Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has extended special support measures for individuals impacted by the 2025 wildfire season. These temporary policies aim to help temporary residents, permanent residents, and Canadian citizens who may have lost status or important immigration documents due to wildfire-related disruptions.
The measures will remain in effect until November 30, 2025. Eligible individuals, including visitors, international students, foreign workers, permanent residents, and citizens, can access a range of benefits such as fee waivers, extended application deadlines, and document replacement services without charge.
Importantly, individuals do not have to reside in a directly impacted wildfire area to qualify. Applicants must simply provide a self-attestation letter explaining how they were affected by the wildfires and submit it along with supporting documents and their application.
Temporary residents—including those holding visitor visas, work permits, study permits, or temporary resident permits—can benefit from waived fees related to document restoration and application extensions. They will also have more time to extend or restore their immigration status, and lost or damaged permits and visas may be reissued without cost during the eligibility window between July 2 and November 30, 2025.
Permanent residents can access free replacements for lost or damaged PR cards (if originally issued within the last five years), as well as Verification of Status (VOS) documents. Any required biometrics fees for replacement documents will also be waived. These provisions apply from April 1 to November 30, 2025.
For Canadian citizens, fees will be waived for the replacement of citizenship certificates, as well as passports and travel documents lost or damaged due to wildfire impacts. This includes all associated processing fees for urgent, express, or consular services. Replacement passports will carry the same expiry date as the originals.
In addition to document and processing support, applicants may be considered for urgent processing on a case-by-case basis, depending on the discretion of IRCC officers reviewing the requests.
To apply under these special measures, applicants must submit a completed request by November 30, 2025. Detailed requirements include proof of impact from the wildfires and a signed attestation outlining the specific circumstances.
This extension builds on Canada’s commitment to providing compassionate and efficient immigration services during natural disasters and unforeseen challenges. Individuals affected by the wildfires are encouraged to act promptly to secure their status or replace critical documents.