Glossary · Temporary residence: work, study, or visitor extensions filed before the current status expires.

Maintained status

Maintained status (formerly implied status)

You applied to extend or change status before it expired. You can stay in Canada while IRCC decides.

On the official record

• IRCC glossary says maintained status is a legal extension of status that lets temporary residents stay in Canada while an application filed before expiry is processed. It used to be called implied status.
• On a work-permit extension, you keep authorization to work without a permit until a decision, if you stay in Canada and keep the same conditions.

Common mix-ups

• Not a new permit in hand.
• Not something temporary resident permit applicants get. IRCC says TRP applicants do not benefit from maintained status.
• Not a right to start a new employer-specific job before the new permit is approved.

Confirm on the official page

Start here: IRCC: What to do if your work permit expires.

The catch

Leaving Canada can break the work authorization even if you can return as a visitor. Maintain status by applying before expiry. Restoration is a different, later problem.

What people mix up

Implied status is the old name. Official pages now say maintained status.

Related

BOWP · PGWP · Work permits

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