Short answer: if your visitor status in Canada expired and you are still inside Canada, you can generally apply to restore it, but only if you do so within 90 days of the date your status expired. This window comes from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), specifically Regulation 182. Restoration is not automatic and an officer decides each case. This guide explains, in plain language, how the 90-day window works, the current IRCC fees, who qualifies, what you can and cannot do while the application is pending, the difference between restoration and maintained (formerly "implied") status, and what your options are if the 90 days have already passed. It is educational information, not legal advice; verify current fees and rules on canada.ca before you act.
What Is Restoration of Status? (IRPR R.182 / R.183)
"Restoration of status" is a mechanism under Canadian immigration law that lets a foreign national whose temporary resident status has expired, and who did not have maintained status, apply from within Canada to regain status. It is governed mainly by IRPR R.182. Maintaining your stay through a timely extension is governed by R.183. In plain terms: restoration is the safety net for people who fell out of status, not a routine way to extend a stay.
Restoration is not the same as extending your stay. An extension (for a visitor, applying for a Visitor Record) must be filed before your current status expires. Restoration is the remedy available after status has already lapsed, and only within the strict 90-day window. What this means for you: if your stay has not yet expired, you should be applying for an extension, not restoration; restoration only becomes relevant once the expiry date has passed.
Key distinction: if you applied to extend or change your status BEFORE it expired, you generally have maintained status (the current term for what used to be called "implied status") and you are not out of status. Restoration applies when you did NOT apply in time and your status has actually lapsed. The two scenarios rest on different rules (R.183 for maintained status, R.182 for restoration) and follow different procedural paths. Confirm which situation applies to you on canada.ca.
The 90-Day Window: How It Works
Under IRPR R.182, a foreign national may apply to restore their visitor status if they do so within 90 days of losing that status. The clock starts on the date your authorized stay expired, not from when you realized it had expired. This is why knowing your exact expiry date matters: for visitors it is usually the date stamped in your passport or shown on your Visitor Record, and if no specific date was given a standard period (commonly six months) generally applies. If you are unsure of your expiry date, check your entry stamp or your IRCC account before counting the 90 days.
Example: counting the 90 days
Your visitor status expired on January 1. You generally have until roughly March 31 (about 90 days) to submit a restoration application from inside Canada. If you apply on April 1, you are outside the window and restoration is generally no longer available. Because the exact last day can shift with how days are counted, treat the deadline as a hard limit and apply well before it rather than on the final day.
It must be received within the window
Your application must be received by IRCC within the 90 days, not merely started or mailed near the deadline. Applying online generally gives you a time-stamped submission and is the safest way to prove you met the window.
You do not have maintained status during the restoration period. Unlike an extension filed before your status expired, a restoration application filed after expiry does not give you maintained (implied) status. You are technically in Canada without status while the restoration application is pending. In practice IRCC generally does not take enforcement action against someone with an active, in-time restoration application, but you have no authorization to work or study during this period, and an officer can still refuse the application. Verify the current rules on canada.ca.
Eligibility Requirements for Restoration
To be eligible for restoration of visitor status under IRPR R.182, you generally must meet all of the following conditions. An officer assesses each application, so meeting these does not guarantee approval:
- ✓You are still inside Canada at the time of applying (restoration cannot be done from outside Canada)
- ✓You are applying within 90 days of your status expiry
- ✓You previously held valid temporary resident status (you cannot restore status you never had)
- ✓You have stopped the activity that required authorization: a person restoring status generally cannot keep working or studying while the application is pending
- ✓You continue to meet the requirements of the status you are asking to restore (here, the requirements of a visitor)
- ✓You are admissible to Canada and no new inadmissibility grounds have arisen
- ✓You did not breach the conditions of your previous status in a way that prevents restoration
- ✗You are NOT subject to an enforceable removal order (a removal order generally bars restoration)
Note for former workers and students: IRCC guidance updated in 2026 clarified that a worker or student who has lost status, and who no longer qualifies for their original permit (for example, a worker who no longer has a qualifying job offer), may apply to restore their status as a visitor rather than as a worker or student. To do this you generally apply for a Visitor Record alongside the restoration application, pay the corresponding fees, and satisfy an officer that you meet the requirements of a visitor. The 90-day window still applies. Confirm the current process on canada.ca, as IRCC guidance in this area changes.
