1/5/25, 7:52 PM Guide 5553 - Applying for a work permit inside Canada – extend, change conditions, initial and

ial and open work permits - online applicatio…

Canada.ca  Immigration and citizenship  My application

 Find an IRCC application package or form

Guide 5553 - Applying for a work permit

inside Canada – extend, change
conditions, initial and open work permits -
online application
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Table of Contents
Overview
Status in Canada
Working in Canada
Restoration of status
Completing the forms
Paying the fees
Submitting your application
What happens next?

You’re seeing the instructions to apply online.

Most people must apply online.

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You can only apply on paper if you’re in 1 of the following situations:

You’re applying for a temporary resident permit (TRP) and a study

or work permit.
You can’t apply online because of a disability.
There’s a problem with the online application.

Show instructions to apply on paper

This is not a legal document. The explanations and definitions are not
legal definitions. In case of a discrepancy between the language in this
document and the relevant legislation or regulations, the legal text in the
legislation and regulations prevails.

For legal information, consult the following documents:

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

Alternative formats
If you can’t apply online or use the forms mentioned in this guide because
of a disability, you can ask for other formats including large print and
braille. Contact the Client Support Centre (in Canada only) or submit a Web
form for other formats.

Overview
This guide is designed to help you determine if you are eligible to apply for
an extension of your work permit or change conditions of your stay in
Canada, including applying for an initial work permit (see the section Who
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may apply for a work permit from within Canada?).

Biometrics
You may need to give your biometrics for this permit. If you need to give
biometrics, pay the biometrics fee when you apply. The fee covers the cost
of collecting fingerprints and a digital photo.

Find out if you need to give your biometrics.

When to give your biometrics

You only need to give your biometrics once every 10 years. However, we
can’t issue a visa or permit longer than 10 years from the last date you
gave your biometrics.

Check when your biometrics expire.

Extend the validity of your biometrics

If you want a visa or permit for longer than 10 years from the last date you
gave your biometrics, you can choose to give your biometrics again when
you apply. You can give your biometrics again even if they’re still valid.

Follow these steps when you apply for your visa or permit:

1. Pay the biometrics fee when you apply.

2. Wait for your biometric instruction letter (BIL). You must use the BIL
that was issued for this application.
3. Book an appointment and visit an official biometric collection location
to give your biometrics again.

Where to give your biometrics

You need to book an appointment to give your biometrics at one of these
official biometric collection service points.

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Determining eligibility
Workers are a class of temporary resident who are legally authorized to
enter Canada temporarily to work. They are subject to various conditions.

This application guide is for temporary residents who are already in Canada
and wish to:

extend their stay as a worker;

change conditions of their stay as a worker;
change their class to include permission to work; or
correct problems in their status.

If you are currently working in Canada and want to change conditions on

your work permit (e.g. change length, employer or occupation), you must
apply and obtain a new work permit. You should apply before making the
change. For any permit, you should always apply at least 30 days before
your status expires.

Normally, a work permit must be applied for prior to coming to Canada.

Only in a few special circumstances presented in this guide can an initial
work permit be applied for within Canada:

you presently hold a valid study or work permit;

you are the spouse of a study or work permit holder;
you were previously authorized to work without a permit;
you presently hold a valid Temporary Resident Permit;
you are a refugee claimant or an applicant for permanent residence in
Canada under section 207 of the IRPR, or
you are a trader or investor, intra-company transferee or professional
under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

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 Note: The validity of your work permit cannot exceed the validity of
your passport. Therefore, you should ensure that your passport will be
valid for a longer period than your requested extension.

Loss of temporary resident status:

You lose your temporary resident status and authorization to work if your
status has expired, you did not comply with all of the conditions on your
permit or you have worked or studied without a required permit. If you
have lost your status, you may have committed an offence under the
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and could be subject to an
admissibility hearing that could lead to your removal from Canada.

If your temporary resident status expired and you wish to stay in Canada,
you may apply for restoration of status within 90 days of your permit
expiry date or you must leave Canada. If you wish to apply for restoration,
complete the enclosed application providing full details of how you came to
commit the offence. There is no guarantee that your application will be
accepted. See the section Restoration of Status.

