Can I apply for restoration as a worker even though my expired permit was for visiting?

Generally, yes. Restoration is about restoring temporary resident status itself, not necessarily continuing the exact same authorization you held before it expired. You specify which status you are applying to be restored to, and you need to meet the eligibility requirements for that new category, whether it is visitor, student, or worker status, rather than simply extending what you already had.

This means someone whose visitor status expired can apply for restoration into worker status instead, provided they meet the requirements for the work permit being sought, such as a valid job offer or other applicable eligibility criteria for that specific work permit category. The restoration process assesses both whether the general restoration conditions are met and whether the specific new status requested is justified on its own terms.

Because restoration into a different category still has to satisfy that category's full eligibility requirements, this is not simply a formality — the application needs to be built around meeting the work permit requirements properly, not just explaining why the original visitor status lapsed.