Restore Your Status in Canada: Work Permit and Visitor Restoration
If your work permit, study permit or visitor status has expired, you may be able to restore it. You must usually apply within 90 days of losing status, stay in Canada, and still meet the requirements for the status you want. You can’t work or study until restoration is approved.
Fast, honest help when the clock is running
Every day counts after you lose status. Our RCIC, licensed by CICC, reviews your dates and options right away and tells you plainly whether restoration is possible, or if another route makes more sense. Restoration is decided case by case, so we never promise approval. Fees are agreed in writing before we start.
Finding out your permit has expired is frightening, but it’s often fixable if you act fast. This service is for workers, students and visitors in Canada whose status has ended, including people whose extension was refused. We check how many days you have left, choose the right type of restoration, and help you submit a strong, complete application quickly.
What’s Included in Your Status Restoration
How We Handle Your Restoration Application?
We work out your exact 90-day window from your documents.
Worker, student or visitor, based on what you qualify for now.
A letter showing why your status ended and why you should be allowed to stay.
Who Can Restore What?
| Your previous status | You can restore as | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Worker | Worker, or visitor (visitor option added in 2026) | You can't work until restoration is approved |
| Student | Student, or visitor (visitor option added in 2026) | You can't study until restoration is approved |
| Visitor | Visitor | Apply for a visitor record together with restoration |
| Fees (all cases) | Restoration fee plus the fee for the permit or visitor record you request | Check IRCC's current fee list before paying |
Frequently Asked Questions
Restoration lets someone who lost temporary resident status apply to get it back without leaving Canada. It’s used when a work permit, study permit or visitor stay has expired, or when conditions weren’t met. An officer decides each case individually, so a clear explanation and complete documents matter.
Generally 90 days from the date you lost status, which is often the expiry date on your permit or visitor record, or the date an extension was refused. After 90 days, restoration usually isn’t available and you may need to leave Canada. Contact us as early as you can.
No. While a restoration application is pending, you can’t work, even if you worked legally before. This is different from maintained status, where you apply before your permit expires and can often keep working. Working without authorization can lead to refusal and future problems.
Yes. Visitors who stayed past their authorized date can apply to restore visitor status within 90 days, along with a visitor record. Since 2026, former workers and students can also restore as visitors while they look at other options, instead of leaving Canada and coming back.
You pay two IRCC fees: the restoration fee and the fee for the status you’re asking for, such as a visitor record or work permit. Open work permits also carry an extra holder fee. Fees change, so check IRCC’s fee list before paying. Our professional fee is agreed in writing.
If it’s refused, you usually need to leave Canada quickly. Staying without status can affect future visa applications. In some cases, a judicial review or a new application from outside Canada may be possible. We’ll explain your options honestly as soon as the decision arrives.
Maintained status applies when you apply to extend before your permit expires; you can usually stay and keep the same conditions while you wait. Restoration is for after your status has already ended. Applying early avoids restoration altogether, so watch your expiry dates closely.
You must stay in Canada until your restoration application is decided. If you leave, you lose the chance to restore your status this way, and you’d need a new visa or permit to come back. Talk to us before making any travel plans.
Lost your status?
Your 90 days are already counting. Book a 30-minute call today and we’ll check your restoration options.