 It is illegal to remain in Canada beyond the validity of your status

in Canada.
It is illegal to work without a required work permit.
It is illegal to study without a required study permit.

Important: Applying for more than one service at the same time

You may apply for a study permit by completing the IMM 5709 form. Details
and instructions on how to apply for a study permit from within Canada
may be obtained by visiting our web page Applying to Change Conditions
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or Extend Your Stay in Canada as a Student.

After reading this guide, if you believe you are eligible to apply then you
should proceed as instructed below:

Gather all the necessary documents. They are listed on the Document
Checklist [IMM 5556] .

 Note: You will receive a personalized document checklist when

you apply online.

Pay the fees.

Fill in the forms carefully and completely. Keep a copy for your records.
Sign and date your forms.
Submit your application, required fees and all supporting documents
online.

Processing times for your application

The Case Processing Centre will review your application to determine if it is
complete.

 Note: If your application is rejected as “incomplete”, it is considered

to have never been submitted and therefore you would not be able to
maintain your status. If you reapply after your current status has
expired, you will need to apply for restoration of status. See the
section Restoration of Status.

If your application is complete, the Case Processing Centre will send you
either:

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a visitor record, a new work permit or a new study permit; or

a letter refusing your application; or
notification that your application has been referred to a local Canada
Immigration Centre for further assessment.

If your application is referred to a local office, they will contact you to

obtain additional information or clarification and if required, invite you to
an interview. It may take up to three months for them to contact you.

Once they receive the additional information or clarification, the local office
will complete the final stages of processing. The local office will notify you
by mail of their decision.

 Note: The Case Processing Centre receives large volumes of

applications in the temporary resident categories each year. It is
recommended that you apply at least 30 days before the expiry of your
current document. However, you may want to apply in advance of this
recommended period since processing times vary. Check our current
processing times.

Status in Canada
Who receives temporary resident status?
All persons coming to Canada who are not Canadian citizens or permanent
residents can request to enter as visitor, student or worker. When they
enter Canada they are given temporary resident status for a limited period
of time.

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How do I know the expiry date of my temporary resident status?

Temporary residents travelling with passports:

When you arrived in Canada and gave your passport to the officer, they
authorized your stay by placing a stamp in your passport and/or issuing an
additional document. Check your passport. If you find a stamp, it should
look like one of these.

For example, if the officer specified a date as shown in the above

illustration, your temporary resident status would expire on June 30th, 1993.

If there is no stamp, a handwritten date or document in your passport, your

temporary resident status will expire six months from the day you arrived
in Canada.

If you were given a visitor record, study or work permit, the expiry date is
marked on the document.

When applying to change conditions or extend your stay in Canada, you are
required to submit photocopies of passport pages clearly showing the
stamp made by Canadian authorities on your most recent entry to Canada.

 Note:
For applicants who require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to
enter Canada: The renewal of a work permit does not affect your
TRV. If you wish to leave and re-enter Canada, it is your
responsibility to make sure your TRV stays valid. If you currently
reside in Canada and would like to get a new TRV, you must apply
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for a TRV to the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa before leaving. If

you decide to leave, you must apply for and obtain a TRV abroad
by applying to a Canadian migration office (see Application for a
Temporary Resident Visa).
For applicants who require an Electronic Travel Authorization
(eTA) to enter Canada: An eTA is automatically issued to you with
the renewal of your work permit. However, if you plan to leave
and return to Canada by air before you renew your permit, you
must apply for an eTA separately.
Eligible citizens of select visa-required countries will receive an eTA
when they renew their work permit. The eTA may be used to travel
to Canada by air only. Visit Electronic Travel Authorization for more
information.

Travelling outside Canada while your work permit is being processed:

If you have applied to extend your work permit and plan to travel
outside Canada while your application is in process, you can leave and
come back. However, one of three things will happen when you return to
Canada:

If we haven’t made a decision on your work permit, you may be

allowed to come back to Canada as a visitor. If this is the case, you
can’t work until you get your new work permit. The officer at the
port of entry may ask you to prove that you have enough money to
support yourself in Canada.
You may be allowed to come back to Canada as a worker, if the officer
at the port of entry determines that we issued your work permit while
you were away.
You may be asked to apply for a new work permit at the port of entry.

