Study Permit Expired? How to Restore Your Student Status in Canada in 2026

A missed study permit expiry date can immediately affect an international student’s education, employment and future plans in Canada. However, if fewer than 90 days have passed since you lost your temporary resident status, you may still be eligible to apply for restoration from inside Canada.

Quick Answer

If your Canadian study permit expired before you submitted an eligible extension application, you normally lose your student status immediately.

You may be eligible to restore your status as a student if you apply within 90 days of losing your temporary resident status. You must request restoration, apply for a new study permit, provide all required documents and pay the applicable government fees.

While IRCC processes your restoration application:

You may remain in Canada while a decision is made.
You cannot study.
You generally cannot work.
Submitting the application does not give you maintained status or immediately restore your previous authorization.
You must wait until IRCC restores your status and issues the required permit.
Approval is not automatic. The officer must be satisfied that you meet all restoration requirements.

As of July 2026, IRCC lists the combined fee for restoring status as a student and obtaining a new study permit as $396.25. Biometrics cost an additional $85 per person if required.

Important: Immigration fees and requirements can change. Confirm the current amounts on IRCC’s official fee list and during the online payment process before applying.

Key Takeaways

Restoration is different from a regular study permit extension.
The restoration deadline is generally 90 days after temporary resident status is lost.
You must stop studying and working after your permit expires, unless you applied for an eligible extension before expiry and are authorized to continue under maintained status.
Applying for restoration does not give you maintained status.
You may remain in Canada while IRCC processes your restoration application, but approval is not guaranteed.
A truthful, specific and documented explanation helps IRCC assess whether you meet the legal requirements, but it cannot overcome an eligibility problem.
If more than 90 days have passed, you will generally need to leave Canada unless a special measure applies.
Accompanying family members may need to restore their status separately.

The Email That Changed an Entire Semester

Alex opened an email from the college asking for an updated copy of the study permit.

The document was sitting in a folder beside the laptop. Alex checked the expiry date and realized it had passed 12 days earlier.

There had been no warning at the airport, no call from immigration and no automatic extension from the college. The immigration status had expired quietly.

Alex initially considered attending class and continuing a weekend job until the new application was submitted. That could have created further non-compliance and affected eligibility or future immigration applications.

The safest immediate response was to stop studying and working, calculate the restoration deadline and determine whether Alex met the legal restoration requirements.

What Happens When a Canadian Study Permit Expires?

The expiry date on your study permit tells you when you must stop studying unless you submitted an eligible extension application before that date and are authorized to continue under maintained status.

You may lose status or face enforcement consequences if:

Your study permit expires before you apply for an extension.
You fail to comply with an applicable condition of your permit.
You change a condition specified on your permit—such as the educational institution, type of study, location or study period—without obtaining the required authorization.

A study permit may also become invalid on the day you are no longer enrolled at the designated learning institution named on the permit, except when you stopped being enrolled because you completed your studies.

Once you lose student status, you cannot continue or restart studies that require a study permit until Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada restores your status and issues a new study permit.

Your authorization to work also normally ends when your student status expires. Restoration is available only for certain types of non-compliance and cannot necessarily cure every violation.

Restoration Versus Maintained Status

Students frequently confuse restoration with maintained status, but the consequences are very different.

Situation	Can you remain in Canada?	Can you study while waiting?
You submitted an eligible extension application before your permit expired and remain in Canada	Yes, while IRCC processes it	Generally yes, under the existing conditions
You applied for restoration after losing status	Yes, while IRCC processes the application	No
More than 90 days have passed without an available exception	Generally, you must leave Canada	No

Maintained Status

You may have maintained status when IRCC receives a complete, eligible study permit extension application before your existing permit expires.

If you remain in Canada, you can generally continue studying under the conditions of your original permit while IRCC processes the application. If an application is returned as incomplete, it may be treated as though it was never submitted, which can affect maintained status and restoration deadlines.

Restoration of Status

Restoration applies after you have already lost temporary resident status.

Submitting a restoration application does not immediately restore your previous authorization. You must wait until IRCC approves the application and issues your new study permit.

Who Can Apply to Restore Student Status?

You may qualify to apply for restoration if:

You submit the application within 90 days of losing your temporary resident status.
You continue to meet the initial requirements for your stay in Canada.
Your non-compliance is of a type for which restoration is available under section 182 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
You have not breached other conditions imposed on your stay.
You comply with the student conditions concerning enrolment at a designated learning institution and actively pursuing your studies, where applicable.
You submit a complete application for restoration and the required permit.
You pay all applicable fees.
You are not a temporary resident permit holder. Temporary resident permit holders are not eligible for restoration under this process.

Unauthorized work or study may affect eligibility rather than merely make an application less persuasive. Obtain advice from a qualified Canadian immigration professional if either occurred.

Approval is not automatic. Applying within 90 days allows IRCC to assess the request, but the officer must be satisfied that every applicable requirement is met.

When Does the 90-Day Restoration Period Begin?

