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IMM 5710, Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker: what it asks

IMM 5710 is the form for a worker already in Canada who wants to extend a work permit, change its conditions or apply for an initial work permit from inside the country. IRCC says to apply at least 30 calendar days before your current permit expires. The IRCC fee list shows $155 for a work permit including extensions, plus $100 for an open work permit holder.

IMM 5710 is the in-Canada counterpart to IMM 1295. Workers use it to extend a permit before it runs out, to change an employer or job, or to change other conditions on the permit. Its title, "Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker", lists three jobs, and which one you are doing changes which parts of the form matter.

This guide uses IRCC's form page (form version September 2023, page date 21 July 2026), IRCC's pages on extending a work permit (page date 17 September 2026) and on changing conditions, jobs or employers (page date 8 October 2026), and the IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026). It explains what the form asks and what the surrounding rules say. It does not tell you whether you are eligible to extend or change, and it does not tell you what to do about your own deadlines.

What IMM 5710 is for and who completes it

IRCC's form page says each person who wants to extend their work permit, change the conditions of their stay or apply for an initial work permit must complete the form. The form is meant to be completed on a computer. The page says it may not open on tablets or phones, that completing it electronically reduces the risk of errors that can slow down the application, that you can save and finish later, and that you need Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher. The page gives no separate paper instructions, only a note that extra pages can be printed for the employment history section.

IRCC's page on extending a work permit says to apply if your permit will expire soon or you want to change employers or other conditions. It names no form on that page, so use IRCC's current application route and its instructions to see how your application is filed.

The form sits inside a set of rules about timing and status. Two matter most.

First, timing. The extend page says you should apply at least 30 calendar days before the expiry date of your current work permit. It advises considering processing times for in-Canada applications so your application is more likely to be processed before, or shortly after, your permit expires. The live processing time did not display when we read the page, so check IRCC's processing times page for the current figure.

Second, status. If you apply on time and your permit expires before IRCC decides, a rule called maintained status can let you stay, and in some cases keep working on the same conditions, while you wait. IRCC's extend page includes a section on maintained status. The rule comes from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations and has limits, including on travel and on what happens after a refusal. Our guide to maintained status sets it out, and our guide on restoration of status covers what happens if the deadline is missed.

The fee

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows, in Canadian dollars: - Work permit, including extensions, per person: $155.00. - Open work permit holder: $100.00. - Biometrics, per individual: $85.00, or $170.00 per family of 2 or more eligible people.

IRCC's extend page shows the application fee as starting at $155. The fee list names extensions explicitly in the work permit row, so an extension is charged at the work permit amount. Whether the open work permit holder fee applies to your application depends on the permit you are applying for, and IRCC's instructions decide that, not this guide.

Biometrics are generally given once every 10 years according to IRCC's other guides, so many in-Canada applicants will not be asked for them again. Read your own instruction letter. Fees are indexed and change, so read the fee list on the day you pay.

If you restore status as a worker after missing the deadline, the fee list shows a separate combined amount: $401.25, made up of $246.25 for the status and $155 for the new work permit. Our guide to restoration of status explains the rules that sit behind that figure.

Personal details, status and entry history

IRCC's form page describes the early questions.

Question 1 is your Unique Client Identifier (UCI). The page says to find it on your study or work permit, under Country of Citizenship.

For personal details, you enter your names exactly as they appear on your passport, without initials. If part of your birth date is unknown, use an asterisk. If your gender identifier is different from the one on your current Canadian document, you complete the separate Request for a Change of Sex or Gender Identifier form.

You report your current status and any stay of more than six months in another country during the past five years.

For marital status, common-law applicants must also submit the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union, IMM 5409. Married applicants must include a copy of their marriage certificate.

For language, passport, national ID and US permanent resident card fields, you enter document numbers exactly as shown, with no spaces.

For contact information you provide a mailing address. If you have a representative, the form asks for their details here, and the Use of a Representative form, IMM 5476, is required.

The entry history section asks for your first and most recent entry dates and places, and your most recent visitor record, study permit or work permit number. These are facts that can be checked against your passport and your permit, so copy them from the documents, not from memory.

The work details: permit type, dates, LMIA and CAQ

The work details section is where an in-Canada application becomes specific. IRCC's page explains the fields as follows.