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 Note:
It’s possible that you will not be able to enter Canada. The final
decision is always made by the officer at the port of entry.
Citizens of the United States (U.S.) do not require passports or travel
documents to enter or return to Canada. As of April 26, 2022, lawful
permanent residents of the U.S. no longer require an eTA if they are
travelling to Canada by air, including if they are entering Canada from
the U.S. or St. Pierre and Miquelon. Both U.S. citizens and lawful
permanent residents of the U.S. must provide documentary proof of
citizenship or permanent residence such as a national identity card or
an alien registration card.

May I leave, then re-enter Canada, if I still have a valid work

permit?
Yes. To return to Canada to work, you must have a valid travel document.

A work permit is not a travel document. It does not give you the
authorization to travel to Canada. Along with your permit, you need one of
the following documents:

a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or

an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or
proof of lawful permanent residence status of the U.S. (e.g. green card)

Having an eTA, a visa or proof of lawful permanent residence status of the

U.S, along with your work permit, does not guarantee that you can return
to Canada. You must prove to the border services officer that you meet all
the requirements before you can re-enter Canada.

If you’re from a visa-exempt country

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Along with your work permit, you need:

a valid passport and

an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) (if you plan to travel to Canada
by air)

If you received your initial work permit before August 1, 2015, you need to
apply for an eTA if you don’t already have one.

If you received your initial work permit on or after August 1, 2015, you
already have an eTA. We automatically issued it to you when we approved
your initial work permit. It’s valid for 5 years or until your passport expires.
See your letter of introduction for details.

Renewing your work permit

If your application for a work permit renewal is approved on or after May
1, 2017, we will automatically issue you an eTA.

If your work permit was approved before May 1, 2017 and you don’t
already have an eTA, you’ll need to get one before you return to Canada by
air.

If you’re from a visa-required country

You’ll need a valid visa and a valid work permit to return to Canada to work.
You don’t need a valid visa if you return directly from a visit only to the
United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon. You must re-apply for a visitor visa
if your visa:

has expired or
was only valid for a single entry to Canada

Eligible citizens of select visa-required countries will receive an eTA when

they renew their work permit. The eTA is electronically linked to the
passport you used to renew your permit and is valid for five years or until
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your passport expires. You can only use the eTA when you fly to, or transit
through Canada by air. You’ll receive a letter from us with information
about your eTA number and expiration date.

 Note:
If you already have a valid visitor visa, you can use it to travel to
Canada until it expires. A visitor visa will let you travel to Canada by
plane, car, bus, train or boat.
It’s possible that you will not be able to enter Canada. The final
decision is always made by the officer at the port of entry.
Citizens of the United States (U.S.) do not require passports or travel
documents to enter or return to Canada. As of April 26, 2022, lawful
permanent residents of the U.S. no longer require an eTA if they’re
travelling to Canada by air, including if they’re entering Canada from
the U.S. or St. Pierre and Miquelon. Both U.S. citizens and lawful
permanent residents from the U.S. must provide documentary proof
of citizenship or permanent residence such as a national identity card
or an alien registration card.

Working in Canada
What is work?
Work is an activity for which wages or commission is earned, or even if
unpaid, that competes directly with activities of Canadian citizens or
permanent residents on the Canadian labour market.

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What is a work permit?

A work permit is a written authorization to work in Canada issued by an
officer to a person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of
Canada. It is required if the employment location is in Canada, whether or
not the employer is in Canada.

Employer Compliance Regime

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) contain
requirements that enable Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
(IRCC) to better protect your rights when you come to work in Canada by
ensuring that employers respect the terms of their offers of employment.

In a work permit application, the employers will be evaluated on:

whether the offer of employment is genuine,

past history of employers compliance to the commitments outlined in
offers of employment to foreign workers hired in the past six years in
respect to wages, working conditions and the occupation,
compliance with Federal-Provincial or Territorial Laws, and
if the employer has been banned from hiring a foreign national as per
the IRPR.

