The government has announced an extension to a temporary policy that grants additional time to Candidates in Canada who have expired visas.
Visitors, students, and workers whose valid temporary status expired, or expires, between January 30, 2020, and May 31, 2021, will have until August 31, 2021, to restore their status.
Granting additional time to expired visa holders is in response to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Many temporary residents have been unable to leave Canada at the end of their visa due to ongoing travel restrictions or conditions in their home country.
The extension of the policy was announced on Dec. 31 and is a continuation of a policy put in place back in July 2020.
Restoring your immigration status in Canada
Ideally, it is best to apply for a renewal of your temporary status in Canada prior to the expiration. In the event that you do not apply for a renewal before the expiry of your visa, and you have lost your legal status in Canada, you can apply to restore your status.
If your status expired less than 90 days ago, the procedure is relatively straight forward. You make an application to IRCC explaining why you need to extend your stay in Canada and pay the applicable fees.
Like most applications, there is no guarantee your application to renew your status will be approved. It will be at the discretion of the visa officer working on your case. They will evaluate if your reasons to extend your stay are legitimate and determine whether you will receive an extension of your immigration status in Canada. It’s important to detail your case carefully and ensure the details of why you wish to stay are clear to the officer assigned to your case.
If your status expired more than 90 days ago, and you are not covered by the extended temporary policy, you will not be able to renew your previous status.
Rebecca Major
Lauren Boorman
