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Your work permit was cut short to your passport’s expiry date: how to get the rest of your time

By Sundeep S. Grewal, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation · Reviewed November 10, 2026

Published

Sundeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2018, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Updated November 10, 2026: sections 52 and 182 of the Regulations, IRCC’s PGWP application page (modified August 28, 2026) and IRCC’s instructions on the duration of LMIA work permits (modified October 28, 2026) checked that day.

The fix: renew your passport, then apply to extend your permit before it expires. For a PGWP shortened by passport expiry, IRCC lets you apply for the remaining time, on paper.

The deadline: the expiry date on your current permit. If you apply before it, you keep working while IRCC decides. If it has passed, you have 90 days to apply for restoration (IRPR s.182), and you cannot work in the meantime.

Why a lawyer: the route depends on the kind of permit. A PGWP or LMIA permit cut short by passport expiry can be topped up, each in its own way. A missed expiry date turns a paperwork problem into a status problem. Why a lawyer

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The lawyers who handle these files

Sundeep S. Grewal, Barrister and SolicitorSundeep S. GrewalBarrister and SolicitorPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha, Barrister and SolicitorPrabhpreet Kaur SanghaBarrister and SolicitorPardeep S. Grewal, Barrister and SolicitorPardeep S. GrewalBarrister and Solicitor
About our lawyers

Sundeep S. Grewal founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.

Pardeep S. Grewal is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.

A temporary resident must hold a passport or travel document “valid for the period authorized for their stay” (IRPR s.52(1)). So IRCC will not issue a work permit that runs past your passport’s expiry date, even if you qualified for longer. Many people don’t notice until the permit is about to expire. For a post-graduation work permit, IRCC says: “If your passport expired earlier than the length of time you’re eligible, we will only issue you a PGWP that’s valid until your passport expires.” The good news is that a PGWP cut short this way is the one case where IRCC lets you extend it.

Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, prepares work permit extensions and restoration applications; this guide is by Sundeep S. Grewal.

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What can you do, by type of permit?

  • PGWP: “You can only extend your PGWP if your passport expired earlier than the full period of eligibility of your PGWP.” You must apply on paper, and you don’t need new language test results for this extension.
  • LMIA-based permit: if the permit was shortened only because of passport expiry, you can renew it with a new passport for the rest of the period in the original LMIA, without a new LMIA, even if the LMIA’s validity date has passed, as long as you applied for the first permit in time (IRCC instructions).
  • Other employer-specific permits: a new or continuing offer that meets the program’s rules.
  • Spousal open work permit: tied to your partner’s permit or status; extend based on that.

Why this needs a lawyer

One lawyer, one file, every step:

  • identifying the right extension for your permit type;
  • a paper PGWP application with an explanation and both passports;
  • restoration if the permit has already expired;
  • keeping your PR plans on track while this is fixed.

Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only lawyers can appear for you in the Federal Court.

What are my options?

  1. Renew your passport as early as you can. Consular processing can take months.
  2. Apply to extend before your permit expires, so you can keep working while IRCC decides.
  3. If the permit has expired, apply for restoration within 90 days and stop working until it is granted.
  4. If you can’t renew your passport in time, get advice on a visitor record or other ways to stay in status.

Permits cut short by passport expiry at a glance

Question Answer Source
Can a permit outlast my passport? No IRPR s.52(1)
Can a shortened PGWP be extended? Yes, for the remaining time IRCC PGWP page
How do I apply for a PGWP extension? On paper IRCC PGWP page
Do I need a new LMIA? No, if the permit was shortened only by passport expiry IRCC instructions
Do I need a new language test? No, for this extension IRCC PGWP page
Permit already expired Restoration within 90 days; no work meanwhile IRPR s.182

Worked example: the PGWP that was 14 months short

Example. A graduate in Burnaby was eligible for a three-year PGWP, but her passport expired after 22 months, so that is what she got. She renews her passport and, on Monday, November 23, 2026, a month before the PGWP expires, mails a paper application for the remaining 14 months with both passports and a letter explaining why the first permit was shorter.

Mistakes I have seen

  • I have seen people find the shorter date only when their employer’s HR checked.
  • I have seen PGWP extensions filed online and returned. IRCC says to apply on paper.
  • I have seen people keep working after the permit expired while waiting for a new passport.

Frequently asked questions

Why didn’t IRCC tell me my permit was shorter?

The date is printed on the permit. Check it the day you receive it.

Will the extension cost a fee?

Yes, the usual work permit fees apply. Check IRCC’s fee list when you apply.

Does this affect my Express Entry profile?

A gap in status or unauthorized work can. Keep your status continuous.

See our guides on restoration after losing status, a work permit that expires before PR and a PGWP refusal.

What should I do right now?

Compare the expiry date on your permit with your passport’s. Start your passport renewal. Get advice on the right extension before the permit expires.

Book a consultation with our immigration lawyers in Surrey, Abbotsford or Vancouver, or online from anywhere.

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Sources (official)

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.