Permit expiry planner: your dated plan
Work permit expiring, study permit expiring or visitor stay ending? Enter your permit type and expiry date and this free permit expiry plannershows when to apply, the last safe day to apply and keep maintained status, the 90-day restoration deadline and, for students, the post-graduation work permit window. It reads IRCC's current processing times, needs no email and gives general information, not a decision about your eligibility.
Choose your permit first, then enter the date printed on it.
Pick the date from the calendar, or type it.
Your dates stay in your browser unless you choose to email yourself the plan.
Your dated plan appears here
Choose your permit, enter the expiry date and say what you plan to do next. Start with your permit.
General information and dates, not legal advice and not a decision about whether you qualify for anything. The dates follow IRCC's published rules and processing times as we read them on October 4, 2026; both change, and only IRCC decides an application. Standard permits only: this planner does not cover Quebec or permits issued under special measures. Wild Mountain Immigration is a CICC-regulated consultancy and is not affiliated with the Government of Canada.
Key takeaways
Apply before your permit expires and at least 30 days ahead to keep maintained status, which lets you stay in Canada until IRCC decides. If your status has lapsed, IRCC allows 90 days to apply to restore it. IRCC's figures read October 4, 2026: 12 weeks for a work permit extension and 8 weeks for a study permit extension if you apply today, and 385 days for a visitor record.
- Apply early: IRCC says to apply at least 30 days before a work permit, study permit or visitor status expires, and, for a work permit, to compare the expiry date with the processing time.
- Maintained status: an application received before expiry lets you stay in Canada until IRCC decides, and a worker keeps working under the same conditions.
- Restoration: IRCC allows 90 days from losing status, for $246.25 plus the permit fee, with no right to work or study while it decides.
- PGWP: apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program, ideally while your study permit is still valid.
- Processing: IRCC publishes a forward estimate and a historical figure for the work and study permit extension lines, and the planner dates your apply-by day from the longer one.
Work permit expiring or study permit expiring: what to do first
Find the date IRCC treats as the end of your status, choose the application that matches your plan, and submit it before that date and at least 30 days ahead (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026).
- Find the right date: for a work permit it is the expiry date printed on it. If the permit also shows a "must leave Canada by" date, IRCC says your status ends on that date, so use whichever is earlier to be safe. For a study permit it is the expiry date under "additional information", usually the length of the program plus 90 days. For a visitor it is the stamp in the passport, not the date on the visa.
- Pick the application: an extension or change of conditions for a work permit, a study permit extension, a visitor record, or a bridging open work permit once a permanent residence application has its acknowledgement of receipt.
- Apply early and keep proof: keep a copy of the application and the fee receipt, and for an online work permit extension the letter (WP-EXT) in your IRCC account, which IRCC says is proof you may keep working.
- If the date has passed: IRCC allows 90 days to apply to restore your status, with different rules for working and studying while it decides.
How the planner works out your dates
The planner works out four dates from the expiry date you enter: an apply-by date, a last safe day to apply, the expiry itself and the 90-day restoration deadline, plus the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) window for students. Every rule behind them was read on canada.ca and the Justice Laws website on October 4, 2026, and each date in your plan carries a numbered source.
- Apply by (recommended): the earlier of two dates: 30 days before expiry, which is IRCC's advice, and the expiry date minus the longer of IRCC's two processing figures for your line, so IRCC has time to decide before the permit ends. A visitor record uses only the 30 days, because IRCC's current figure is longer than a visitor stay.
- Last safe day to apply: the day before expiry. IRCC must receive the application before the permit expires, and for an online work permit application that means before midnight UTC on the expiry day, which is late afternoon or evening in Canada. The day before leaves room for a payment or upload problem.
- Expiry: the date you enter, which should be the earlier of the permit's expiry date and any "must leave Canada by" date. A student who finishes early loses the study permit 90 days after completing the program, if that comes before the printed date.
- Restoration deadline: 90 days after the day your status ended, the limit IRCC and section 182 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations set.
- PGWP window: 180 days after the day your school first confirms you completed the program. Apply before the study permit expires to keep working while IRCC decides. If it expires first, you have up to 90 days to apply and restore your student status.
Two IRCC figures sit behind the apply-by date. IRCC now publishes a forward estimate for an application received today, updated weekly, and an older historical figure for how long most complete applications took in the past. The planner plans around the longer of the two, so the date leaves room if processing runs slower than the estimate. IRCC says its processing times may increase, and neither figure is a guarantee.
What is maintained status, and what can you do on it?
