Can I get my second work permit by mail instead of at the border?
How the mail-in process works and why we recommend crossing in person.
You can, but we strongly recommend activating your permit in person at the border unless an extreme hardship or issue keeps you from traveling to the US border.
Why we recommend in person: In 2025 we supported 18 people through the mail-in process. It went fairly smoothly for 6 of them. For the other 12, it caused significant hardships, ranging from receiving an incorrect permit to living without a permit and having to delay accepting a job. This is a relatively new IRCC process, so using it is very much at your own risk.
Timing: If you choose the mail-in process, submit the online request about 6 weeks before your current permit expires. If you have less than a month left on your current work permit, we don't recommend it. After a few weeks of waiting, your activated permit arrives by regular Canada Post.
You may lose work time. A mailed permit is valid from the date it's printed, and the two permits don't run back to back, so some people end up losing permitted work time in Canada.
How to request it:
- Go to the IEC next steps page.
- Under the heading "If your application is approved," open the dropdown "IEC participants already in Canada."
- Open the dropdown "How to request your IEC work permit by mail."
- Follow the instructions there. They include the exact wording you'll need to copy and paste into the webform.