IRCC extends special measures for people affected by Canada’s 2025 wildfires
Newcomers to Canada—including temporary residents (visitors, work permit holders, study permit holders), permanent residents, and Canadian citizens who are impacted by the 2025 wildfire season can continue to benefit from fee waivers and extended application deadlines to restore or extend their status, until November 30, 2025.
These individuals may apply for these measures even if they are not residing in the affected area(s), so long as they provide an attestation as to how they were impacted by the wildfires.
IRCC’s special measures include the ability to replace lost or damaged immigration, citizenship, and passport documents. Applicants under these special measures may be eligible for urgent processing at the discretion of the reviewing officer.
Consult with an experienced immigration representative
This article will cover
An overview of what measures are available for which applicants;
Eligibility criteria for these special measures;
Special measures that apply to all applicants;
Special measures, eligibility criteria, and conditions for temporary residents (visitors, study permit and work permit holders);
Special measures for permanent residents;
Special measures for citizens; and
How to apply under these measures and receive urgent processing.
Overview of measures
Group Applicable special measures Effective window
Temporary residents (visitors, workers, students, TRP* holders) – Fee waivers (extensions/restoration, document replacements, WP/SP fees, OWP privilege fee, biometrics).
– More time to extend/restore if affected.
– Ability to replace lost/damaged documents (TRV counterfoil, visitor record, work/study permit, TRP).
July 2 – Nov 30, 2025
Permanent residents – Fee-free replacement of lost/damaged PR cards issued in the last 5 years.
– Verification of status (VOS) document replacements when needed.
– Biometrics fee waived if required for replacement.
Apr 1 – Nov 30, 2025
Canadian citizens – Fee-free replacement of citizenship certificates.
– Passport/travel document fee waivers (incl. urgent/express/pick-up, consular fee) for lost/damaged docs.
– Replacement passports carry same expiry date as originals.
Apr 1 – Nov 30, 2025
*TRPs are temporary resident permits—these documents are distinct from temporary resident visas and are usually applied for by individuals who are criminally inadmissible to Canada.
Who is eligible
IRCC’s special measures extend to people of all immigration statuses who have been impacted by the 2025 wildfires.
To be eligible, you must
Self-identify as directly affected by a wildfire in Canada (you do not have to live in the burn area);
Provide a signed attestation letter explaining how the wildfire affected you, plus supporting proof where possible;
Apply under these specific measures by November 30, 2025 (click here for instructions on how to apply).
Measures impacting all applicants
All applicants may benefit from the following conditions under these special measures.
If your application is incomplete or you can’t be reached
If the impact of the wildfires prevents you from obtaining the required documents, officers may grant you additional time to submit the missing evidence.
From July 2 to November 30, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officers are instructed not to refuse an application solely because you did not respond to a request during this period. Instead, the file may be set aside until contact is re-established or until the special measures expire, whichever occurs first.
Immigration medical exams (IMEs)
New immigration medical examinations are not required for the replacement of documents that were lost or damaged on account of the wildfires. You must complete an IME only in situations where it is normally required to finalize your application.
Temporary Residents: Special measures eligibility criteria and conditions
1) Fee waivers
Under these special measures, temporary residents impacted by wildfires can have their fees waived for the following:
Extension of status applications;
Restoration of status applications;
Replacement of temporary resident documents:
Visitor record;
Work permit;
Study permit;
TRP; and
Temporary Resident Visas (TRV) counterfoil.
Work permit fee;
Open work permit holder fee;
Study permit fee; and
Biometrics fees.
2) Extra time to extend/restore status
Affected visitors, workers, and students who held a valid status on July 2, 2025, have extra time to extend or restore their status, as long as application timelines are adhered to:
If your status expired before September 2, 2025, you have until November 30, 2025 to apply to extend or restore it.
If your status expires on or after Sept 2, 2025, the usual 90-day restoration period applies.
Applications must be submitted by November 30, 2025 to benefit from these measures.
Consult with an experienced immigration representative
Recommended evidence
In addition to providing an attestation explaining how you were impacted by the wildfires, IRCC has also provided further details on recommended evidence to support your case.
These are detailed below by application type.
Type of application Recommended evidence
Visitors and TRP holders – Proof of residence or temporary stay in an affected area (government ID, recent utility bill, or hotel receipt).
Workers – Proof of residence/stay in an affected area; or
– Proof of workplace impact (if applicable):
– – A Signed employer letter on company letterhead;
– – A media report; or
— A notice on the company’s website.
Students – Designated Learning Institution (DLI) name and address; and
– Proof of DLI closure or suspension (if applicable):
–A signed letter from the school on DLI letterhead;
–A media report;
–A mass email to students; or
–A notice on the institution’s website.
Conditions of the special measures
For work permit holders:
If you applied to extend your existing employer-specific work permit under these measures, you may continue working under maintained status, with the same conditions as your expired permit.
Holders of existing open work permits may extend or restore their permits without paying fees.
For students:
Students must maintain a valid study status to return when classes resume; if extending a study permit, include a registrar’s letter.
For TRP holders:
TRP holders do not benefit from maintained status. You cannot work or study if your TRP expires. Apply for a subsequent TRP on paper. Eligibility for a work or study permit requires a TRP with at least six months’ validity.
Special measures for permanent residents
Under the special conditions, permanent residents of Canada can receive waivers for different fees pertaining to their permanent residence (PR) card or proof of status.
If your permanent resident card was issued within the last five years and was lost, stolen, destroyed, or damaged because of the wildfires, you may request a replacement without paying the fee.
You must follow the standard replacement process and include the Solemn Declaration concerning a lost, stolen, destroyed, or never-received PR card (IMM 5451) with your application.
Biometrics may be required in connection with some replacements—biometrics collection fees are waived during this period.
If you need proof of your past landing or confirmation, and the original documents (IMM 1000, IMM 5292, or IMM 5688) cannot be reprinted, you can request a Verification of Status (VOS)—the fee for the VOS will also be waived.
Special measures for Canadian citizens
For citizenship certificates (proof of citizenship), the replacement fee is waived under the special measures. If you applied online and paid the fee upfront, IRCC may issue a refund after confirming your eligibility and obtaining a remission order.
For Canadian passports, certificates of identity, and refugee travel documents, the measures waive fees for:
Replacement;
Expedited, urgent, express, and pick-up services;
Transferring an application between offices; and
The consular fee for the period from April 1 to November 30, 2025.
Any replacement passport issued during this period will carry the same expiry date as the original document.
How to apply for these special measures and flag your application so IRCC sees it
Applicants should submit a complete application for the immigration services they wish to receive as they usually would (either online or via a paper application).
How to flag your application under the special wildfire measures:
If you are applying for these special measures using an online application, include the phrase “WFF2025” in the submission text. IRCC does not specify where the phrase should appear in an online application.
If you are applying under these measures through a paper application, you must write “WILDFIRES25” on both the envelope and the first page of the application so IRCC officers can identify that your application should be assessed for eligibility and processed under the special measures.
How fast will my application be processed under these measures?
Files follow regular service standards unless they meet existing urgent criteria. IRCC officers can apply compassionate, flexible case-by-case decisions during this window.
If you make an urgent request through the IRCC webform, the Client Support Center may mark the file as urgent or send a referral to the office responsible.
