Count your 90 days from the date of status loss, not from today.
The 90-day clock starts when your last valid status ended. If you are unsure of that date, confirm your IRCC account records before the deadline passes. Call +1 (647) 794-7370 or +1 (647) 294-6631.
What Is Restoration of Status?
Restoration allows a foreign national who has lost temporary resident status in Canada — through permit expiry, permit refusal, or failure to comply with a condition — to have their status restored to the same type of status they previously held.
Restoration does not upgrade your status. If you held a study permit and let it expire, restoration returns you to valid study permit status — it does not grant a work permit or permanent residence.
You can also apply for restoration to a different type of status if you are eligible — for example, if your study permit expired and you have a valid job offer, you can apply for restoration to worker status instead of student status.
The 90-Day Window — How It Works
When the 90 days begins
The 90-day clock starts from the date your status was lost — typically the day after your permit expired, or the date a permit refusal was communicated to you. It does not restart because you discovered the loss of status later.
What you can do during the 90 days
You can remain in Canada. You cannot work or study (unless you have another valid authorization). You are technically "implied status" does not apply once the status has already lapsed — implied status only protects you if you applied for renewal before expiry.
What happens if restoration is approved
Your status is restored retroactively to the type of permit requested. The new permit is issued and you can resume the activities authorized by that permit.
What happens if you miss the 90 days
Restoration is no longer available. You must leave Canada voluntarily — remaining past the 90-day window without valid status constitutes overstaying and may affect future visa applications. You must apply for a new permit from your home country or country of residence.
Eligibility Requirements
You qualify for restoration if:
- You are applying within 90 days of the loss of status
- You are currently in Canada
- You meet the requirements for the type of permit you are seeking restoration to
- You did not violate any condition of your previous status in a way that makes you ineligible
- You are not inadmissible on other grounds (criminal, medical, misrepresentation)
You cannot apply for restoration if:
- 90 days have passed since the loss of status
- You are a visitor — visitor status cannot be restored (visitors can only apply for a new TRV from outside Canada)
- You were subject to a removal order
- You entered Canada without authorization
Maintained Status vs. Restoration — Critical Distinction
Maintained status (also called "implied status") applies when you submitted a renewal application before your current permit expired. In this case, you can continue working or studying under the same conditions while IRCC processes the renewal — your status is "maintained" until a decision is made.
Restoration applies when you did not apply before expiry — you allowed your status to lapse and then applied after the fact, within 90 days.
These are two different mechanisms. If you applied for renewal before your permit expired, you likely have maintained status — not a restoration situation. If you are unsure which applies to your situation, confirm the dates carefully before proceeding.
Practitioner note: Clients frequently confuse these two situations. The fastest way to confirm: check your IRCC online account for the date your permit expired and the date your renewal (or restoration) application was submitted. If the submission date is after the expiry date — you need restoration, not a renewal.
If the Restoration Application Is Refused
If the restoration application is refused, you must leave Canada. IRCC will notify you of the refusal and you should depart promptly to avoid an overstay finding.
A restoration refusal does not automatically create a bar from future applications. However, the circumstances that led to the loss of status and the refusal will appear in your immigration history and will be considered in future applications — particularly for visitor visas and work/study permits.
If the restoration was refused on grounds that can be corrected (e.g., you did not include required documents), you can apply again from outside Canada once the issue is resolved.
Act Within 90 Days
The 90-day window is strict. There is no procedure to extend it. If you are near the deadline, contact us immediately.
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Amer Rehman, RCIC #R515343, assesses restoration eligibility and prepares complete applications urgently.
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