Canadian work permits FAQs

Yes. You can continue to train as a postdoctoral fellow and continue to hold an active postdoctoral registration status on Minerva while you are awaiting receipt of your new work permit. If the delay in receiving your new work permit is attributable to Citizenship Immigration Canada (CIC - Case Processing Centre in Vegreville), you are presumed as having Implied Status. You will remain under the same conditions of your expired work permit, as long as you have applied for a new work permit before the original work permit expired and have remained in Canada. Please refer to the CIC page on implied status.

The Posdoctoral Office will process your registration on Minerva based on a copy of your CIC receipt. You will be registered for the upcoming term while you await receipt of your new work permit. Upon submitting a copy of your work permit to the Postdoctoral Office, your active postdoctoral registration status will be extended to the end date of your current letter of agreement or the end date of the current academic period.

The eligibility requirements for a post-graduate work permit are available on the CIC website. You must have a valid study permit when you apply for the post-graduation work permit. To determine your eligibility for a post-graduation work permit, please use the CIC self-assessment tool.

Please note the 90-day timeline, as explained in the self-assessment tool: "In order to be eligible, you must apply within 90 days of receiving written confirmation from your institution indicating that you have met the requirements for completing your academic program."

In the event that you are not eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, you are probably eligible for the work permit (under exemption C-44 or C-20) that other international postdoctoral fellows apply for. It is very important that the name of McGill University be stated on the work permit, as this is a condition for eligibility under the Quebec Medicare coverage.

It is possible to leave Canada while awaiting the processing by CIC of your application for a new work permit. It is recommended to carry with you evidence that you have submitted your application with CIC on time.

It is important that you be aware that, at the time you return to Canada, if your application has not yet been processed by CIC, you will be readmitted in Canada on your implied status but you will not be able to resume your postdoctoral training activities until your application has been processed. (In other words, you will lose the implied status for the purpose of continuing your training activities even though you may have been readmitted in Canada).

 In the event that your application did get processed by CIC before your return to Canada (therefore the new work permit has been issued), the immigration agent at the port of entry will be able to view via the CIC system that your new work permit has now been issued and will admit you on your work permit status.

If you leave temporarily and your work permit has not been renewed before you seek to re-enter Canada and you do not have your new document, you will have to re-apply (either at the port of entry if you have the right to do so, or at a visa office outside Canada) and pay another processing fee. Detailed information can be found in CIC's guide to Applying to extend your stay in Canada.

Please note: You may put yourself at risk of being denied implied status for the purpose of resuming your postdoctoral training activities if you leave Canada. We advise that you inquire directly with CIC when planning a trip outside of Canada while you are awaiting receipt of a renewed work permit.