When your temporary status in Canada is about to expire, and you apply for an extension before the expiry date, you may enter a phase known as maintained status. This legal framework allows you to remain in Canada and continue with your current conditions — as a worker, student, or visitor — while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processes your new application.
Maintained status has been in the law for years, but in 2025, IRCC made changes that dramatically affect what people can and cannot do — particularly regarding changing jobs, leaving Canada, and submitting multiple applications. This article breaks it down clearly and practically.
Work Rules Under Maintained Status (Post–May 27, 2025)
Historically, if you had an employer-specific (closed) work permit, you were not allowed to begin working for a new employer until IRCC issued a new permit.
That changed on May 27, 2025. As of that date, IRCC introduced a new interim authorization policy allowing foreign workers already in Canada to start working for a new employer immediately after submitting:
- A new work permit application, and
- A formal request for interim authorization to work
This policy applies only to workers inside Canada, and only if they still have valid status (including those on maintained status). The request must be made properly in the application itself — it is not automatic.
Travel and Maintained Status: What You Need to Know
A common question: Can I travel outside Canada while I’m on maintained status?
The answer is deceptively simple: you can leave — but your maintained status ends the moment you do.
Once you depart, you are no longer protected under maintained status. If you return, you will be treated as a visitor, even if you’re visa-exempt. That means:
- You cannot work or study until your new permit is approved and issued.
- You may even be refused re-entry if you don’t have proper documents (e.g., TRV or eTA).
This applies to most applicants — except those under the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) stream. PGWP applicants may leave and return while their new permit is in process, and resume working even after re-entry, due to a carve-out in IRCC policy.
New Rule on Multiple Applications (May 28, 2025)
If your first extension application is refused, submitting a second application no longer “resets” or prolongs your maintained status.
As of May 28, 2025, filing a second extension while on maintained status — after a refusal — does not extend your ability to remain or work in Canada.
This ends a long-standing practice used to delay status loss. IRCC clarified that once your first application is refused, any new submission will not carry maintained status protections.
Visa-Exempt vs. Visa-Required: Who Can Return and Resume Work?
| Status | Visa-Exempt (e.g. UK, France) | Visa-Required (e.g. Iran, India) |
|---|---|---|
| Re-enter Canada after leaving | ✅ With valid eTA | ✅ With valid TRV |
| Resume working after return | ❌ Only if new permit is issued | ❌ Must wait for permit |
| Maintained status preserved | ❌ Ends on exit | ❌ Ends on exit |
| PGWP exception applies? | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
FAQ Highlights (Based on 2025 Rules)
- Can I work while waiting?
✅ Yes — if you applied before your current permit expired, and are doing the same type of work. - Can I change jobs?
✅ Yes — only if you requested interim authorization in your new application after May 27, 2025. - Can I leave Canada and come back?
❌ Not without consequence. Maintained status ends when you leave. - Do I still have maintained status if my first application was refused?
❌ Not anymore — the May 28 rule closes that door.
Taraz Immigration: Precision Matters
The rules are now strict. One misstep can lead to a work ban, re-entry refusal, or PR rejection.
At Taraz Immigration, we handle complex status transitions, job changes, and sponsorships with strategic precision — like a legal war room.
Email: imm@tarazservices.com
Phone: (778) 682‑4924
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