Maintained status is a legal extension of your status that lets you stay in Canada while IRCC processes an application to extend or change it, and it applies only if you apply before your current status expires (IRCC glossary, checked October 4, 2026). It used to be called implied status. What you may do while you wait depends on what you applied for.
| You applied before expiry for | While IRCC decides |
|---|---|
| A work permit extension or change, including a bridging open work permit | You may: stay in Canada, keep working under the same conditions (on an employer-specific permit, the same employer, job and location) and keep working with an expired SIN.You may not: start with a new employer or job until approved, unless IRCC authorizes it after you ask; usually renew a driver's licence or health card; apply for or update your SIN. |
| A study permit extension | You may: stay in Canada, keep studying under the same conditions and work off campus if you meet IRCC's conditions, up to 24 hours a week during regular terms.You may not: start at a new school until the extension is approved, except in certain situations; usually renew a driver's licence or health card, or get a SIN card. |
| A visitor record | You may: stay in Canada until IRCC decides.You may not: gain any new right to work or study: a visitor record only extends your stay as a visitor. |
| A study permit or visitor record, while holding a work permit | You may not: keep working after the work permit expires, because IRCC says you may work only until it expires, or start studying before the study permit is approved, unless you are authorized to study without a study permit. |
Timing is strict for work permits. IRCC says it must receive your application before the work permit expires, and an online application counts only if it is submitted before midnight UTC on the expiry day. For study permits and visitor records IRCC says to apply before the permit or status expires and at least 30 days ahead.
Leaving Canada changes what maintained status gives you. After a work permit extension IRCC says you may be allowed back in as a visitor and then cannot work until the new permit is approved. After a study permit extension IRCC says you cannot study until it approves the extension, and that if you applied before the permit expired you may be allowed to enter Canada if you meet all the other requirements. A visitor record does not guarantee re-entry. Our guide to maintained status goes further.
Maintained status is not permanent
What is restoration of status, and what does it cost?
Restoration of status is an application to get back temporary resident status after it has expired, and IRCC requires it within 90 days of losing the status (Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, section 182, checked October 4, 2026). The fee depends on the status you are restoring.
| Restoring status as | Fee and what it includes |
|---|---|
| A worker | $401.25: the $246.25 restoration fee plus the $155 work permit fee, and $100 more if the new permit is an open work permit. |
| A student | $396.25: the $246.25 restoration fee plus the $150 study permit fee. |
| A visitor | $246.25: the restoration fee, with no separate visitor visa fee. |
IRCC says you can apply to restore your status if you apply within 90 days of losing it, met the requirements for your stay, met all the conditions listed on your expired permit and are not a temporary resident permit holder. While IRCC decides you may stay in Canada, but you normally cannot work, or study, until your status is restored and the new permit is issued, and there is no guarantee of approval. If the application is refused you have to leave Canada.
After 90 days IRCC says a worker must leave Canada and reapply from outside Canada to work in Canada again, with one narrow exception for foreign workers who hold an open work permit support letter from a participating province or territory. Each family member restores their own status through a separate application and pays the fee themselves.
IRCC's processing-times tool has no restoration line, but IRCC's program instructions set a service standard of a final decision within five months of receiving a complete application, which is a target rather than a forecast. If you leave Canada while the application is processed, an officer must refuse it and the fee is not refunded, and restoration cannot be applied for or granted at a port of entry. The planner shows your deadline, and our work permit extension guide explains the application itself.
The PGWP window after your studies end
A graduate must apply for a post-graduation work permit within 180 days of confirmation that they completed their program, and applying while the study permit is still valid is what allows full-time work while IRCC decides (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026).
- The 180-day window: IRCC counts from the day your school first notified you that you completed the program, or the day you received your degree, diploma or certificate, and your study permit must have been valid at some point during those 180 days.
- Your study permit may end sooner: it expires on the earlier of the date printed on it and 90 days after you complete your studies.
- Working while you wait: you can work full-time until IRCC decides if your study permit was valid when you applied, you completed your program, you were eligible to work off campus and you did not work more hours than you were allowed.
- If the study permit expires first: you have up to 90 days after it expires to apply for the PGWP and restore your student status. You cannot work until the PGWP is approved, and after those 90 days you must leave Canada, although a PGWP can also be applied for from outside Canada within the 180 days.
- Waiting for your marks: if the study permit will expire before you get them, IRCC says to apply for a visitor record or leave Canada and apply for the PGWP.
- Fee: $255, which is the $155 work permit fee plus the $100 open work permit holder fee.
The planner covers the dates only. Program, language and field-of-study requirements are separate: see our PGWP guide, our study permit guide and the eligibility checker for the routes that fit you.
