Extension of Status
Extending your stay from inside Canada is administratively simple and consequentially serious. Apply before your current status expires and you keep working, studying or visiting lawfully while IRCC decides. Apply a day late and you are in a different, worse position.
Maintained status is the whole point
If you apply to extend before your current status expires, you have maintained status — formerly called implied status — from expiry until a decision is made. You can generally continue under the same conditions as your existing permit: the same work, the same studies, the same employer where the permit was employer-specific.
That protection is lost entirely if you apply even one day after expiry. There is no partial credit and no discretion.
Leaving Canada while on maintained status can end it. If you have an application pending and you are thinking about travelling, get advice before you book — this is one of the most costly avoidable mistakes in the system.
Current fees and timing
- ● Visitor record (extend as a visitor): $100.
- ● Study permit extension: $150.
- ● Work permit extension: $155, plus $100 if it is an open work permit.
- ● Biometrics $85 where required.
- ● Processing at the time of writing: visitor extensions around 316 days, study extensions around 70 days, work extensions around 119 days.
Those visitor timelines are not a typo
Visitor extension processing has stretched dramatically, and most published guidance still says three to four months. Planning around the real figure changes decisions: it means applying much earlier than feels necessary, and it means not assuming a short trip abroad mid-process is harmless.
It also means the application is worth doing properly the first time. A request for further documents adds months, not weeks.
Extending as a student or worker
- ● Students changing to a different post-secondary institution need a new study permit and a new attestation letter before moving — an extension at the same school and level is a different, simpler case.
- ● Workers on employer-specific permits need the new offer or LMIA in place before applying, and cannot change employer on maintained status.
- ● Where a permanent residence application is already in progress, a bridging open work permit may be a better route than a straight extension.
- ● Flagpoling is no longer an option for most people — permits are not issued at ports of entry since 23 December 2024.
Reviewed by a licensed RCIC · Last updated 13 August 2026. Immigration rules change often — confirm anything time-sensitive with us or on canada.ca.
Looking for related services? See our full Temporary Residency overview or all services.
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Frequently asked questions
What is maintained status?
If you apply to extend before your current status expires, you may stay in Canada under the same conditions until a decision is made — working or studying as your existing permit allowed. It applies automatically when you apply on time, and not at all when you apply late.
How long does a visitor extension take?
Around 316 days at the time of writing, which is far longer than most websites state. Study extensions have been running around 70 days and work extensions around 119. Apply as early as you sensibly can, and check the live figure before relying on any number.
Can I leave Canada while my extension is pending?
It is risky. Leaving can end maintained status, and re-entry depends on your visa and circumstances — you may not be able to resume the position you left. If travel is unavoidable, get advice specific to your situation first.
What if I applied late?
Then you are into restoration, which is possible within 90 days of losing status, at a higher fee, with no guarantee and generally no right to work or study while it is pending. Beyond 90 days, the options narrow considerably. Act quickly.
Can I change employers while my extension is being processed?
Not on an employer-specific permit under maintained status. You may continue with the same employer under the same conditions, but starting with a new employer requires a new permit to be issued first, unless you hold an open work permit.
Still unsure how this applies to your case? Book an appointment with a licensed RCIC.
More Temporary Residency services
Other pathways we handle in this area — or talk to a licensed RCIC about which fits your case.
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