When we approved your initial work permit, we automatically issued an eTA to you. 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
As of April 26, 2022, lawful permanent residents of the United States must show these documents for all methods of travel to Canada:
- a valid passport from their country of nationality (or an equivalent acceptable travel document) and
- a valid green card (or equivalent valid proof of status in the United States)
Complete list of acceptable status documents for lawful permanent residents of the U.S.
You need an official proof of status as a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., such as one of the following:
- valid permanent resident card (Form I-551)
- foreign passport with an unexpired temporary I-551 stamp (also known as an Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunication [ADIT] stamp)
- foreign passport with a temporary I-551 printed notation (“Upon endorsement serves as temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for 1 year”) on a machine-readable immigrant visa upon endorsement with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection admission stamp
- expired permanent resident card (Form I-551) with Form I-797 (Notice of Action) for pending Form I-751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence) or Form I-829 (Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status)
- expired permanent resident card (Form I-551) with Form I-797 (Notice of Action) for pending Form I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card [Green Card])
- valid re-entry permit (Form I-327)
- Form I-94 with an unexpired temporary I-551 stamp (ADIT stamp) and a passport-style photo
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
Eligible citizens of some visa-required countries will receive an eTA when they renew their work permit. The eTA is electronically linked to the passport you used to renew your permit and is valid for five years or until your passport expires. You can only use the eTA when you fly to, or transit through, Canada by air. You will receive a letter from us with information about your eTA number and expiration date.
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
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