Yes, you can apply to restore your status in Canada if you overstayed your visitor, study, or work permit, but you must do so within 90 days of your permit expiring; meaning you need to apply for restoration while still in Canada within that timeframe to have a chance of regaining your legal status.

If it’s been more than 90 days since you lost your status and haven’t applied to restore it, you’ll need to

• leave Canada
• reapply from outside Canada if you want to work in Canada again 

Key points to remember about restoring your status:

·         Time limit:

You must apply within 90 days of your permit expiring to be eligible for restoration. 

·         Conditions met:

To be successful, you must demonstrate that you met the conditions of your original permit before it expired, like not working illegally if you were on a visitor visa. Regulation 185 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations lists all the conditions that may be put on your work permit.

·         Application process:

You will need to submit the appropriate application form, including details explaining why you overstayed your permit, along with supporting documents. 

·         No guarantee:

Even if you apply within the 90-day window, there is no guarantee that your application for restoration will be approved. 

Immigration rules and policies are subject to change , therefore it is advised to always visit the official website of canada.ca to get current information about the relevant applciation. If you need assistance for restoring your status, send us email @ [email protected]