Canada · work · guide
Canada: Restore your status as a worker
This guide is for temporary workers in Canada who have lost their status and need to restore it.
MIGRAGENT wrote this from 21 requirements on the official page, each checked against the government's own wording. Updated 2026-10-02. Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/restore.html
Who can apply
You can apply to restore your status if you met the requirements for your stay. You must also have met all the conditions listed on your expired permit before it expired.[1][2]
You cannot apply to restore your status if you hold a temporary resident permit.[3]
What you need to do
You must stop working immediately if you lose your status. If your permit and status have already expired, you must restore your initial permit and status first. Make sure your employer has completed all the required steps before you submit your application.[4][5][6]
If your family members also lost their status, they cannot be on your application. Each family member must apply separately to restore their status.[7]
How to apply online
To apply online, you must create an online account. You need a scanner or camera to make electronic copies of your documents. You must also have a valid credit or debit card to pay the fees.[8][9][10]
When filling out form IMM 5710, you must choose 'Restore my status as a worker' under question 3. You must also provide a separate page explaining the details of your situation and why you stayed in Canada longer than allowed.[11][12]
If you are a Venezuelan national with an extended passport, you must include a letter of explanation stating this. You must also add 5 years to the printed expiry date shown on your Venezuelan passport and enter this new date in the expiry date field of the application form.[13][14]
Fees and costs
You must pay a work permit processing fee of $155. If you are applying for an open work permit, you must also pay an open work permit holder fee of $100. If you need to give your biometrics, you must pay an additional biometrics fee of $85.[15][16][17]
Each of your family members must pay the restoration fee for their own application.[18]
Timing and deadlines
You must apply to restore your status within 90 days of losing it. You must submit your online application before midnight UTC within this 90-day window. If you lost your status more than 90 days ago and have not applied to restore it, you must leave Canada.[19][20][21]
Checklist
- Stop working as soon as you lose your status[4]
- Confirm your employer has completed all required steps[6]
- Create an online account to start your application[8]
- Select 'Restore my status as a worker' on question 3 of form IMM 5710[11]
- Prepare a separate page explaining why you stayed longer than allowed[12]
- Submit your application before midnight UTC within 90 days of losing status[20]
Questions people ask
How long do I have to restore my status in Canada?
You must apply to restore your status within 90 days of losing it. You must submit your online application before midnight UTC within this 90-day period.[19][20]
Can I keep working while waiting for my status restoration?
No. You must stop working immediately if you lose your status.[4]
What happens if I do not apply within 90 days?
If you lost your status more than 90 days ago and have not applied to restore it, you must leave Canada.[21]
How much does it cost to restore a work permit in Canada?
You must pay a work permit processing fee of $155. If you are applying for an open work permit, you must also pay an open work permit holder fee of $100. If you need to give biometrics, you must pay an $85 biometrics fee.[15][16][17]
Can my family members be included in my restoration application?
No. Your family members must each apply separately to restore their status if they lost it. Each family member must pay the restoration fee for their own application.[7][18]
What should I do if I have an extended Venezuelan passport?
You must include a letter of explanation stating that you are a Venezuelan national with an extended passport. You must also add 5 years to the printed expiry date shown on your Venezuelan passport and enter it in the expiry date field of the application form.[13][14]
This explains what one official page says. It is not legal advice, and the page itself is the authority. Rules change; the wire reports it when they do.