What is Maintained Status?
Maintained status is a legal provision under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) that allows you to remain in Canada after your permit expires, provided you applied for a new one before the old one ran out.
The Golden Rule: You must hit “Submit” on your application before 11:59 PM Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on the day your permit expires. If your permit expires on August 15th, and you apply at 12:01 AM UTC on August 16th, you have lost your status.
Can You Work or Study?
The most common question I get is: “My permit is expired, but my application is processing. Can I still work?” The answer depends on what you applied for:
| If your current permit is… | And you applied for… | Can you keep working/studying? |
| Study Permit | Another Study Permit | Yes. You can continue studying under the same conditions. |
| Work Permit | Another Work Permit | Yes. You can continue working (note: if it was employer-specific, you must stay with that employer). |
| Study Permit | PGWP | Yes. If you had a valid study permit at the time of application, you can work full-time while waiting. |
| Study Permit | Visitor Record | No. You can stay in Canada, but you must stop studying/working the day your permit expires. |
The “Subsequent Application” Trap (New for 2025/2026)
A critical update was implemented recently regarding multiple applications.
- The Old Rule: You could sometimes “stack” applications to stay on maintained status longer.
- The New Rule: If you are on maintained status (waiting for Application A) and you submit a second application (Application B) after your original permit has expired, your status is tied entirely to Application A. If Application A is refused, Application B will be automatically refused as well, and you will be out of status immediately.
3 Critical Warnings for Maintained Status
1. Do Not Leave Canada
Maintained status is a “geographic” benefit. The moment you cross the border to leave Canada, your maintained status ends. * If you leave and try to return, you may be allowed back in as a visitor, but you generally cannot resume working or studying until your new permit is actually approved and in your hand.
2. The “Incomplete” Risk
If IRCC returns your application because it was “incomplete” (e.g., you forgot a signature or a mandatory document), it is treated as if you never applied. If your original permit has expired by the time it’s returned, you are officially out of status and must apply for Restoration of Status within 90 days (and pay higher fees).
3. Proof for Employers
Many employers are hesitant to keep an employee whose permit shows an expired date. To prove your right to work, you should provide:
- A copy of your expired permit.
- Your Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) from IRCC.
- The WP-EXT letter (often issued to PGWP applicants) which explicitly confirms your authorization to work while the application is pending.