Do not confuse the 90-day period after program completion with the 90-day restoration window. They serve different purposes.

The first rule determines when a study permit becomes invalid after early program completion. The second determines how long an eligible person has to request restoration after losing temporary resident status.

A study permit generally becomes invalid on the earlier of:

The expiry date printed on the permit; or
90 days after the student completes the program, even if the printed expiry date is later.

Studies are officially completed when the school first notifies the student through a completion letter, transcript, degree or diploma. The student should keep evidence of the notification date. If that date cannot be proven, IRCC may use the earliest issue date shown on the relevant document.

The restoration window generally runs from the date temporary resident status was lost. Cases involving a refused extension, an application returned as incomplete, early program completion or another violation may require a careful, case-specific calculation.

Example

Taylor’s study permit shows an expiry date of December 31, 2026. However, the university first confirms program completion on June 15.

The study permit may stop being valid 90 days after June 15 rather than on December 31. Taylor’s next step may involve a post-graduation work permit rather than restoration to continue studying.

How to Restore Your Student Status in Canada

1. Stop Studying and Working

If your permit expired before you submitted an eligible extension application, stop attending classes and stop working immediately.

Submitting a restoration application does not revive the authorization in your expired permit. Continuing to study or work without authorization could create an additional violation, affect restoration eligibility and cause consequences in future immigration applications.

Stopping promptly does not erase earlier non-compliance or guarantee approval, but it prevents the situation from continuing.

2. Confirm the Date and Reason You Lost Status

Review:

The expiry date printed on your study permit
Your passport expiry date
The date your school first notified you that you completed the program
Any previous extension application and whether IRCC accepted, returned, refused or withdrew it
The conditions printed on your permit
Your enrolment history
Any change in your school, program or study location
Any work or study that occurred after authorization ended

Do not assume the restoration period begins when you discover the problem.

3. Confirm Your School and Program

If you plan to continue studying, confirm that your institution remains a designated learning institution, commonly called a DLI.

You may need:

A current letter of acceptance or proof of enrolment
An official transcript
A provincial attestation letter or territorial attestation letter, unless an exemption applies
An updated Quebec Acceptance Certificate or attestation of its issuance if studying in Quebec
Documents connected to a change of school or program

Since November 8, 2024, post-secondary students generally need a new study permit to change DLIs. They normally must apply for and receive the new permit before starting at the new DLI. Limited exceptions may allow a student to start while the application is pending, such as when the former DLI closed, discontinued the program, was placed on the suspension list or lost its designation.

Since January 22, 2025, a student changing post-secondary DLIs generally needs a new PAL or TAL unless an exemption applies.

4. Collect Your Supporting Documents

IRCC generates a personalized document checklist through the online application process. Documents may include:

A copy of your valid passport
A copy of your expired study permit
A current letter of acceptance or proof of enrolment
An official academic transcript
Proof of tuition payment
Proof of sufficient financial support
A PAL or TAL, unless exempt
A Quebec Acceptance Certificate or attestation, if applicable
A written restoration explanation
Evidence supporting the explanation
Fee receipts
Biometrics, if requested

Your passport must remain valid for the requested study period. IRCC cannot normally issue a study permit beyond your passport’s expiry date.

5. Complete the Online Application Correctly

Use IRCC’s online process for extending or changing the conditions of your stay as a student.

When completing the application:

Select “Restore my status” in section 3 of the applicable form.
Apply for the required new study permit.
Enter all dates accurately.
Disclose unauthorized study or employment truthfully.
Include a note explaining why restoration is required.
Upload all required supporting documents.
Pay both the restoration and study permit fees.

Applying only for a regular extension will not properly address a loss of status. The application must request restoration.

6. Write a Clear Restoration Explanation

IRCC requires an explanation of the facts and circumstances. A clear, truthful and documented timeline can help the officer determine whether you meet the restoration requirements, but it cannot overcome a legal eligibility problem.

Consider using this structure:

Introduce yourself, your school and your program.
State the relevant permit expiry or status-loss date.
Explain why you did not comply with the applicable requirement.
Describe when and how you discovered the problem.
State when you stopped studying and working, if applicable.
Explain the corrective action you took.
Identify the evidence supporting your explanation.
Describe your plan for completing your studies.
Confirm your intention to comply with all future immigration conditions.

Supporting evidence could include medical records, school correspondence, proof of a technical problem, representative correspondence, records of a serious family emergency or documents showing when you discovered the expiry.

Do not exaggerate or conceal what happened. Misrepresentation can create consequences much more serious than the original expiry problem.

7. Pay the Correct Fees

As of July 2026, IRCC lists:

Application item	Government fee
Restore status as a student	$246.25
New study permit	$150.00
Combined total	$396.25
Biometrics per person, if required	$85.00

Each accompanying family member who also lost status must be assessed separately, submit the appropriate application and pay the applicable fees.

8. Apply Before the 90-Day Deadline

Do not wait until the final day. A payment failure, returned application, upload problem or mistaken deadline calculation could leave you outside the restoration period.

