I have applied for a new work permit. Can I stay in Canada if my work permit expires?
COVID-19: workers changing jobs or employers
You don’t need to wait until your new employer-specific work permit arrives to start a new job or work for a new employer. Follow these steps to start working after you apply for a work permit.
Yes. You can stay in Canada, and may be able to keep working, under what's called implied status. That means the law implies you are a temporary resident. The implied status lasts until we decide on your new permit application. However, you must respect the following requirements:
If you applied for another work permit
- You must stay in Canada and meet the conditions of your original work permit. If you applied for a work permit extension before your work permit expired, you can keep working under the same conditions as your existing permit until we decide on your application.
If you applied for a different kind of permit
- You cannot do any of the activities allowed by the original work permit. For example, you may have come to Canada as a worker and then applied for a study permit. If so, you must stop working once your work permit expires. After that, you cannot work or study until you get a new permit.
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