Work Permit Extension Canada

A work permit does not automatically renew when it expires. If you want to keep working in Canada — whether for the same employer or a new one — you must apply to extend or change the conditions on your permit before it expires. Applying late, applying under the wrong category, or failing to understand what your maintained status does and does not allow can result in unauthorized work, a loss of status, and serious consequences for every future immigration application you make.

You should apply to extend your work permit at least 30 days before your current permit expires. In practice, given current processing times for work permits inside Canada, applying earlier is strongly advisable. A complete, accurate application submitted well before your expiry date is the most important thing you can do to protect your status and your employment continuity.

At Magellan Immigration, we handle work permit extensions for workers across Canada — assessing your current situation, identifying the correct pathway, preparing a complete application, and advising on maintained status and your rights throughout the processing period.

When You Need to Apply

You need to apply to extend or change the conditions of your work permit if any of the following apply:

  • Your current work permit is expiring and you want to keep working in Canada

  • Your job has been extended beyond the expiry of your current permit

  • Your pay, responsibilities, or job conditions have changed significantly

  • You have been offered a different job with the same or a different employer

  • You want to change employers on an employer-specific work permit

  • You need to remove a restriction on your work permit — for example, a location restriction imposed because you had not yet completed a required medical exam

Maintained Status — Your Rights While You Wait

 

If you apply to extend your work permit before your current permit expires, you have maintained status — you are legally authorized to remain in Canada and continue working while IRCC processes your application, even if your permit expires during that time. The conditions of your maintained status depend on the type of permit you hold:

Employer-specific work permit holders must continue working for the same employer, in the same job, at the same location listed on their current permit. You cannot start working for a new employer or in a new role until your new permit is approved — unless you have requested and received authorization to work while your application is being processed (see below).

Open work permit holders can generally continue to change employers, jobs, and locations while on maintained status, unless specific conditions are listed on their permit.

There are important limitations to maintained status that are frequently overlooked. While on maintained status, you generally cannot renew provincial or territorial documents such as your driver's licence or health card. You also cannot apply for or update the expiry date on your Social Insurance Number (SIN) card while your work permit application is being processed. Make sure these documents are valid before your current work permit expires.

Changing Jobs or Employers on an Employer-Specific Work Permit

If you hold an employer-specific work permit and want to change employers or jobs, you must apply for a new work permit. You cannot start working for a new employer until the new permit is approved — unless you request authorization to work while your application is being processed.

To request this authorization, you must first submit your new work permit application, then contact IRCC through the IRCC Webform using the priority code PPCHANGEWORK2020 and the required attestation language. IRCC will respond within approximately 10 to 15 days with a decision on whether you are authorized to work for the new employer while your application is in processing. This email is not a work permit — it is a temporary authorization only.

If you have lost your job and cannot secure a new job offer, you must stop working and leave Canada by the "must leave by" date on your current work permit, or apply to restore your status if eligible.

If Your Work Permit Has Already Expired

 

If your work permit has expired and you did not apply for an extension before it ran out, you must stop working immediately. You may be eligible to apply to restore your status as a worker, but restoration is not guaranteed and involves additional fees on top of the standard work permit extension fee. The restoration option is time-limited — you must act promptly if your permit has already expired.

Employer Requirements for Extensions

For employer-specific work permit extensions, your employer must take the same steps as for the original permit — either obtaining a new LMIA or submitting a new offer of employment through the Employer Portal for LMIA-exempt positions. The new permit will only be issued for the duration of the new job offer or LMIA, up to the maximums allowed under the applicable stream.

What We Do

 

  • Assess your current work permit conditions and confirm your exact expiry date

  • Identify the correct extension pathway — LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt

  • Advise employers on their obligations for the extension process

  • Prepare and submit your complete work permit extension application

  • Request authorization to work during processing where you are changing employers

  • Handle restoration of status applications where your permit has already expired

  • Advise on maintained status and what you can and cannot do while your application is processing