In cases where the employer is found to have not complied with previous
commitments to foreign workers, the employer may be deemed ineligible
to hire a foreign worker for two years.

You must not work for an ineligible employer. Check our webpage to view
the current List of Ineligible Employers.

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 Note: If your employer is a mission, foreign government, international

organization or a bridge or tunnel authority, they may be exempt from
the Employer Compliance Regime. Find out more about this
exemption.

What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)?

An LMIA is an assessment provided by Employment and Social
Development Canada (ESDC) which enables an IRCC or CBSA officer to
determine whether the employment of the foreign worker is likely to have a
positive or neutral impact on the labour market in Canada. An LMIA may be
required in order for a work permit to be issued. The LMIA must be
included with your work permit application.

 Note: LMIA-exempt work permits have different requirements that

must be met and these are reviewed by IRCC or CBSA. Find out if you
are exempt from a LMIA.

Offers of Employment from a specific employer for LMIA-exempt foreign

workers
If an employer is offering you a specific job, then you need an offer of
employment number. In order to obtain this number, the employer must
use the Employer Portal to:

submit the offer of employment information and

pay the $230 employer compliance fee or upload proof of their fee
exemption

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Make sure the employer gives you the offer of employment number before
you submit your work permit application. The offer of employment number
starts with an “A” and is followed by 7 numbers.

Who may apply for a work permit from within Canada?

Important: The ability to apply in Canada does not guarantee acceptance.
Eligibility criteria for the category of work permit must be met.

The following persons may apply for a work permit from within Canada:

Holders of work or study permits and their family members;

 Note: If you’re a skilled foreign worker, your spouse or

common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit.
Learn more about this work permit

Successful graduates from a program at a Canadian university,

community, college, CÉGEP, or publicly funded trade/technical school
(or from a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute
to confer degrees) who wish to work for a maximum of one or two
years in employment related to their course of study. The maximum
length will depend on the length and location of their studies, and the
location of their employer. Graduates must submit an application for a
work permit within 90 days of the issuance of your final marks. Their
study permit must be valid upon submission of their application for a
work permit. For further details refer to the Stay in Canada after
graduation;
Persons currently working in Canada, who are not business visitors and
who don’t require a work permit, who are applying for secondary
employment in Canada;
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Holders of temporary resident permits (TRPs) valid for a minimum of 6

months and their family members;
Refugee claimants and persons subject to an unenforceable removal
order;
In-Canada permanent resident applicants and their family members
who are members of the following classes, determined eligible for
permanent resident (PR) status: live-in-caregiver, interim pathway for
caregivers, spouse or common-law partner, protected persons, and
humanitarian and compassionate considerations (H&C);
Persons whose work permits were authorized by a migration office
abroad, where the permit was not issued at a port of entry;
Mexican citizens who have been admitted to Canada as visitors may
apply for a work permit under any CUSMA category. U.S. citizens
admitted as visitors may apply in Canada under the Professional or
Intra-company Transferee CUSMA categories only. These provisions are
in accordance with reciprocal arrangements.

What requirements must I meet to obtain a work permit?

You must show the officer that you meet the requirements of the
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Immigration and
Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) and that you will be in Canada for a
temporary stay. You must:

satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your
employment,
show that you have enough money during your stay in Canada to take
care of yourself and your family members and to return home,
be law-abiding and have no record of criminal activity (you may be
asked to provide a Police Clearance Certificate),

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not be a danger to the security of Canada,

be in good health and complete a medical examination, if required,
not intend to engage in employment with an employer on the List of
Ineligible Employers,
not intend to engage in employment with an employer who, on a
regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic
massages,
provide any additional documents requested by the officer to establish
your admissibility.

What information and documentation do I require?

