Extend your expired work permit & secure a career in Canada.

Most Canadians that are work permit holders will change their permit to be employed in Canada.

If you’re a foreign national, it is important for you to understand that the ability of you to still continue to work depends on the time you applied for a permit extension/change.

To be more specific, only temporary workers that apply for a work permit extension/change prior to the conclusion to their original work permit are eligible to work after the original permit expires.

Why can some temporary workers continue working with an expired permit?

People that submit to work permit extension/change applications in advance of their original permits expiry, have successfully maintained their status in Canada and obtained authorization to work until their new application is finalized.

Temporary workers that find themselves in this situation can legally continue employment in this country. The temporary workers must:

• Remain in Canada.
• Work under the exact same condition as their original work permit.

How these rules differ depending on your unique situation

A work permit extension applicant must continue to work under the same conditions listed on the current work permit if they have an employer specific (closed) permit. Those that applied for a work permit must continue to work for the employer named on their original work permit until a decision is made on their recent application. When the decision is final, the temporary worker may begin employment under the new permitted conditions.

In the case that they have an open work permit, the temporary work is free to change employers and jobs.

Finally, work permit holders that apply for study permit or visitor record work only till their original permit expires. At this time, the applicants must legally stop working and those who applied for a study permit cannot study until a final decision is made on their applications.

Proving to your employer that you remain eligible to work in Canada

Work permit extension applicants, as well as those applying for a new work permit, may need to prove to their employer that they are authorized to work in Canada even if their first permit expires.

The proof that a work permit holder can give depends on whether they applied for their permit extension/change online or on paper.

Online Applicants

Online work permit extension/change applicants may show employers the following documents: 

• Work permit extension letter (WP-EXT except PGWP) received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); this should be shown to an employer alongside your current work permit
• In the case that an applicant does not receive a final decision on their work permit extension/change by the expiry date on their WP-EXT letter, they can prove they are still eligible to work by showing their employer this webpage or by contacting IRCC

Paper Applicants

On paper work permit extension/change applicants may show employers the following documents as proof of eligibility:

• A copy of their work permit extension/change application
• Proof that they paid their fees for the work permit extension/change application
• A copy of their application’s postal or courier tracking information.