Permit type. You choose the type of permit. Choose Other only for the listed cases. The page gives examples such as removing medical job conditions or working for a foreign mission, foreign government, or a bridge or tunnel authority.

Employment dates. The page says employment dates must match the LMIA, the offer of employment or the permit duration. A mismatch between the dates on the form and the dates in the supporting documents is one of the simplest ways to create a question.

LMIA number. The page says the LMIA number is seven digits following an "A". It is not required for co-op or post-graduation work permits. Copy it from the LMIA document, not from an email or a payslip.

CAQ. For work in Quebec, the Quebec acceptance certificate (CAQ) has no written expiry date, so the form page says to calculate it from your intended start date plus the certificate's duration. If your work is in Quebec, read the Quebec government's own immigration pages as well as IRCC's.

Open and post-graduation work permits. For open or post-graduation work permits, the page says to leave questions 2 to 8 blank. That is different from the outside-Canada form, IMM 1295, where the blank questions are 2 to 6, so do not carry instructions across from one form to the other.

Education. You give full details of your highest post-secondary education.

Employment. You list the last 10 years of employment, or the 10 years before retirement. The page says this section is not required for co-op or post-graduation applicants.

Changing employers and working before a decision

Many applicants use IMM 5710 because they are changing jobs. IRCC's page on changing conditions, jobs or employers (page date 8 October 2026) sets out the rules, which are separate from the form.

Holders of an employer-specific work permit who want to change jobs or employers in Canada generally need to apply for a new permit, if eligible. Open work permit holders can change employers without a new permit while their permit is valid. The page says eligibility requires applying for a new employer-specific permit from within Canada, and that you must currently hold an employer-specific permit or be an exempt worker. It excludes business visitors and certain short-term Global Skills Strategy workers.

If you lose your job, the page says you need a new job offer, must stay in Canada, and must stop working until your new permit is approved or you receive a work authorization email.

Starting the new job before a decision is possible in some cases. The page says you may be able to begin the new job before approval by requesting authorization to work while your application is processed. The request is made with an IRCC web form, using template text that fits your situation, and the template must include a priority code or the request may not be prioritized. IRCC says to expect a response in about 10 to 15 days, longer for paper applicants. The authorization email is not a work permit.

Working for a new employer without the right authorization may breach the conditions of your status. The consequences depend on your facts, so take advice from a regulated adviser or lawyer before you start.

Common mistakes

  • Applying too late. IRCC says to apply at least 30 calendar days before the expiry date.
  • Treating the maintained status rule as permission to do anything. It continues your existing conditions; our guide covers its limits, including travel.
  • Entering the LMIA number without the "A" or with the wrong digits. The page says it is seven digits following an A.
  • Dates that do not match the LMIA, offer of employment or permit duration.
  • Leaving questions 2 to 8 filled in for an open or post-graduation work permit, or blank for an employer-specific one.
  • Choosing Other when none of the listed cases applies.
  • Forgetting the CAQ calculation for Quebec work.
  • Forgetting IMM 5409 for a common-law partner or the marriage certificate for a married applicant.
  • Copying the UCI from memory. The page says where to find it on your permit.
  • Leaving the Background section incomplete. The page says all questions must be answered or the application is considered incomplete and will be returned. The legal duty of truthfulness in s.16(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the misrepresentation rule in s.40 apply here as they do on every IRCC form.
  • Starting a new job on the basis of an application receipt. Only the authorization email or a permit allows that.
  • Missing the 10-year employment history, or filling it in for a co-op or post-graduation application where the page says it is not required.

Getting help

You can complete IMM 5710 yourself. Under IRPA s.91, paid advice and representation on an immigration application is limited to authorized people: licensed immigration consultants, lawyers and Quebec notaries in good standing. Mistakes about timing and status can be hard to undo, so it is worth knowing who is allowed to advise you. If you appoint a representative, IMM 5476 declares them. Our guides show how to check a licence and what a regulated adviser's engagement involves. To find a regulated adviser, use the adviser directory on this site, which lists advisers and links to the official register so you can verify them yourself.

Questions people ask

How early should I apply to extend my work permit?

IRCC's extend page says you should apply at least 30 calendar days before the expiry date of your current work permit. It also advises considering in-Canada processing times.

How much does it cost to extend a work permit?

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows $155 for a work permit including extensions, and $100 for an open work permit holder. Biometrics are $85 per person where required. Check the list on the day you pay.

