For a developer or technology professional working in Canada, a project handoff, release cycle or job change can coincide with a work-permit expiry. Keep the immigration timeline separate from your sprint calendar: your employer's preferred start date does not determine whether you may work.
Check the permission you have today
Read the conditions on your current permit, including its expiry date and any employer, job or location restrictions. Save a copy alongside your IRCC application receipt. If you hold an employer-specific permit, do not assume that a new role or employer is covered.
Apply before expiry when eligible
IRCC says that if it receives an application to extend or change a work permit before the current permit expires, temporary resident status may be maintained while the application is processed. A worker who applies to extend a work permit may be authorized to keep working under the same conditions while waiting, if the applicable requirements are met and the person stays in Canada. Applying for a visitor record or study permit has different work consequences.
If the permit already expired
IRCC says a person who has lost status must stop working. An eligible worker may be able to apply to restore status and obtain a new work permit within 90 days. Restoration is not guaranteed, and normally work cannot continue while IRCC decides the application. Do not treat a submitted restoration application as work authorization.
A practical record set
Keep the permit, passport, submission receipt, application copy, employer and work-location details, and any IRCC letters together. Note any separate date by which you must leave Canada. If a job change, remote-work arrangement or travel is involved, get advice on the specific facts before acting.
Official IRCC guidance: Extend or change a work permit · When a work permit expires · Restore status and get a work permit.
Titanium Law Professional Corporation provides Canadian immigration-law services. Request a consultation or call +1 778-683-8110.
General information, not legal advice. Rules and eligibility may change. Check current IRCC instructions and seek advice about your circumstances. Prepared with AI assistance and checked against the linked IRCC guidance on October 23, 2026.
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