If your Canadian work permit is expiring, review your options before your status or work authorization expires. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for another work permit, a visitor record, a study permit or another pathway to remain in Canada legally.
Don't wait until your work permit expires. Your available options depend on your current status, work experience, employer, job offer and immigration pathway.
If you apply to extend or change your work permit before it expires, you may benefit from maintained status while IRCC processes your application. If you apply to extend your authorization to work, you may generally continue working under the conditions of your existing permit while the application is processed.
Maintained status and the ability to continue working depend on the application submitted and your circumstances. If you apply only for a visitor record or study permit, you must stop working when your current work permit expires unless you have another authorization to work.
Read official IRCC guidanceYour options depend on your current work permit, employer, occupation, work experience, immigration history and future plans. Not every applicant qualifies for every option.
If your employer is willing and eligible to support you, an LMIA may provide a pathway to a new employer-specific work permit. The employer generally needs to complete the required LMIA process before you can apply for the work permit.
Eligibility depends on the employer, position, wage, recruitment and other LMIA requirements.
If you have qualifying French-language ability and a job offer outside Quebec, you may be eligible for an LMIA-exempt work permit under Francophone Mobility. The employer must generally complete the required Employer Portal process and meet the program requirements.
French-language ability alone does not create eligibility; the worker, job and employer must meet current requirements.
If you have submitted an eligible permanent residence application and meet the applicable requirements, a Bridging Open Work Permit may allow you to continue working in Canada while that application is processed.
An Express Entry profile alone is not enough. Eligibility depends on an eligible permanent residence application and the current BOWP criteria.
If you are not eligible for another work permit but want to remain in Canada temporarily, you may be able to apply for a visitor record before your current status expires.
A visitor record allows you to remain in Canada as a visitor. It does NOT authorize you to work.
If you want to study in Canada, you may be able to apply for a study permit if you meet the requirements and have the required documents, including a letter of acceptance from an eligible designated learning institution where required.
Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for a spousal open work permit depending on current IRCC requirements and your study program. Eligibility is not automatic and should be assessed based on the program, institution and other applicable requirements.
A study-permit application does not extend your work authorization. You must stop working when your current work permit expires unless you have another authorization to work.
Certain foreign nationals may qualify under a specific Canadian immigration program or exemption. Some provincial nominees may qualify for an LMIA-exempt work permit, subject to the applicable IRCC and provincial requirements.
A provincial nomination or approval does not automatically give you a work permit.
Swipe across to compare every option.
| Option | Work Authorization | Main Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| LMIA Work Permit | Yes, if approved | Qualifying employer and LMIA |
| Francophone Mobility | Yes, if eligible | Qualifying French-speaking worker and eligible job/employer |
| BOWP | Open work permit if eligible | Eligible PR application and BOWP criteria |
| Visitor Record | No | Eligibility to remain temporarily as a visitor |
| Study Permit | Subject to student work rules | Study-permit eligibility and applicable DLI/LOA requirements |
| LMIA-Exempt Work Permit | Yes, if approved | Specific LMIA exemption or category |
Use these questions only as a starting point. This guide is not an eligibility determination.
Consider an LMIA-based work permit.
Consider Francophone Mobility.
You may qualify for a BOWP.
Consider visitor status.
Consider a study permit.
Check the applicable LMIA-exempt options.
Do not wait until the last few days before your work permit expires. IRCC recommends applying to extend or change a work permit at least 30 days before expiry.
Your exact deadline and available options depend on your circumstances.
Check IRCC's extension guidanceIf your work permit or temporary status expired and you did not apply to extend or change it before expiry, you may have lost your status and must generally stop working. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to apply to restore your status and obtain a new work permit. Restoration does not normally authorize work while the application is pending.
Every work permit expiry situation is different. SkyPod can review your current permit, employer, occupation, work experience, permanent residence application status and future plans to identify options that may be available.
We assess and prepare applications based on the available evidence and current requirements. Approval is never guaranteed.
Check the expiry date and review your options early. Depending on your facts, these may include another work permit, a visitor record, a study permit or a permanent-residence-related work permit. Eligibility must be assessed before you apply.
IRCC recommends applying to extend or change a work permit at least 30 days before it expires. This is a recommended preparation period, not a substitute for the legal requirement to apply before expiry if you want maintained status.
You may be able to keep working under the same conditions if you applied before expiry to extend your authorization to work and meet the maintained-status rules. The answer depends on what you applied for and your circumstances. A visitor-record or study-permit application does not by itself let you keep working after your work permit expires.
Maintained status can let a temporary resident legally remain in Canada while IRCC decides an extension or change application filed before status expired. Whether the person can continue working depends on the application submitted and the conditions that apply.
Possibly, if an eligible employer is willing to support the process and the employer, job, wage, recruitment and worker meet the applicable requirements. The employer generally completes the LMIA process before the worker applies for the permit.
You may qualify if you have the required French-language ability, an eligible job offer outside Quebec and the worker and employer meet the current program rules. Speaking French does not automatically make someone eligible.
A BOWP is an open work permit available to certain people who have submitted an eligible permanent residence application and meet the current IRCC requirements. Creating an Express Entry profile alone does not qualify someone for a BOWP.
You may be able to apply for a visitor record before your worker status expires. A visitor record may let you remain in Canada temporarily, but it does not authorize employment.
You may apply for a study permit if you meet the current eligibility and document requirements. Applying does not allow you to keep working after your work permit expires unless you separately hold authorization to work.
Possibly, but eligibility is not automatic. It depends on the student's program, institution and the spouse or partner meeting the current IRCC requirements.
Some provincial nominees may qualify for an LMIA-exempt work permit under applicable provincial agreements and federal rules. A nomination does not automatically issue or guarantee a work permit.
You must generally stop working if your status or work authorization expired without a qualifying application filed before expiry. You may be eligible to apply for restoration within the applicable period, but you normally cannot work while restoration is being processed unless IRCC confirms a separate authorization.
A visitor-record application does not itself authorize work after your work permit expires. If you do not have another valid authorization to work, you must stop working when your current work authorization ends.
A study-permit application does not itself extend your work authorization. You must stop working when your current work permit expires unless another valid authorization permits you to work.
SkyPod can review your status, current permit, employer and job offer, work history, permanent residence application and future plans; identify options that may be available; and help prepare a complete application. No outcome is guaranteed.
Don't wait until your work permit expires. Get your situation reviewed and understand which pathway may be available to you.
Requirements can change. Review the current official guidance before applying.
Immigration rules and eligibility requirements can change without notice. The information on this page is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Eligibility should be assessed based on the applicant's individual circumstances and the latest IRCC requirements.
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