Restoration of temporary resident status in Canada: what IRCC’s 2026 update means for you

If you have lost your temporary resident status in Canada, you have 90 days from the date of the loss to apply for restoration. IRCC updated its restoration of status guidance in May 2026, and one change is particularly important: workers and students can now clearly restore their status as visitors, even if they no longer have a job offer or study plans. Here is what the updated guidance covers and what it means in practice.

What restoration of status means

Restoration is an in-Canada application process. You apply to have your temporary resident status reinstated after losing it due to non-compliance with the conditions of your permit or authorized stay.

You cannot apply for restoration at a port of entry or border crossing. The updated guidance is explicit on this point: restoration cannot be applied for or granted at a port of entry. If you have lost status, you must apply online or by mail from within Canada.

While your restoration application is being processed, you must remain in Canada. You cannot work or study until restoration is approved and, where applicable, a new work or study permit has been issued.

The key change in Restoration of temporary resident status in the 2026 guidance update

The most important update in the revised IRCC guidance is a clarification on who can restore to what status.

The previous guidance said an applicant could only restore to the status and authorization they held immediately before applying. That wording was ambiguous in practice. Many applicants and their consultants were uncertain whether a worker could restore as a visitor if they no longer had a qualifying employer, or whether a student could restore as a visitor if they were no longer enrolled.

The updated guidance makes this explicit. A worker who has lost status but no longer has a qualifying job offer may now apply to restore their temporary resident status as a visitor. A student who no longer plans to continue studying may apply to restore as a visitor instead of applying for a new study permit.

This formally puts into writing what was already permitted in practice. But the clearer wording removes uncertainty for applicants in these situations.

Other changes worth knowing

Maintained status and incomplete applications

Maintained status applies when you submit an application to extend your stay before your current status expires and remain in Canada while IRCC processes it. If that extension application is later refused, your temporary resident status ends at the time of the refusal.

The updated guidance adds a clarification about what happens when an application is rejected as incomplete, meaning IRCC returns it without processing it. In that case, maintained status does not apply. The 90-day restoration window starts from when your original authorized period of stay ended, not from the date of the incomplete rejection.

This matters because the gap between submitting an incomplete application and receiving the rejection can be several weeks. Applicants who did not realize their application was rejected as incomplete may find themselves closer to the 90-day deadline than they expected.

Fee payment within 90 days

The updated guidance clarifies that the restoration fee must be paid within the 90-day restoration window. The fee cannot be corrected or submitted separately after the application. Submit your application with the correct fee from the start.

If you are also applying for a work or study permit at the same time, you will generally need to pay the permit fee in addition to the restoration fee, unless you qualify for an exemption.

Port of entry language tightened

The previous guidance said restoration could not be “granted” at a port of entry. The updated guidance says restoration cannot be “applied for or granted” at a port of entry. This removes any ambiguity about whether you could begin the process at a border crossing.

Who is eligible for restoration

To apply for restoration of temporary resident status, you must generally:

• be physically in Canada at the time of your application
• be out of status when you submit the application
• apply within 90 days of losing your temporary resident status
• pay the restoration fee, and any applicable work or study permit fees, with your application
• remain in Canada until IRCC makes a decision
• meet the requirements for the status you are restoring to (visitor, worker, or student)

Restoration is available for people who lost status due to non-compliance with specific conditions of their permit or authorized stay. Common eligible situations include failing to comply with authorized work type, employer, work location, study institution, or study period.

Who is not eligible

Restoration is not available in all situations. You are generally not eligible if you worked or studied in Canada without authorization. The updated guidance is clear that unauthorized work or study makes an applicant ineligible for restoration.

Temporary Resident Permit holders are also not eligible for restoration. If you hold a TRP and have fallen out of compliance, you must apply for a new Temporary Resident Permit instead.

Getting professional help

Restoration applications carry real risk. A refused application can have consequences for your ability to remain in Canada and may complicate future immigration applications.

Given the 90-day deadline and the complexity of eligibility assessment, working with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant is the safest way to handle restoration. Our team can assess whether you qualify, determine the correct status to restore to, and prepare a complete application.

Frequently asked questions

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