Restoration of Status
If your temporary status in Canada has expired, you have 90 days to apply to restore it. That window is strict, the fee is higher than a normal extension, and approval is discretionary. It is also the difference between recovering your position and having to leave.
The 90-day rule
Restoration is available where fewer than 90 days have passed since your status expired, you are still in Canada, and you continue to meet the requirements of the status you are asking to restore. There is no extension of the 90 days and no exception for good reasons.
Day 91 is not a soft deadline. After it, restoration is simply unavailable, and the realistic options become leaving Canada and applying again from abroad, or in narrow circumstances a temporary resident permit or a humanitarian application.
If you are reading this because your permit has just expired, the useful action today is to work out exactly which day it expired and count forward. Everything else follows from that date.
Fees
- ● Restore status as a visitor: $246.25.
- ● Restore status as a student: $396.25 — $246.25 restoration plus $150 for the study permit.
- ● Restore status as a worker: $401.25 — $246.25 restoration plus $155 for the work permit.
- ● Add $100 if it is an open work permit, and $85 for biometrics where required.
- ● These rose on 1 December 2025; older figures are out of date.
While you wait
Restoration does not restore your status retroactively, and it does not carry the protections of maintained status. You are not authorised to work or study while a restoration application is pending unless you are expressly told otherwise, and working during that period is a separate compliance problem that can affect the application itself.
IRCC is explicit that there is no guarantee a restoration application will be approved. It is a discretionary decision, and how the situation is explained matters.
How not to end up here
Almost every restoration file we see began with a diarised date that nobody diarised. Set a reminder six months before your permit expires, not one month. Apply to extend before expiry, and you get maintained status automatically — which costs less, carries no discretion, and lets you keep working.
If you are already past expiry, speak to a licensed RCIC now rather than at the end of the 90 days. The application is stronger when there is time to assemble it.
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
How long do I have to restore my status?
90 days from the day your status expired. You must still be in Canada and still meet the requirements of the status you are restoring. The deadline is absolute — there is no discretion to extend it.
Can I work while my restoration application is pending?
No, not unless you are expressly authorised. Restoration does not carry the maintained-status protections that apply when you extend on time. Working during this period creates a compliance issue that can affect the restoration decision itself.
What does restoration cost?
$246.25 as a visitor, $396.25 as a student, and $401.25 as a worker, plus $100 for an open work permit and $85 for biometrics where required. These figures increased on 1 December 2025.
Is restoration guaranteed if I apply in time?
No. It is a discretionary decision and IRCC says so plainly. Applying within the window makes it possible; how the lapse is explained and evidenced is what makes it likely.
What if more than 90 days have passed?
Restoration is no longer available. The realistic routes are leaving Canada and applying again from outside, or in narrow circumstances a temporary resident permit or a humanitarian and compassionate application. Both are harder and slower, which is why the 90-day window matters so much.
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.
Waymark runs on the Nova System platform — built in Abbotsford, BC by practising RCICs.