On This Page, You Will Find:
- When and why to extend or change your work permit
- How maintained status works
- Step-by-step: how to apply
- Restoration of status if your permit has expired
- Changing employers, jobs or conditions
- Working in Quebec: special considerations
- Fees and processing times
- Frequently asked questions
Extending or changing your work permit on time is essential to keeping legal status and staying employed in Canada. Whether you want more time with your current employer, need to switch jobs, or are moving toward permanent residence, applying correctly and early protects your ability to keep working.
When and Why to Extend or Change
You may need to act if your permit is nearing its expiry date, you are changing employer or occupation (which usually requires a new employer-specific permit), or your circumstances have changed, for example because you now qualify for an open work permit or have applied for permanent residence. The single most important rule is timing: apply before your current permit expires.
How Maintained Status Works
If you apply to extend or change your work permit from inside Canada before your current permit expires, you have maintained status (previously called implied status). This lets you keep working under the same conditions as your current permit while you wait for a decision. If you apply even one day after your permit expires, you do not get maintained status and you are no longer authorized to work.
Because in-Canada processing can take many months, applying well ahead of your expiry date is strongly recommended. If you leave Canada while on maintained status, you lose the ability to work when you return: you may be allowed back in as a visitor, but you cannot work until your new permit is approved.
Step-by-Step: How to Apply
- Check your expiry date and start early. Many applicants begin preparing 90 to 120 days ahead; in Quebec, where a new LMIA and CAQ are usually needed, Quebec recommends starting at least six months ahead.
- Confirm the basis for your new permit. For an employer-specific extension, make sure a valid LMIA or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment (submitted by your employer through the IRCC Employer Portal, with the compliance fee paid unless exempt) is in place. For a change of employer, your new employer must complete its part first.
- Gather your documents: passport, current permit, LMIA number or offer of employment number, proof of qualifications and any other supporting evidence.
- Apply online through your IRCC secure account and pay the fees. IRCC’s Guide 5553 explains how to complete an in-Canada worker application.
- Give biometrics if requested, and respond promptly to any IRCC requests for information.
Since December 2024, most people already in Canada can no longer apply for a work permit at a port of entry (“flagpoling”) and must apply online. For the full application process from scratch, see our step-by-step work permit guide.
Restoration of Status
If your permit has already expired, you may be able to apply to restore your status as a worker within 90 days of losing it, provided you still meet the requirements for the permit you are seeking. Restoration combines a restoration fee with a new work permit application: CAD $246.25 to restore your status plus CAD $155 for the new work permit, for a total of CAD $401.25. If you are applying for an open work permit, the CAD $100 open work permit holder fee is added on top.
You cannot work while your restoration application is being processed. You may only start working again once your status is restored and your new permit is issued. If you miss the 90-day window, restoration is no longer available and you must leave Canada.
Changing Employers, Jobs or Conditions
Changing your work permit is necessary when there are significant changes to your work conditions, such as switching employers, accepting a new job offer, or changing roles in a way that no longer matches your permit.
- Switching employers: if you hold an employer-specific permit, you generally need to apply for and receive a new work permit before you start working for a new employer.
- Changing roles with the same employer: if your occupation, duties or work location change in a way that no longer matches the conditions on your permit, you may need a new permit or a change of conditions before taking on the new role.
- Open work permit holders: you can usually change employers freely, subject to any occupation or location restrictions on your permit.
Working outside the conditions of your permit can have serious consequences, including loss of status, removal and future inadmissibility, and employers can face penalties. Public policies occasionally allow eligible workers to begin a new job sooner, so check the current rules before relying on them.
Working in Quebec: Special Considerations
Quebec shares responsibility for temporary foreign workers with the federal government, so the process has extra steps for LMIA-based jobs:
- The employer submits the LMIA application to the federal government (Employment and Social Development Canada) and the Quebec government at the same time, rather than obtaining anything from Quebec first.
- If both governments approve, the worker then submits an application for temporary selection to Quebec to obtain a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).
- With the LMIA and CAQ in hand, the worker applies to IRCC for the work permit.
To extend an LMIA-based permit in Quebec, the employer generally needs a new LMIA from both governments, and the worker needs a new CAQ and a new federal work permit. Quebec advises starting this process at least six months before the current permit expires. Since December 17, 2025, businesses with 25 or more employees must also comply with the francization process under the Charter of the French Language to obtain a positive LMIA.
There are important exceptions. Workers applying for an LMIA-exempt permit, such as a bridging open work permit after applying for permanent residence, do not need a CAQ. In addition, under a federal public policy in place since March 13, 2026, an eligible worker in Quebec who has applied for permanent selection under Quebec’s skilled worker selection program (PSTQ) and is already working for the employer may extend for up to 12 months without a new LMIA. The employer submits an offer of employment without paying the compliance fee, and the worker must apply on or before December 31, 2026.
For detailed guidance, see:
Fees and Processing Times
- Work permit (including extensions): CAD $155
- Open work permit holder fee: CAD $100 (open permits only)
- Biometrics: CAD $85 per person, if required
- Restoration of status as a worker: CAD $246.25 plus CAD $155 for the new permit (CAD $401.25), plus CAD $100 if it is an open permit
In-Canada extension processing times can be lengthy and change often, which is why applying well ahead of expiry matters. Check IRCC’s official processing times tool for the current estimate before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep working while my extension is processed?
Yes, if you applied from inside Canada before your permit expired. This is called maintained status, and it lets you keep working under the same conditions until IRCC decides your application. If you applied after your permit expired, you cannot work.
What happens if my work permit expires before I apply?
You lose your status and cannot work. You may apply to restore your status within 90 days, paying CAD $246.25 for restoration plus CAD $155 for the new work permit (CAD $401.25 in total, plus CAD $100 for an open permit). You cannot work until your status is restored, and after 90 days restoration is no longer available.
How early should I apply to extend my work permit?
The legal minimum is to apply before your permit expires, but it is wise to start much earlier so you have time to secure an LMIA or offer of employment and gather documents. Many applicants start 90 to 120 days ahead, and in Quebec, where a new LMIA and CAQ are usually needed, the province recommends at least six months.
Can I change employers on my work permit?
If you have an employer-specific permit, you normally need a new permit before working for a different employer. Open work permit holders can usually change employers freely, subject to any restrictions on their permit. Check whether a current public policy lets you start sooner before relying on it.
Do I need a new CAQ to extend my work permit in Quebec?
For most LMIA-based permits, yes. Your employer applies for a new LMIA to the federal and Quebec governments at the same time, and you then apply to Quebec for a new CAQ before applying to IRCC for the permit. LMIA-exempt permits, and extensions under the 2026 Quebec PSTQ public policy, do not require a new LMIA.
Does leaving Canada affect my maintained status?
Yes. If you travel outside Canada while on maintained status, you may be allowed back in as a visitor, but you cannot resume working until your new work permit is approved.