Fees for Restoration
Restoring your status as a visitor generally involves two government fees: the restoration fee plus the visitor extension (Visitor Record) fee. The amounts below reflect the IRCC fee list current at the time of writing. Always confirm the exact, current amounts on canada.ca before you pay, because IRCC fees change:
$246.25 CAD
Restoration Fee
The fee to restore your temporary resident status (charged per person who lost status)
$100 CAD
Visitor Extension Fee
The standard visitor extension (Visitor Record) fee, per person, included with the restoration
Total to restore status as a visitor: about $346.25 CAD per person at current rates (subject to change, verify on canada.ca). If you are restoring as a worker or student instead, the permit fee is higher (for example, a work permit is generally $155 and a study permit $150, on top of the restoration fee). Biometrics ($85 per person, to a family maximum of $170) may also apply if yours are not already on file. These fees are generally non-refundable regardless of the outcome. Applications are normally submitted through your IRCC online account, which also time-stamps your submission within the 90-day window.
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View Deep Dives → From $49.99What You Can and Cannot Do While Restoration Is Pending
While a restoration application is pending, you are in a legally uncertain position. Unlike maintained status (formerly called implied status), which applies when you applied to extend or change your status before it expired, the restoration period does not carry the same protections:
✓ Generally Can Do
- • Remain in Canada while application is pending
- • Apply for restoration from within Canada
- • Attend scheduled IRCC or CBSA appointments
✗ Cannot Do
- • Work in Canada (no implied work authorization)
- • Study in Canada (no authorization to study while restoration is pending)
- • Travel outside Canada with confidence: leaving may abandon the application, and with lapsed status your return is not guaranteed and is decided by an officer at the border
Critical warning about travel: If you leave Canada while your restoration application is pending, IRCC may consider the application abandoned. More importantly, you would be attempting to re-enter Canada without status, since your original status lapsed and restoration was not yet granted. Leaving Canada while in this situation is extremely risky.
What Happens If You Miss the 90-Day Window?
If more than 90 days have passed since your visitor status expired, you can no longer apply for restoration from within Canada. At that point, your options are limited:
- →Leave Canada voluntarily: Voluntary departure is generally treated more favourably than removal when it comes to future applications. Leaving before enforcement action is taken reduces the severity of the immigration record. However, if you overstayed significantly, your overstay will be recorded and may affect future visitor visa or immigration applications.
- →Apply from outside Canada: After leaving, you can apply for a new TRV, work permit, or study permit from your home country or from a third country. The overstay may be flagged on your record and will require explanation in the new application.
- →Enforcement action: CBSA can initiate enforcement proceedings against individuals in Canada without status. A removal order may be issued, which can carry re-entry bars depending on the type (departure order, exclusion order, or deportation order).
Being in Canada past the 90-day mark without restoration or implied status is a serious immigration violation. It is noted in your immigration record and can affect admissibility to Canada and other countries for years.
Maintained (Implied) Status vs No Status: The Key Difference
These two situations are frequently confused, and the difference decides whether you can stay and work or whether you have fallen out of status. Understanding the distinction is critical:
Maintained Status (R.183): Applied Before Expiry
You applied to extend (for a visitor, a Visitor Record) or to change your status before your original authorized stay expired. While that application is pending, you may generally remain in Canada under the same conditions as your previous status. This is "maintained status," the current term for what was long called "implied status." Important limits: it generally ends if your application is refused, and if you leave Canada while on maintained status you may not be able to resume working or studying on return until a new decision is made. You also must wait for approval before starting any new authorized activity.
