IRCC gives eligible LMIA-based work-permit extensions a 90-day document window

What changed on August 21

IRCC extended the grace period for eligible in-Canada work-permit extension applications that need a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and, in Québec, a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ). Instead of holding a qualifying application for 60 days, officers may now wait up to 90 days after receiving it for the missing LMIA or CAQ evidence.

This is a document-completion window, not an exemption from the LMIA or CAQ requirement and not an approval guarantee. If the required documents are not provided within 90 days, IRCC says the application may be refused as incomplete.

Who may use concurrent processing

• The applicant must be eligible to apply for a work permit from inside Canada under section R199.
• The current work permit must expire in two weeks or less when the extension is submitted.
• The employer must already have submitted a complete LMIA application—and a CAQ application when Québec requires one—sufficiently in advance based on published processing times.
• A decision on the LMIA must still be pending when the work-permit extension is filed.
• The applicant must provide the required LMIA and CAQ evidence within the 90-day period.

How to flag the application

IRCC instructs online applicants to enter CPTS2026 in the Job Title field of form IMM 5710. The application should include proof of a valid job offer and proof that the employer submitted the LMIA, such as the online receipt confirmation number or a copy of a paper application. Québec applicants should also include the corresponding CAQ evidence.

Applicants should identify when and where the LMIA was filed, the employer's name and the confirmation number when available. When the positive LMIA or CAQ arrives, it must be uploaded through the IRCC web form before the 90-day deadline.

What the 90-day rule does not change

IRCC describes concurrent processing as an exceptional measure. Employers should not wait until immediately before a permit expires to submit an LMIA and assume the work-permit application will be held. The rule also does not extend a person's status by itself; maintained status depends on submitting an eligible extension application before the current permit expires and continuing to meet the applicable conditions.

Applicants outside Canada and people who cannot apply under the in-Canada rules should not rely on this process. The exact evidence and timing should be checked against the current IRCC instructions before filing.