If your work permit is about to expire, the question “how to renew my work permit?” comes with one golden rule: submit your extension application to IRCC before the expiry date. While the application is being processed, the law allows you to stay in Canada and keep working under the same conditions (known as maintained status). This guide covers deadlines, fees, documents and what happens if your permit has already expired.
At a glance
- Apply to extend before your permit expires; IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days in advance
- Online, the cut-off is before midnight (UTC) on the expiry date
- If you applied on time, you keep maintained status: you can stay and keep working under the same conditions until a decision is made
- IRCC fee: $155 CAD for the work permit, plus $100 for an open work permit and $85 for biometrics if requested
- If it already expired: you have 90 days to restore your status, normally without working while it’s decided, at a combined fee of $401.25 CAD
When Should I Apply to Renew?
In IRCC’s terms, “renewing” a work permit means applying for an extension (or a new permit with different conditions) from inside Canada. The date that matters is the expiry date printed on your current permit: your application must be submitted before it. If you apply online, you have until midnight UTC on that day; if you apply on paper (only allowed for disability or technical reasons), the envelope must reach the processing centre before the expiry. The official guide recommends not leaving it to the last minute and applying at least 30 days before, because processing times vary and any missing document delays the file.
A practical detail many overlook: your passport must remain valid for the entire extension period you are requesting. If it expires first, renew the passport first.
Maintained Status: What You Can and Can’t Do While You Wait
If you applied before the expiry date, you are on maintained status (formerly “implied status”): you may legally remain in Canada until IRCC decides, even though your physical permit has expired. Here is how it works in practice:
| Situation | What IRCC says |
|---|---|
| Keep working | Yes, under the same conditions as the expired permit. Employer-specific permit: same employer, same job, same work location. Open permit: you keep the flexibility to change employers. |
| Expired Social Insurance Number (SIN) | You can keep working even if your SIN has expired while you wait for the decision. |
| Provincial driver’s licence and health card | Cannot be renewed until the decision arrives; plan around their expiry. |
| Changing employers (employer-specific permit) | You cannot start the new job until you receive the new permit, unless you request IRCC’s temporary authorization (web form after submitting the new application; reply in about 10 to 15 days). |
| Leaving Canada | If you leave while the application is pending, you lose maintained status as a worker: on return you may only be admitted as a visitor, with no right to work until the permit is approved. The final call belongs to the border officer. |
| Temporary resident permit (TRP) holders | Maintained status does not apply during processing. |
Which Type of Extension Do I Need?
- Same employer, same conditions: extension of an employer-specific permit (usually with a new or valid LMIA, or an LMIA-exempt offer).
- New employer, position, pay or location: not an extension but a new permit with updated conditions.
- Open work permit: you can extend it if you still qualify under the category that granted it (for example, spouse of a skilled worker or international student, permanent residence applicant).
- Waiting for permanent residence: the Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) lets you keep working while IRCC decides your PR application.
How to Renew My Work Permit: Step by Step
- Note the expiry date and work backwards. Aim to submit at least 30 days before; check that your passport covers the whole period you will request.
- Confirm your situation. Same employer? New employer or new conditions? Open permit? A permanent residence application already in progress? That determines the form, documents and fee.
- Gather your documents (see the list below). Scan everything: the application is submitted online.
- Apply online from your IRCC account. The form is IMM 5710 (“Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker”). Pay by card: $155 CAD, plus $100 for an open permit and $85 if biometrics are requested again.
- Keep the confirmation and keep working. From that moment you are on maintained status. Reply quickly to any IRCC request and check the current processing time in the official tool.
Documents Usually Required
- Valid passport (all stamped pages) and a copy of your current work permit
- Job offer or employment extension letter and, if applicable, the new LMIA or the LMIA-exempt offer of employment number
- Proof you still qualify for the open permit (for example, your spouse’s status or the acknowledgement of your PR application for the BOWP)
- Recent pay stubs or proof of employment, if requested
- Police certificate or medical exam, only if IRCC asks for them in your case
- The personalized checklist (IMM 5556) your IRCC account generates after the questionnaire
How Much Does It Cost to Renew a Work Permit?
| Item (IRCC fees, CAD) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Work permit (extension or new), per person | $155 |
| Open work permit holder fee | $100 |
| Biometrics (individual / family) | $85 / max. $170 |
| Restore your status + new work permit (if already expired) | $401.25 |
These are the government fees in force at the time of writing; IRCC adjusts them periodically, so confirm the amount on the official fee list before paying.
What If My Permit Has Already Expired?
You have lost your status, but not necessarily the game. You can apply to restore your status together with a new work permit if the application is submitted within 90 days of the expiry (online, before midnight UTC on day 90), if you met the requirements of your stay and if you complied with all the conditions of the permit while it was valid. Two big differences compared with an on-time extension: you normally cannot work until your status is restored and the new permit is issued, and the fee rises to $401.25 CAD (restoration plus permit). You may stay in Canada while IRCC decides; if the application is refused, you will have to leave.
How Long Does the Renewal Take?
IRCC publishes an estimated processing time for work permits applied for from inside Canada, and it is recalculated frequently. The official processing times tool showed 112 days (as of October 7, 2026) for work permit extensions. Treat it as a reference, not a guarantee: the clock starts when IRCC receives a complete application and stretches with every missing document or additional request. That is why the practical advice is to apply early and complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep working if my permit expires while IRCC processes the extension?
Yes, as long as you submitted the application before the expiry date. You keep the same conditions as the previous permit until the decision. Save the submission confirmation: it is your proof of maintained status for your employer.
Can I change employers while I wait?
With an employer-specific permit, no: you must wait for the new permit with the updated conditions. The exception is the temporary authorization IRCC grants under a public policy if you have already submitted the new application and request it through its web form. With an open permit, yes, you can change.
Can I travel outside Canada while the application is pending?
You can leave, but by doing so you lose maintained status as a worker. On return, the border officer may admit you as a visitor (with no right to work) until the permit is approved. If the trip is not essential, wait for the decision.
What happens if I apply after the expiry date?
It is no longer an extension but a restoration of status: a 90-day window, no authorization to work while it is decided, and a higher fee. After 90 days the options narrow considerably; consult a regulated professional before acting.
How Castle & Co. Can Help
The most expensive mistake in a renewal is not a badly filled form: it is applying late or incomplete and losing maintained status. At Castle & Co. we review your permit type, your job offer and your deadline, prepare the complete application and submit it before the expiry, with follow-up until the decision. Start on our work permit extension page or request a free assessment of your case.