Submit as early as possible and save the payment receipt, submission confirmation, forms, uploaded documents and all messages from IRCC.

Can You Stay in Canada While Waiting?

IRCC states that you may remain in Canada while it processes your restoration application. However, this does not mean your status or authorization has already been restored. You cannot resume studying until restoration is approved and your new study permit is issued.

Leaving Canada can complicate the process and does not guarantee re-entry. A study permit is not a travel document. Depending on your citizenship and method of travel, you may also need a valid temporary resident visa or electronic travel authorization. A border officer makes the final decision on entry.

Can You Work While Waiting for Restoration?

Generally, no. When your study permit and student status expire, the work authorization connected to the permit normally ends.

Applying for restoration does not provide maintained status. Do not work again unless and until you receive the required authorization and meet all applicable work conditions.

What If More Than 90 Days Have Passed?

If more than 90 days have passed since you lost status and no special public policy or other lawful option applies, you will generally need to leave Canada.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to apply for a new study permit from outside Canada. This is not restoration, and approval is not guaranteed.

Remaining without status or continuing unauthorized work or study can lead to serious immigration consequences. Consider speaking promptly with a Canadian immigration lawyer or regulated Canadian immigration consultant.

What If You Have Already Graduated?

Eligible graduates normally have up to 180 days after graduation to apply for a post-graduation work permit. The 180-day PGWP application period does not itself give someone temporary resident status in Canada.

If your study permit expired and you did not change your status to visitor, you may have up to 90 days after the study permit expired to apply for an eligible PGWP and request restoration of your status as a student.

IRCC instructs an applicant in this situation to submit the PGWP application online, pay the applicable PGWP fees, separately pay the student-restoration fee online and attach the restoration receipt to the PGWP application. A separate restoration application is not required in that specific process.

You cannot work while a restoration-related PGWP application is being processed. If more than 90 days have passed, IRCC generally requires you to leave Canada, although you may still be able to apply for a PGWP from outside Canada if you remain eligible and are within the 180-day period.

What Happens to Accompanying Family Members?

Your restoration application does not automatically restore the status of your spouse, common-law partner or dependent children.

If their status also expired, they may need to submit separate restoration applications, provide their own documents, pay the applicable fees and stop unauthorized work or study. Review each person’s status individually.

Common Restoration Mistakes

Continuing to Attend Classes or Work

An application confirmation is not permission to study or work. Unauthorized activity may affect restoration eligibility, not just the persuasiveness of the application.

Applying Only for an Extension

A student who has already lost status must request restoration, not merely a regular extension.

Hiding Unauthorized Activity

IRCC may verify employment, enrolment and travel information. False or incomplete information can amount to misrepresentation.

Relying on a Persuasive Letter Alone

A restoration letter helps explain the circumstances, but it cannot cure legal ineligibility. The applicant must satisfy every applicable requirement.

Ignoring a Family Member’s Expiry

A spouse or child does not automatically regain status through the student’s application.

Confusing a Study Permit With a Visa

A study permit authorizes studying under specified conditions. A temporary resident visa or eTA facilitates travel to Canada. Renewing one does not automatically renew the other.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I restore my student status after my study permit expires?

You may apply within 90 days of losing temporary resident status if the reason for the loss is one for which restoration is available and you meet all other requirements.

Can I continue studying or working after applying?

No. A restoration application does not provide maintained status. Wait until restoration is approved and you receive the required authorization.

How much does student restoration cost?

As of July 2026, the combined government fee is $396.25: $246.25 to restore status as a student and $150 for a new study permit. Biometrics cost another $85 per person if required.

Does applying within 90 days guarantee approval?

No. The officer must be satisfied that you meet every restoration requirement.

Do I need to leave Canada while waiting?

IRCC permits a restoration applicant to remain in Canada while the application is processed, but the applicant cannot study or generally work until the required authorization is approved.

How long does restoration take?

Processing times change and are not guaranteed. Check IRCC’s current processing-time tool.

Can my family be included in my application?

Family members who lost status must have their situations assessed separately and generally need separate restoration applications and fees.

What happens if IRCC refuses the application?

You will generally need to leave Canada unless another lawful option applies. Seek qualified advice promptly if another remedy may be available.

Student Status Restoration Checklist

Before submitting, confirm that you have:

Calculated the correct status-loss date and 90-day deadline
Determined that the reason for losing status is eligible for restoration
Stopped unauthorized study and work
Reviewed any other possible non-compliance
Checked your passport validity
Obtained an updated school letter and transcript
Prepared proof of financial support
Obtained a PAL, TAL or Quebec document if required
Selected “Restore my status” on the form
Requested the required new permit
Written a truthful, documented explanation
Disclosed unauthorized activity
Paid the correct fees
Saved proof of submission

A study permit expiry is serious, but discovering it within the restoration period may leave a path forward. Act quickly, follow IRCC’s official instructions and do not resume studying or working until you receive the required authorization.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Immigration requirements, fees and public policies can change. Consult IRCC or an authorized Canadian immigration professional about your circumstances.