IRCC processing times behind this planner
On IRCC's data feeds read on October 4, 2026, IRCC estimates 12 weeks for a work permit extension in Canada and 8 weeks for a study permit extension in Canada if you apply today, and publishes 385 days for a visitor record. IRCC says its processing time starts the day it receives a complete application and ends when it makes a decision, and that the forward estimate includes the time to give your biometrics.
| IRCC line | Estimate if you apply today | Historical figure |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit extension in Canada | 12 weeks (updated September 26, 2026) | 108 days (updated October 1, 2026) |
| Study permit extension in Canada | 8 weeks (updated September 26, 2026) | 60 days (updated October 1, 2026) |
| Visitor record | Not published | 385 days (updated October 1, 2026) |
The historical figure is how long it took IRCC to process most complete applications in the past. For a fuller table of IRCC lines, see our processing times page.
Frequently asked questions
My work permit is expiring: when should I apply to extend it?
Apply at least 30 days before your work permit expires, and ideally about 16 weeks ahead: IRCC estimates 12 weeks for an in-Canada work permit extension if you apply today and publishes 108 days on its historical figure (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026). The estimate was updated September 26, 2026 and the historical figure October 1, 2026. IRCC must receive the application before the permit expires, and an online application counts only if it is submitted before midnight UTC on the expiry day.
My study permit is expiring: what should I do?
If you are still studying, apply to extend it at least 30 days before it expires: IRCC says an application received before expiry lets you keep studying under the same conditions until it decides, as long as you stay in Canada. If you are finishing your program, the options are a post-graduation work permit, a visitor record or leaving Canada, and the planner dates each one. IRCC says a study permit expires on the earlier of the date printed on it and 90 days after you complete your studies (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026).
What is maintained status in Canada?
Maintained status is a legal extension of a temporary resident's status that lets them stay in Canada while IRCC processes an application to extend or change it, and it applies only if the application is made before the current status expires. IRCC used to call it implied status. It does not apply to temporary resident permit holders (IRCC glossary, checked October 4, 2026).
Can I keep working while my work permit extension is processed?
Yes, if you applied before the work permit expired, you can keep working under the same conditions as your current permit until IRCC decides, as long as you stay in Canada: on an employer-specific permit that means the same employer, job and work location. You cannot start with a new employer or in a new job until IRCC approves it, unless you ask IRCC for authorization to work and receive it (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026). If you applied for a study permit or a visitor record instead, you may work only until your work permit expires.
What happens if my permit expires before I apply?
If your permit expires before you apply, you lose your status on the expiry date, and IRCC allows an application to restore it within 90 days of losing it, for a $246.25 restoration fee plus the new permit's fee (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026). The new permit's fee is $155 for a work permit and $150 for a study permit, and a visitor pays $246.25 in total. You may stay in Canada while IRCC decides, but you normally cannot work or study until your status is restored and the new permit is issued, and there is no guarantee of approval.
How long do I have to restore my status in Canada?
IRCC allows 90 days from the day your status ended to apply to restore it, and an online work permit application must be submitted before midnight UTC no more than 90 days after your status and permit expired (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026). The 90 days come from section 182 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. After 90 days IRCC says a worker must leave Canada and reapply from outside Canada to work in Canada again, with a narrow exception for foreign workers holding an open work permit support letter from a participating province or territory.
How much does restoration of status cost?
On IRCC's fee list (page dated September 21, 2026, read October 4, 2026) restoring status as a worker costs $401.25, which is the $246.25 restoration fee plus the $155 work permit fee, with $100 more for an open work permit. Restoring as a student costs $396.25 ($246.25 plus the $150 study permit fee) and restoring as a visitor costs $246.25, with no separate visa fee. Each family member pays their own fee: there is no family rate.
How long does restoration of status take?
IRCC publishes no processing time for restoration of status: its processing-times tool has no restoration line, and its program instructions set a service standard of a final decision within five months of receiving a complete application (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026). A service standard is a target, not a forecast. You may stay in Canada while IRCC decides, but if you leave Canada during processing an officer must refuse the application and the fee is not refunded.
When must I apply for a PGWP after my studies end?
Apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program, and ideally while your study permit is still valid, because IRCC says you can then work full-time until it decides (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026). The conditions are that you completed your program, were eligible to work off campus and did not work more hours than you were allowed. If your study permit expires first you have up to 90 days after it expires to apply for the PGWP and restore your student status, but you cannot work until the PGWP is approved.
Can I leave Canada while my extension is being processed?
You can leave Canada while an extension is pending, but IRCC says that after a work permit extension you may be allowed back in as a visitor and cannot work until the new permit is approved (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026). After a study permit extension IRCC says you cannot study until it approves the extension, and that if you applied before the permit expired you may be allowed to enter Canada if you meet all the other requirements. A visitor record does not guarantee re-entry. A work permit is not a travel document, so you may also need a visa or an eTA.
How long does a study permit extension take?
IRCC estimates 8 weeks for a study permit extension in Canada if you apply today (updated September 26, 2026), and its historical figure is 60 days (updated October 1, 2026). IRCC says it will process an extension in 60 days for a change to a new post-secondary school if you tell it you are changing schools when you apply (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026).