Can I start a new job while my IMM 5710 application is processing?

IRCC's page says you may be able to begin the new job before approval by requesting authorization to work while your application is processed. The authorization email is not a work permit, and the page sets conditions. Take advice before you start.

What do I put as the LMIA number?

IRCC's form page says the LMIA number is seven digits following an A, and it is not required for co-op or post-graduation work permits.

Which questions do I leave blank for an open work permit on IMM 5710?

IRCC's form page says to leave questions 2 to 8 blank for open or post-graduation work permits.

What if my permit expires before IRCC decides?

If you applied before expiry, maintained status may let you stay and in some cases keep working under the same conditions. It has limits, including on travel and refusals. Read our maintained status guide and IRCC's page, and speak to a regulated adviser if your situation is unclear.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Maintained Status in Canada: Working and Studying While You Wait — If you apply to extend your stay before it expires and IRCC hasn't decided by the expiry date, IRPR s.183(5) extends your authorized stay until the day of the decision and you keep your status and conditions. You can keep working or studying only under the same conditions, you must stay in Canada, and the right ends on the day a refusal is made.
  • Restoration of Status in Canada: The 90-Day Window — If you lose temporary resident status, IRPR s.182 lets an officer restore it if you apply within 90 days and meet the conditions. IRCC's fees are $246.25 for a visitor, $396.25 for a student and $401.25 for a worker (restoration plus permit), and you may not work or study until the restoration and any permit are approved.
  • IMM 1295, Application for a Work Permit Made Outside of Canada: what it asks and common mistakes — IMM 1295 is the form for a work permit applied for outside Canada, completed by each person who needs one. The IRCC fee list shows $155 per person, plus $100 for an open work permit holder and $85 for biometrics where required. A form completed on a computer must be validated to generate a barcode page, and the Background Information section must be fully answered or the application is returned.
  • IMM 5409, Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union: who signs, what it asks and common mistakes — IMM 5409 is a sworn declaration by two people that they are in a common-law relationship. It must be signed by hand, it will not produce a barcode when validated, and it asks for places, dates, years together and the kinds of shared life you can document. The regulations define a common-law partner as someone who has cohabited with you in a conjugal relationship for at least one year.
  • IMM 5476, Use of a Representative: what the form asks and how it is submitted — IMM 5476 tells IRCC that someone may act for you on an application, paid or unpaid. You complete the applicant sections, your representative signs their own declaration, and a paid representative must give their membership ID from the College, a law society or the Chambre des notaires. The same form is used to cancel or change a representative.
  • Work Permit Refused in Canada: What Happens Next — There is no appeal from a work permit refusal. IRCC's two stated options are to apply again with new information or to seek judicial review in the Federal Court, which has a 15-day deadline for decisions made in Canada and 60 days for decisions made outside it. If you were in Canada, your right to keep working usually ends on the day of the decision.
  • LMIA explained: what it is and which Temporary Foreign Worker Program streams employers use — A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is an assessment by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that an officer uses when deciding on an employer-specific work permit. The employer applies for it and pays the $1,000 fee per position. Workers cannot be charged for it or for recruitment. A positive LMIA does not by itself guarantee a work permit.
  • PGWP eligibility 2026: program length, language, field of study, the 180-day deadline and the fee — A post-graduation work permit (PGWP) is for graduates of eligible designated learning institutions. IRCC's page, read on 10 October 2026, says you must meet all requirements: a program of at least 8 months, full-time study, language results (CLB or NCLC 7 or 5 depending on the program), an eligible field of study for some programs, and an application within 180 days. The fee is $255. This guide explains the rules. It cannot tell you whether you qualify.
  • Unlicensed Immigration Consultants: How to Check Before You Pay — Only RCICs and RISIAs licensed by the College, lawyers and paralegals in good standing with a law society, and Quebec notaries may charge for Canadian immigration advice. IRCC says it won't deal with unauthorized paid representatives and may return or refuse an application that uses one.
  • Canadian Immigration Fees 2026: The IRCC List, Explained — The IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026) sets the government fees for most applications: for example $100 for a visitor visa, $150 for a study permit, $155 for a work permit, $1,590 for an economic permanent residence application including the $600 right of permanent residence fee, and $653 for an adult citizenship application. Medical exams, language tests, police certificates and representative fees are not on it.