In addition to the requirements for all temporary residents, you must
provide:

a copy of the LMIA provided by ESDC, if applicable, and a copy of your

job offer letter from your prospective employer;
or
the offer of employment number (The offer of employment number
starts with an “A” and is followed by 7 numbers). Your employer should
provide it to you;
evidence that you meet the requirements of the job, possibly including
specific educational requirements and a valid Canadian provincial or
territorial trade certificate;
a copy of the attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance
Certificate (CAQ) issued by the ministère de l'Immigration, de la
Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) if you work in Quebec or will be
working in Quebec. If you do not need an LMIA you will usually not
need a CAQ;

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 Note: If you are in the Live-in Caregiver program and are still
within your qualifying period for permanent residence (i.e. within
4 years of your arrival in Canada), please provide a copy of your
employment contract and your LMIA which was issued on or
before November 30, 2014.

 Note: If you are in the International Experience Canada (IEC)

program and want to extend your status as a worker to reach the
maximum duration allowed under the bilateral agreement or
arrangement, you will need to provide proof of health insurance
that is valid for the duration of the time you are seeking to extend
your stay. If proof of your insurance is not valid for the entire
period for which you are seeking an extension of the work permit,
the duration of your work permit may be shortened accordingly.
This only applies to IEC participants who want to extend their
status as workers with the same employer and under the same
conditions of their initial work permit.

If you are a refugee claimant you will need to prove that you cannot
support yourself without recourse to social assistance (welfare). For
example, if you are currently receiving social assistance, attach a letter
from the provincial social services department indicating you are
receiving money or attach a cheque stub if it indicates clearly that is
was issued by the provincial social services department.
If you are seeking an open work permit as a vulnerable worker, you will
need to provide proof that you are experiencing abuse or that you are
at risk of abuse in the context of your employment in Canada. Learn

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more about the information and documentation you can provide to

support evidence of abuse or risk of abuse.

 Note: Open work permit applications for vulnerable workers must be

submitted online. You don’t have to pay any fees. If you have a
disability and are unable to apply online or there is a problem with the
online application, learn more about how you can apply.

Do you plan to work in Quebec?

In general, to work in Quebec, you need an attestation of issuance of your
Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) issued by the ministère de
l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) before applying
for a work permit.

Your employer must contact:

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), and

the MIFI to get permission to hire you.

Your employer will ask you to sign the application for a CAQ and will send it
to the MIFI on your behalf.

Please refer to the MIFI website for contact information and for the latest
updates on the process and documents needed for Quebec.

Are there any conditions on my work permit?

An officer may impose, vary or cancel conditions when issuing a work
permit. These may include one or more of the following:

the type of employment in which you may work;

the employer for whom you may work;
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where you may work;

how long you may continue to work;
the times or period of work.

When is a medical examination required?

If you plan to remain in Canada for six months or less:

you generally do not require a medical exam.

If you plan to remain in Canada for another six months or longer:

You will need a medical exam if you have lived temporarily for six or more
months in a row

in one or more of these countries or territories;

in the one year immediately before the date of your application. (This
applies even if you are a citizen of a country that does not need a
visa to enter Canada.)

 Regardless of the length of time you are in Canada, you will need a
medical exam if you wish to work in one of the following fields:
a designated occupation, such as the field of health services or
with children. Examples of designated occupations include
hospital staff, clinical laboratory workers, patient attendants in
nursing and geriatric homes, and medical and dental students
admitted to attend Canadian universities;
to work in agricultural occupations, you will need a medical exam
if you have lived in certain countries or territories.

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 Medical exams should be done at least two months before the current
expiry of your permit and intended future employment, to avoid
processing delays and the return or refusal of your application due to
incomplete information.

Find out more by checking the Medical examination requirements for

temporary residents.

Medical instructions
You may either:

complete an upfront medical examination by contacting a Panel

Physician; or
wait until your application is reviewed and medical instructions are
provided to you by the immigration office.

Get the instructions to complete the medical examination.

 Note: When medical results are submitted up-front, routine cases

benefit from faster processing since we do not have to request them
at a later date. If you choose to have an upfront medical exam, you
must submit proof that you completed the medical examination with
your application. Failure to do so may result in processing delays.