How long does a visitor record take?
IRCC's current figure for a visitor record is 385 days (updated October 1, 2026), which is longer than the standard six-month visitor stay, so most of the wait falls after the date your status would otherwise have ended. Maintained status covers that wait only if you applied before your visitor status expired, and IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026).
Can I apply for a bridging open work permit before my work permit expires?
A bridging open work permit application can be made while you still hold a valid work permit, but only once you have submitted a complete permanent residence application and received the acknowledgement of receipt letter. IRCC lists these conditions: you live in Canada, you hold a valid work permit, have maintained status or can still restore your status, you are the principal applicant, and a provincial nominee has no employment restrictions on the nomination. Until the acknowledgement of receipt arrives, IRCC says not to let your work permit expire (IRCC, checked October 4, 2026).
Is this an official IRCC tool?
No, this planner is a free tool from Wild Mountain Immigration, a CICC-regulated immigration consultancy, and it is not affiliated with the Government of Canada or IRCC. It turns IRCC's published rules and processing times into dates, gives general information only and does not say whether you are eligible for anything: only IRCC decides an application. It covers standard permits, not Quebec or permits issued under special measures.
Sources and date checked
Every rule, fee and date in the planner was read on October 4, 2026from the pages below. The date after each page is the date IRCC or the Justice Laws website shows as its last change. Processing figures come from IRCC's tool and its published data feeds, read on October 4, 2026.
- IRCC: Extend or change the conditions on your work permit (page changed September 17, 2026)
- IRCC: Extend your work permit, who can apply (page changed July 20, 2026)
- IRCC: Extend your work permit, how to apply (page changed August 21, 2026)
- IRCC: Extend your work permit, after you apply (page changed August 21, 2026)
- IRCC: Extend your work permit, what to do if it expires (page changed July 17, 2026)
- IRCC: Changing jobs or employers (page changed November 20, 2025)
- IRCC: Travelling outside Canada after you extend a work permit (page changed July 17, 2026)
- IRCC: Restore your status and get a work permit (page changed August 28, 2026)
- IRCC: Extend your study permit or restore your status (page changed September 17, 2026)
- IRCC: Study permit extension, when to apply (page changed August 9, 2024)
- IRCC: Study permit extension, how to apply (page changed August 9, 2024)
- IRCC: Study permit extension, what to do if your permit expires (page changed August 9, 2024)
- IRCC: Work off campus as an international student (page changed April 15, 2026)
- IRCC: International students travelling outside Canada and then re-entering (page changed August 28, 2026)
- IRCC: Visitor record, about the document (page changed January 9, 2026)
- IRCC: Visitor record, who can apply (page changed January 9, 2026)
- IRCC: Visitor record, how to apply (page changed January 9, 2026)
- IRCC: Visitor record, after you apply (page changed January 27, 2026)
- IRCC: Visitor record, travelling outside Canada (page changed March 5, 2026)
- IRCC Help Centre: restore your status as a visitor (page changed September 28, 2026)
- IRCC: Post-graduation work permit, who can apply (page changed June 24, 2026)
- IRCC: Post-graduation work permit, how to apply (page changed August 28, 2026)
- IRCC: Post-graduation work permit, after you apply (page changed April 24, 2026)
- IRCC: Bridging open work permit for permanent residence applicants (page changed June 23, 2026)
- IRCC: International Experience Canada, make changes to your work permit (page changed March 5, 2026)
- IRCC: Check current processing times (page changed September 24, 2026)
- IRCC: Fee list (page changed September 21, 2026)
- IRCC glossary: maintained status (page changed August 5, 2026)
- IRCC program delivery instructions: Restoration of temporary resident status (page changed May 1, 2026)
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, section 182 (restoration) (page changed July 15, 2026)
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, section 183 (extension of the authorized stay) (page changed July 15, 2026)
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, section 186 (work without a permit) (page changed July 15, 2026)
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, section 189 (study without a permit) (page changed July 15, 2026)
This planner gives general information and dates, not legal advice and not a decision about whether you are eligible for anything. Rules, fees and processing times change, so check the live IRCC pages before you rely on a date. It covers standard permits and does not cover Quebec or permits issued under special measures.
Keep exploring
- Work permit extensionWhich application to file, fees and steps
- Study permitExtensions, funds and work while studying
- IRCC processing timesEvery line, checked against IRCC's tool
- Eligibility checkerWhich work and PR routes may fit you
- Maintained statusWhat it allows and where it ends
- PGWPRequirements, length and the 180-day window
- Bridging open work permitKeep working while your PR is processed
- Visitor recordExtend your stay as a visitor
Expiry date closer than you would like?
A licensed RCIC can check these dates against your documents and tell you which application to file.