On April 2, IRCC published the official operational instructions for the CUAET open work permit renewal. These are not just announcements — these are the internal guidelines that immigration officers will follow when reviewing your application. So let's break down what they actually say.

The basics first

If you came to Canada under CUAET and currently hold a valid open work permit — you can renew it from inside Canada without having to leave. The program officially runs from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, which means the window is open now. However, there are eligibility conditions that not everyone automatically meets, and it is worth understanding them before you apply.

Who qualifies — your arrival date is the key

There are two groups of eligible applicants, and which one you fall into depends on when you first arrived in Canada.

Group 1 covers those who arrived on or before March 31, 2024 and hold a work permit issued under the main CUAET public policies. This is the more straightforward group with the clearest eligibility path.

Group 2 covers those who arrived on or before December 31, 2024, but specifically those whose CUAET application was still pending as of February 4, 2024 and who were later issued a work permit under one of two specific follow-up public policies for that group. If you are unsure whether your permit falls under this category, check the name of the public policy on your work permit document or consult a regulated professional.

One important clarification — you do not need to have stayed in Canada continuously since your arrival date. What matters is that you first arrived by the required date, not that you never left since then.

Leaving Canada while your application is pending — read this carefully

Canada has an automatic entry-and-exit tracking system. Officers reviewing your application can see exactly when you left Canada and when you returned. You are technically allowed to leave while your renewal application is pending, but there is a real risk — if a decision is made on your application while you are outside Canada, the renewal can be refused because you are required to be physically present in Canada with valid status at the time the decision is rendered.

The practical advice here is straightforward: if you need to travel, do it before you submit your renewal application, not after.

That said, there is an important protection built into these instructions that you should know about. Officers are explicitly required to send you a request for proof that you are in Canada before they can issue a final refusal on this basis. They cannot simply look at the entry/exit records, see that you left, and refuse your application on the spot. If they find that you have been outside Canada, they must first contact you and give you the opportunity to demonstrate that you have since returned with valid status. Only after that exchange can a final decision be made.

This means that if you did travel while your application was pending and you are now back in Canada — you are not automatically out of options. Respond promptly to any requests from IRCC and provide proof of your current presence and status in Canada. But again, the simplest approach is to avoid this situation altogether by traveling before you apply.

Your passport is expiring or already expired — you can still apply

IRCC explicitly acknowledges in these instructions that Ukrainian clients are experiencing significant delays in renewing their passports due to current circumstances. This is not being ignored. If your passport has expired or is about to expire before you can get a new one, you can still submit your work permit renewal application. Include a copy of your current or expired passport along with a letter explaining that you have already applied for a new passport. Once you receive the new passport, you can submit it as a follow-up to your application. Officers are instructed to accept this approach rather than simply refusing applications on passport grounds.

What this program does and does not cover

This public policy applies to open work permit renewals only. If you also need to extend your visitor record or your study permit, those are separate applications processed through the regular pathway — this program does not cover them, and they are not affected by it. Do not assume that renewing your work permit under this program automatically extends any other document you may hold.

You can only receive one renewal under this program. Even if your renewed work permit ends up being shorter than expected due to passport validity, you would not be eligible for a second renewal under this same public policy. Plan accordingly.

Already applied before April 1, 2026?

Already applied before April 1, 2026?

One thing worth clarifying to avoid any confusion — if you submitted your work permit renewal application on or before March 31, 2026 under the previous public policy, that application is separate from this new program. It does not count as your one renewal under the current policy. This means you are still eligible to apply once more under this new program, which runs until March 31, 2027. The two programs are distinct, and using one does not disqualify you from the other.

If you are unsure whether you qualify or which group you fall into, this is a good time to get a professional assessment before submitting anything.