Canada Launches Special Immigration Measures for People Affected by Domestic Natural Disasters

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published April 3, 2026

Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتساب

Canada has introduced new special immigration measures for people affected by natural disasters inside the country, in a move aimed at supporting temporary residents as well as foreign emergency personnel who may be called in to help during wildfires, floods, storms or similar events. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the measures took effect on April 1, 2026, and will remain in place until November 30, 2028.

Under the new rules, temporary residents directly affected by a disaster, including students, workers and visitors, can replace their status documents and apply to restore or extend their status or renew their work or study permits even if they are beyond the usual 90 day restoration window. The special measures extend that restoration period to as much as six months, provided the person held valid temporary resident status on the date they were directly affected.

The move gives affected residents more time and procedural flexibility, but it does not create a blanket fee waiver for this group. The official guidance says standard fees still apply to restoration, extension and renewal applications filed by students, workers and visitors under these measures.

IRCC has also laid out practical filing instructions. Applicants must include a signed attestation explaining when and how they were affected, use the code NaturalDisaster2026, and provide proof of residence or temporary stay in the affected area. Workers may also need proof that their workplace is not operating, while students may need proof that their school has closed because of the disaster.

If a designated learning institution is closed because of the disaster, the student is considered to be on authorized leave. That allows them to pause studies without penalty, continue working off campus if their permit allows it, and remain eligible to apply later for a post graduation work permit under the existing rules. Priority processing can also be requested through IRCC’s web form using the same code and an explanation of urgency.

At the same time, Canada is waiving visa application and biometric collection fees for foreign emergency services personnel from visa required countries, as long as they have been selected by a coordinating body working with the federal or a provincial or territorial government to respond to a natural disaster in Canada. The government says the goal is to speed up the arrival of emergency help when it is needed most.