Many people with work permits for Canada may eventually look to renew or modify their documents so they can keep working there.
The timing of your application for a permit extension or change will determine whether you can keep working as a foreign national in this job after your permission expires.
More specifically, in order to continue working after their initial permit expires*, only temporary employees who submitted for a work permit extension/change before the end of their initial permit are eligible.
*Work permit holders who apply for a study permit or visitor record are subject to slightly different rules; we’ll get to that later.
Why can certain temporary employees keep working while having a permit that has expired?
People who successfully preserve their status in Canada and acquire permission to work until their new application has been approved submit a work permit extension/change application before their initial permit expires.
Temporary employees who find themselves in this circumstance are able to legally continue working in this nation. The temp employee must:
- Stay in Canada
- Work in accordance with the same restrictions as their initial work permit
How these laws vary depending on the particular circumstances you face
If the applicant has an employer-specific (closed) work permit, they must continue to work under the same restrictions outlined on their present work permit. Until a decision is made on their most recent application, those who requested a new work permit must go on working for the company listed on their first permission. When a decision is made, the temporary worker can start working under the terms of the new permit.
The temporary worker is free to switch companies and jobs if they have an open work permit (OWP).
Last but not least, people with work permits who are requesting a study permission or visitor record are only permitted to work until their original permit expires. These applicants are now legally required to stop working, and everyone who applied for a study visa is likewise prohibited from continuing their studies until a decision has been reached regarding their application.
demonstrating to your company that you are still a qualified employee in Canada
Those who are asking for a new work permit or a work permit extension may need to demonstrate to their employer that they have the right to keep working in Canada even after their initial permit expires.
Whether a permit holder applied for their extension or change of status online or on paper, the type of proof they can offer depends on which scenario applies.
Online candidates
Online work permit renewal or modification The following documents can be presented by candidates to their employers as evidence of their ongoing right to work in Canada:
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has received a work permit extension letter (WP-EXT unless PGWP); this should be presented to an employer along with your current work permit.
- If a candidate for a work permit extension or change does not hear a final decision by the deadline indicated on their WP-EXT letter, they can show their employer this website or get in touch with IRCC to demonstrate that they are still qualified to work.
Paper Candidates
Applicants for work permit extensions or changes on paper can provide the following documentation to their employer as evidence of their continuous ability to work in Canada:
- a documentation of their request for a work permit extension or change
- evidence showing they paid the application expenses for the work permit extension or change
- a copy of the postal or courier tracking information for their application
Because IRCC must verify that each application is complete and that the applicant satisfies the conditions to work in Canada, on-paper applicants do not receive a WP-EXT letter.