Restoration of status
You may be able to restore your status as a visitor, student or worker within
90 days of losing it, if you lost it because:

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you stayed in Canada longer than the period authorized for your stay
(but not longer than 90 days).
you changed employers, location of employment, or type of work
(occupation or level of responsibility) before obtaining a new work
permit.
you changed the type of studies, educational institutions, location of
studies, or times and periods of studies without applying to change
these conditions on your study permit if they were specified on your
study permit.

You may still be eligible for restoration if you continue to meet the initial
requirements for your stay and have not failed to comply with other
conditions imposed.

If you wish to obtain a new study or work permit and restore your
temporary resident status, you must

submit your application within 90 days of losing your status

explain all of the facts and circumstances that prevented you from
complying with the conditions of your permit
keep meeting the requirements for your stay
meet all the remaining conditions listed on your permit, and
pay your fees

Restoration applies to each family member who has lost their status. There
is no guarantee that your application will be approved.

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Completing the forms

 The documentation you provide will be used to establish that your
authorization to remain in Canada would not be contrary to the Act.
You must provide truthful, accurate information. The information
provided may be verified. Processing will stop immediately if you give
false or misleading information. It is an offence under section 127 of
the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to knowingly make a
false statement on this form.

The following are the forms that must be filled out and submitted:

Application to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada

[IMM 5710] 
Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union [IMM 5409] , if
applicable
Must be notarized to be considered valid.
If you are not in the same country as your common-law partner at the
time of signature, each person can present their own declaration and
submit the IMM 5409 with the application.
Use of a Representative [IMM 5476]  , if applicable
Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual
[IMM 5475]  , if applicable

Use the Document Checklist [IMM 5556]  to assist you in gathering the
supporting documents to submit with you application.

 Note: you will receive a personalized document checklist when you

apply online

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 Venezuelan passport holders

You may need to complete extra steps when you fill out your
application.

Important information:

It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information on these forms.

The information you provide on your application is subject to verification.

Be complete and accurate

If your application is incomplete it may be rejected and this will delay the
processing of your application.

Use of a Representative (IMM 5476)

Who may use this form?

Fill out this form only if you:

are appointing a representative;

need to update contact information for your previously appointed
representative; or
are cancelling a representative’s appointment.

If you have dependent children aged 18 years or older, they must fill out
their own copy of this form if a representative is also conducting business
on their behalf.

Who is a representative?
A representative is someone who:

you have appointed by completing the IMM 5476 form;

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gives advice, consultation, or guidance to you at any stage of the

application process; and
has your consent to conduct business on your behalf with Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border
Services Agency (CBSA).

You are not obliged to hire a representative. We treat everyone equally,

whether they use the service of a representative or not.

For more information, see: Use of a Representative.

Notify IRCC about any changes

You must use this Web form to tell us if any information changes regarding
the person you authorized to represent you on your application.

Paying the fees

Required fees
When you apply online, you’ll be asked to pay a Processing Fee for each
service that you require. All fees must be submitted with your application.

For information including eligibility, fees and required documents for

studying in Canada, refer to the guide Applying to Change Conditions or
Extend Your Stay in Canada - Student (IMM 5552) or consult the Help
Centre.

You may submit an application for any of or a combination of the following

services:

To extend your stay in Canada as a worker;

To request an initial work permit;

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To restore your status as worker (restoration of temporary resident

status due to loss of status).

 Note: If you are a Refugee Claimant for whom no final decision has
been made, or you have found to be a Convention Refugee or a
Protected Person, you don’t need to pay the processing fee for work
permits, study permits, or temporary resident permits.

If a decision has been made and you have not been found to be a
Convention Refugee or a Protected Person, but are awaiting an appeal in
federal court, you are required to pay the processing fee as a decision has
been made on your initial application.

Use this chart to verify the fees required for the services you are
requesting. If you or your family members are applying for other services,
you can pay the fees all together.

 Note: It is not necessary to make a separate application for an

extension of temporary resident status when you apply for a work or
study permit. The officer will issue all the necessary documentation
with the one application.

