How to Restore Your Status in Canada: The 90-Day Rule (2026 Update)
If your temporary status in Canada has expired, you generally have 90 days to apply to restore it. Restoration of status is the process that lets a visitor, student, or worker who has lost valid temporary resident status ask Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to reinstate it. The core rule is the timeline: your restoration application must be received by IRCC no more than 90 days after your status expired. There is a CAN$200 restoration fee, and if you also need a new permit, the fee for that permit applies on top.
The 90-day window is the single most important fact to act on. The day your work permit, study permit, or authorized stay expires, the clock starts. During this period you are out of status, you are not authorized to work or study, and you should not leave and re-enter Canada assuming you can simply return. Restoration is a defined process with a hard deadline, not an informal grace period. This guide explains how restoration of status works in Canada in 2026, who can apply, what the fees are, and where the deadlines are unforgiving. For figures that IRCC may change, this article links to the official source rather than stating numbers that go out of date.
What is restoration of status in Canada?
Restoration of status is the formal IRCC process for reinstating temporary resident status that has been lost. It applies to three categories of temporary resident: visitors, students, and workers. If you held valid status under one of these categories and that status expired, restoration is the mechanism that asks IRCC to recognize you as being in status again. It is not the same as extending status before it expires, and it is not the same as applying for a brand-new permit from outside Canada. Restoration exists specifically for people who are already inside Canada and have already lost their status. The official process is described on the IRCC restore your status pages.
How the 90-day restoration rule works
The 90-day rule sets the deadline for applying. To be eligible for restoration, your application must be received by IRCC within 90 days of the day your status expired. If you apply within that window and you meet the other conditions, you can ask to be restored to the status you held. If more than 90 days have passed since your status expired, you are no longer eligible to restore in the normal way, and your options narrow significantly. The 90 days is counted from the expiry date of your status, not from the day you noticed the problem. This is why acting early matters: a file assembled in week two of the window is far less stressful than one assembled on day 89.
Who can apply to restore their status?
You may be able to apply to restore your status if you held valid temporary resident status as a visitor, student, or worker, that status has expired, and no more than 90 days have passed since it expired. You also have to continue to meet the requirements of the status you are asking to be restored to, and you must not have violated the conditions of your stay in a way that makes you ineligible. Restoration is available to people who are physically in Canada. Whether your specific situation meets every condition depends on the facts of your case, which is exactly the kind of question a regulated immigration consultant reviews before you file. IRCC sets out the eligibility conditions on its official restoration pages.
What does restoration of status cost in 2026?
The fee to restore temporary resident status is CAN$200. If your restoration also involves getting a new permit, the fee for that permit is charged in addition to the restoration fee. For example, restoring status and getting a new study permit involves the CAN$200 restoration fee plus the study permit fee. Fees are set by IRCC and can change, so always confirm the current amounts on the official IRCC fee list before you pay. Paying the correct fees in full is part of submitting a complete application; an incomplete fee payment can lead to a file being returned.
Can you work or study while waiting for restoration?
No. This is one of the most misunderstood parts of restoration. Once your status has expired, you are not authorized to work or study, and applying for restoration does not give back that authorization while you wait. You are asking to be restored, but you are not in status during the period your application is pending. This is different from maintained status, which applies when you apply to extend a permit before it expires. If you are in this situation, stopping unauthorized work or study and getting professional guidance quickly is important, because continuing to work or study without authorization can create further problems with IRCC.
What happens if you miss the 90-day window?
If more than 90 days have passed since your status expired, you can no longer restore your status through the standard process. At that point your situation is more serious and your remaining options are limited and case-specific. Depending on the facts, these may include leaving Canada, or, in some circumstances, other applications that a regulated representative would assess individually. There is no automatic second chance built into the restoration process once the 90 days lapse. This is precisely why the deadline drives everything. If you are close to the 90-day mark, or past it, the responsible step is to speak with a licensed immigration consultant before taking any action that could make your situation harder to resolve.
How an RCIC-IRB can help with restoration
Restoration files look simple and are not. A successful application has to show that you held valid status, that it expired, that you are applying within the window, that you still meet the requirements of the status you want restored, and that the fees are paid correctly. Mistakes in any of these areas can lead to a returned or refused file, and a refusal during an out-of-status period leaves you with even less room to recover. Imprint Immigration Services is an Edmonton practice led by Shirani Daniel, a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant authorized to represent clients before the Immigration and Refugee Board (RCIC-IRB). For people who have already lost status, having a regulated representative assemble the file correctly and on time is the difference between a clean restoration and a compounding problem. If your status has expired or is about to, book a consultation so we can review your timeline and map your next step.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to restore my status in Canada?
Your restoration application must be received by IRCC within 90 days of the date your temporary status expired. The 90 days are counted from your expiry date.
How much does restoration of status cost?
The restoration fee is CAN$200. If you also need a new permit, the fee for that permit is added on top. Confirm current amounts on the IRCC fee list before paying.
Can I work while my restoration application is being processed?
No. Once your status has expired you are not authorized to work or study, and applying for restoration does not restore that authorization while you wait.
What if it has been more than 90 days since my status expired?
You can no longer use the standard restoration process. Your options become limited and case-specific, so speak with a regulated immigration consultant before acting.
Imprint Immigration Services is licensed by the CICC (R705794). Information shared is general; for advice about your specific case, book a consultation.
Talk to a licensed immigration consultant
Every case is different. Before you act, have your specific situation reviewed by a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant.
Book a consultation with Imprint Immigration Services. Imprint Immigration Services is led by an RCIC in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), licence R705794.