No Status (Applied After Expiry: Restoration Period)
Your status expired before you applied. You are in Canada without valid status. You may apply for restoration within 90 days, but you do not have the protections of maintained status during this period. Work and study are not authorized while restoration is pending, and travel outside Canada is highly inadvisable. The remedy is to apply for restoration in time and wait for the decision inside Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I restore my visitor status more than once?+
There is no explicit limit on the number of times a foreign national can seek restoration, but successive restorations without a clear reason for repeatedly losing status may raise flags about your genuine intent to comply with Canadian immigration law. Officers may decline restoration if the overall pattern suggests you are not a genuine temporary visitor.
If my restoration application is refused, do I have to leave immediately?+
If your restoration application is refused, you will likely receive a letter indicating you must leave Canada. There is no automatic right of appeal for a refused restoration application. You should depart Canada promptly to avoid being subject to enforcement action. Remaining after a refusal compounds the overstay.
Can I work in Canada while my restoration application is pending?+
No. Submitting a restoration application does not grant work authorization. You had no valid status when you submitted the application (by definition, restoration applies when status has already lapsed). Working during the restoration pending period would add a working without authorization violation to your record.
What is the difference between restoration and applying from outside Canada?+
Restoration is an application submitted from within Canada to regain status after it expired. Applying from outside Canada is a fresh application for a new visa or permit submitted from your home country or a third country after leaving Canada. They are entirely separate processes and have different eligibility conditions. Restoration requires you to be in Canada; a fresh application does not.
My status expired two weeks ago and I didn't realize. What should I do?+
You are within the 90-day window. Gather your documents and submit a restoration application as soon as possible through the IRCC online portal. The sooner you apply, the better your position. Note the date your status expired accurately, the 90-day clock starts from that date, not when you discovered the expiry.
Does a restoration application affect my future immigration applications?+
Having lost status in Canada and applied for restoration will be part of your immigration history and must be disclosed on future applications. A single restoration, particularly one that was approved, is generally not catastrophic for future applications. Repeated overstays, undisclosed violations, or a refused restoration are more significant.
How much does it cost to restore visitor status in Canada in 2026?+
At current IRCC rates, restoring status as a visitor generally costs about $246.25 CAD for the restoration fee plus $100 CAD for the visitor extension (Visitor Record), for a total of roughly $346.25 CAD per person. Biometrics ($85 per person, family maximum $170) may also apply if yours are not already on file. Restoring as a worker or student instead adds the relevant permit fee (a work permit is generally $155 and a study permit $150). Fees change, so confirm the exact current amounts on canada.ca before paying. Restoration fees are generally non-refundable.
I lost my worker or student status. Can I restore as a visitor instead?+
In many cases, yes. IRCC guidance updated in 2026 clarified that a worker or student who has lost status, and who no longer qualifies for their original permit (for example, a worker who no longer has a qualifying job offer), may apply to restore their temporary resident status as a visitor. You generally apply for a Visitor Record alongside the restoration, pay the corresponding fees, and must satisfy an officer that you meet the requirements of a visitor. The same 90-day window applies. Because this guidance is recent and can change, verify the current process on canada.ca or speak with a regulated professional.
What is the difference between maintained status and restoration?+
Maintained status (the current term for what used to be called "implied status," under IRPR R.183) applies when you apply to extend or change your status BEFORE it expires; you may then generally keep staying under the same conditions while you wait for a decision. Restoration (IRPR R.182) applies AFTER your status has already lapsed: you have no status while the application is pending, you cannot work or study, and you have only 90 days from expiry to apply from inside Canada. In short, maintained status keeps you in status; restoration tries to get it back.
How long does a restoration of status application take to process?+
Processing times for restoration applications vary and change over time, so it is best to check the current estimate on canada.ca rather than rely on a fixed number. IRCC publishes a service standard for restoration applications and, in some cases, may offer a partial fee reimbursement if that standard is not met. While you wait, you must remain in Canada, and you generally cannot work or study until and unless restoration is approved. An officer decides the outcome; approval is not guaranteed.
Important: Information is based on publicly available IRPA, IRPR, and IRCC policy. This is not legal advice. If your visitor status has lapsed, your situation is time-sensitive, consult the IRCC website immediately and consider speaking with a regulated immigration consultant or lawyer.
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