Extend or Restore Your Status in Canada – Coronavirus

The coronavirus COVID-19 is impacting all of our lives in a serious way. The last thing that anyone wants to do now is get on a plane to leave Canada, especially if you don’t know when you will be able to come back.

If your status in Canada is expiring soon or has already expired, then you have a couple of options to remain in Canada.

If your status in Canada has not yet expired:

If you are currently a worker, student, or visitor, you can apply to extend your status to remain in Canada with legal status.

You have to submit your application before the expiry date of your current status. If you do this, you will have what is called implied status. Implied status is continued legal status under the same conditions that you originally entered Canada with.

You will continue to have implied status as long as you remain in Canada until a final decision is made on your application to extend your status, and you can continue the same activities such as studying, working, and visiting, as you were allowed to do when you entered Canada.

If you are not eligible to extend your study permit or work permit:

You can apply to change your conditions and remain in Canada as a visitor.

If your temporary status as a visitor, study permit, or work permit has already expired:

If your work permit, study permit, or visitor status expired less than 90 days ago, you can submit an application to restore your status.

Not to worry – a lot of people think that the moment their status in Canada expires, the police will show up and arrest or deport them! This is absolutely not the case.

You have 90 days to restore your temporary status. If you are not eligible to restore your status as a worker or student, you may apply to restore as a visitor so that you do not have to leave Canada during the COVID-19 crisis.

If your status expired more than 90 days ago:

If your study permit, work permit, or visitor status expired more than 90 days ago, then you are no longer eligible to restore your status.

However, you do have the option to apply for a Temporary Resident Permit in order to regain legal status in Canada.

If your temporary resident permit is valid for 6 months or more, then you may apply for a work permit or study permit which will be valid to the expiry date of the TRP.

Fees

Fees for a status extension or restoration application usually range from $350 – $500 per person + government application fee.

Temporary Resident Permit fees for individuals inside Canada without status usually range from $500 – $1000 per person + government fees depending on the circumstances.

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The government of Canada has been explicit about wanting to limit exposure to COVID-19 coronavirus sickness to all people currently present in Canada. This includes not only Canadian citizens and permanent residents, but also temporary residents and even those without status.

All people in Canada are encouraged to seek medical attention should they begin to exhibit coronavirus symptoms.

Contact us if you have additional questions about your status in Canada.