Application $CAN

Work permit (including extensions) – per person $155

Work permit (including extensions) – per group (3 or more $465

performing artists)
Maximum fee for a group of 3 or more performing artists applying at the
same time and place

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Application $CAN

Restore your status as a worker $394.75

Restore your status ($239.75) and get a new work permit ($155)

Additional cost for open work permit (including extensions) $100

– per person

Biometrics Fees $CAN

Biometrics – per person $85

Biometrics – per family (2 or more people) $170

Maximum fee for a family of 2 or more people applying at the same time
and place

Biometrics – per group (3 or more performing artists) $255

Maximum fee for a group of 3 or more performing artists applying at the
same time and place

Make sure that you are eligible before you pay your fees and that you
provide all the information requested before you submit the application.
The work permit processing fee ($155) will not be refunded, regardless
of the final decision once the Case Processing Centre has started
processing the application. For example, if your work permit has expired
and you incorrectly apply for an extension of work permit, no refund for the
extension will be provided and you will be asked to provide a second fee for
the restoration.

 Note:
1. If you are out of status and you are applying for a work permit,
you must pay:
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the work permit processing fee and

the fee to restore temporary resident status;
The fee to restore temporary resident status applies to each
member who has lost their status.
2. If you are applying for an open work permit, you must pay the
$100 open work permit fee in addition to the work permit fee of
$155.

If we determine that you are not eligible, your application will be

considered “processed” and your processing fees ($155) will not be
refunded. If you apply again, you will have to pay the processing fees again.

If your application is refused, we will refund the open work permit fee.

How to pay the fees for your application

To pay your fees online in your account, you must have a valid credit card.

You must create an account to register or sign in using GCKey or Sign In

Partner.

The only acceptable form of payment is online payment. If you send any
other form of payment, IRCC will return your application.
Note

Incorrect fee payment

Incorrect fee payments may delay processing of your application.

Payment issue – No fee included

We will return your application.

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Note: We will start processing your application after you return your
application with the fees.

Payment issue – Not enough fees included

We will return your application and tell you of how much to pay.

Note: We will start processing your application once you return your
application with the correct fees.

Payment issue – Overpayment

We will:

start processing your application, and

send you a refund.

Note: You do not have to ask for a refund, it will be done automatically.

Payment issue –Required biometric fee not included

We will:

tell you the fee amount and how to pay it.

Note: We will continue processing of your application after you send the
missing fees.

Refunds
To obtain a refund, you need to send a request to withdraw your
application to the Client Support Centre.

The processing fee is only refundable if we receive your request before

processing has begun. Once we have started to process your application,
there will be no refunds regardless of the final decision. We will issue the

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refund to the person indicated on the “Payer Information” section of the

receipt. If there is no name indicated on the receipt, we will send the refund
to you.

 Note: The process to request a refund depends on how you paid.

Submitting your application

Online Instructions
To apply online, you must have:

Access to a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your

documents to upload, and
A valid credit card to pay with

You will be required to create a profile and to register or log in using GCKey
or Sign In Partner.

What happens next?

If you need to take any further action regarding your application, we will
inform you in writing.

If your application for a work permit is approved, an immigration document

will be sent to you. If your application is refused, you can only stay in
Canada until the expiry date of your current temporary resident status.

If you applied for restoration of your temporary resident status, you will
receive a letter advising you of the decision and instructions to follow.

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If your application is rejected as "incomplete", it is considered to have

never been submitted and therefore you will have to re-apply. If your
application is referred to a local office, you will be notified of this and will
subsequently be contacted by this office.

There are certain things you can do to help ensure that your application is
processed as fast as possible:

Ensure that all the documentation and information requested are

provided with your application
Tell us if your contact information changes, including:
mailing address
telephone numbers
facsimile number (fax)
e-mail address

Checking application status

See Check application status to find information on how to view your
current status.

If you can’t view your current status, you may Contact Us to learn about
your current status. To obtain details on how to remove your application
status information from the Internet, visit the “Frequently Asked
Questions” (FAQ) section.

How-to video

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Save Time: Send a Complete Application

Find out if you are eligible

Come to Canada

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Date modified:
2024-12-01

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