Can You Travel Outside Canada While Your H&C Application Is Pending? (2026)
The short answer: Filing a humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) application does not give you status and does not give you a right to leave Canada and return. Whether you can come back depends on the status and travel documents you hold, not on the pending H&C file. According to IRCC, maintained status ends when a temporary resident leaves Canada. If you are out of status or have a removal order, leaving can have serious consequences, so get advice before you travel.
Does an H&C application let me travel?
No. An H&C application is a request for permanent residence. It does not change your temporary status, and it does not work as a travel document or a re-entry permit. Your ability to leave and return depends on the status and documents you already hold. See what an H&C application does and does not give you.
What decides whether I can come back?
A border services officer decides who may enter Canada. In general, a temporary resident who leaves needs to be allowed back in as a visitor, worker or student, which usually means:
a valid passport;
a valid visa or an eTA, if your nationality requires one;
a valid permit or other status that allows the stay you are returning for.
The officer sets the period of stay on entry. A pending H&C application does not change any of that.
What if my permit is still valid?
You may be able to leave and return while your permit is valid, if you hold the right documents. Check the expiry date and your visa or eTA before you book anything. If your permit expires while you are away, you may not be able to work or study when you return, and you may not be allowed in at all.
What if I applied to extend my status?
If you applied to extend a permit and are waiting under maintained status (sometimes called implied status), leaving Canada ends it. IRCC says: "A temporary resident's maintained status ends when they leave Canada." For people waiting on an extension, IRCC's guidance says they may be allowed to re-enter as temporary residents if they are exempt from the visa requirement, but they may not resume work or study until the new permit is issued. If your nationality needs a visa, a trip to a place other than the United States or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon does not keep you in the visa-exempt category. See IRCC's page on maintained status.
What if I am out of status?
If your status has expired, leaving Canada is risky. You may not be able to get a visa or enter again, and the way you leave can matter. Do not assume you can leave, wait abroad and return. Get advice about your own status before you decide.
What if I have a removal order?
A removal order carries its own rules about leaving, about returning and about what happens to your application. Filing an H&C application does not by itself stop a removal order from being enforced. Leaving or staying without understanding the rules can make your situation harder. Read what an H&C application does when there is a removal order and get advice before you act.
Could travelling affect my H&C application?
It might. IRCC describes the inland H&C application as a request for people who are in Canada to be exempt from the usual rule of applying from abroad. Time spent outside Canada can also affect how your life and ties in Canada look in the file. We cannot tell you how an officer would weigh a trip in your case, so ask before you go. Never travel on documents that are not valid, and never give IRCC or the border officer incomplete or misleading information about your trips. Misrepresentation can lead to a refusal and a five-year inadmissibility finding under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Who does this affect?
H&C applicants with a valid visitor record, work permit or study permit
Applicants waiting on an extension under maintained status
Applicants whose status has expired
Families with a relative who is ill or has died abroad
Applicants with a removal order
What should you do?
Write down your status, its expiry date and any extension you applied for.
Check your passport, visa or eTA requirements before booking.
Do not leave Canada if you are out of status or have a removal order until you have advice.
Keep copies of your H&C application, receipts and IRCC letters.
If you have a family emergency abroad, talk to a representative before you decide.
Thinking of travelling? E-Pathway Immigration, led by Domonic Cheung, RCIC (R711344) in Vancouver, can review your status and your options before you book. Book a case review.
Frequently asked questions
Can I travel while my H&C application is pending?
Possibly, but not because of the H&C application. It depends on your temporary status and documents. If you are out of status or have a removal order, get advice first.
Will my H&C application be cancelled if I leave Canada?
We cannot say for every case. IRCC describes the H&C route as one for people in Canada, so leaving may affect the application. Ask before you go.
Does maintained status let me leave and return?
No. IRCC says maintained status ends when you leave Canada, and you may not resume work or study until a new permit is issued.
Can I travel to the United States?
You still need to meet Canada's re-entry rules and the United States' entry rules. Check both before you go.
What documents should I carry?
A valid passport, any visa or eTA you need, your permit or status documents, and a copy of your IRCC receipts. These do not guarantee entry.
Key takeaways
An H&C application does not give you a right to travel or return.
Your status and travel documents decide whether you can come back.
Maintained status ends when you leave Canada.
Do not travel if you are out of status or have a removal order without advice.
The bottom line
A pending H&C application is not a travel document. Before you book, check your status, your documents and your risks, and ask for advice on your own file.
Questions about your situation? E-Pathway Immigration, led by Domonic Cheung, RCIC (R711344) in Vancouver, can review your situation. Book a case review.
Last reviewed: November 2026
Sources: IRCC, Humanitarian and compassionate considerations; IRCC, Maintained status during processing (previously called implied status).
This article provides general information only. It is not legal advice and does not create a client relationship. Immigration options and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Consult a qualified representative for advice about your situation.
About the author
Domonic Cheung is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), licence R711344, with E-Pathway Immigration in Vancouver, BC. You can verify his licence on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) public register.
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