IRCC Extends Special Measures for People Affected by Canada’s 2025 Wildfires

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has extended its special measures to support individuals affected by the 2025 wildfire season. These measures are designed to help newcomers, temporary residents, permanent residents, and Canadian citizens who have lost documents or faced disruptions due to the wildfires.

Eligible individuals can benefit from fee waivers and extended application deadlines to restore or extend their status until November 30, 2025. Applicants can access these measures even if they do not currently live in the affected areas, as long as they provide a signed statement explaining how they were impacted.

Overview of Available Measures

1. Temporary Residents (Visitors, Workers, Students, TRP holders):

• Fee waivers for applications related to extensions, restorations, and document replacements (such as work permits, study permits, and visitor records).
• Extra time to extend or restore status if impacted by wildfires.
• Option to replace lost or damaged documents including temporary resident visas, permits, and TRPs.
  
  

2. Permanent Residents:

• Fee-free replacement of lost or damaged PR cards issued within the past five years.
• Free replacement of Verification of Status (VOS) documents, if needed.
• Waiver of biometric fees for replacement requests.
  
  

3. Canadian Citizens:

• Free replacement of citizenship certificates.
• Passport and travel document fee waivers, including for urgent and express services.
• Replacement passports will carry the same expiry date as the originals.
  
  

Eligibility for Special Measures

These measures apply to all individuals—temporary residents, permanent residents, and citizens—who have been directly affected by the 2025 wildfires. To qualify, applicants must:

• Self-identify as having been impacted by wildfires in Canada.
• Provide a signed attestation letter explaining how they were affected, along with supporting documents (if available).
• Submit their application under these special measures by November 30, 2025.

Applicants are not required to live in a wildfire-affected area but must demonstrate how they were impacted by the events.

Measures Applicable to All Applicants

If the wildfires have prevented you from submitting required documents or responding to IRCC’s requests, officers may grant extra time to complete your application. Between July 2 and November 30, 2025, IRCC officers will not refuse an application solely because a request went unanswered during this time. Instead, the file will be set aside until contact is re-established or the measures expire.

Additionally, new immigration medical examinations are not required if your documents were lost or damaged because of the wildfires. They are only needed where normally required to finalize an application.

Special Provisions for Temporary Residents

1. Fee Waivers
Temporary residents affected by the wildfires may have fees waived for:

• Extension or restoration of status applications.
• Replacement of lost or damaged documents (visitor record, work or study permit, TRP, or TRV counterfoil).
• Biometrics and open work permit holder fees.
  
  

2. Extended Deadlines
If your status expired before September 2, 2025, you have until November 30, 2025, to apply for restoration or extension.
If your status expires on or after September 2, 2025, the regular 90-day restoration period applies.
All applications must be submitted by November 30, 2025, to benefit from these measures.

3. Evidence of Impact
Applicants should include supporting evidence such as:

• Proof of residence or stay in an affected area (government ID, utility bill, or hotel receipt).
• Employer letters or media reports confirming workplace disruption.
• School letters or notices for students impacted by institutional closures.
  
  

4. Conditions

• Workers who apply to extend their employer-specific work permit may continue working under maintained status.
• Holders of open work permits can extend or restore their status without paying fees.
• Students must maintain valid study status and can include a registrar’s letter when applying for an extension.
• TRP holders must apply for a new permit if their TRP expires, as they are not covered by maintained status.
  
  

Special Measures for Permanent Residents

Permanent residents can request fee waivers for:

• Replacement of lost, stolen, or damaged PR cards (issued in the last five years).
• Verification of Status documents (VOS).
• Biometrics, if required.

Applicants must submit the standard PR card replacement process, including the Solemn Declaration (IMM 5451) for lost or destroyed cards.

Special Measures for Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens can request:

• Free replacement of lost or damaged citizenship certificates.
• Waivers for passport and travel document fees, including urgent, express, and pick-up services.
• Replacement passports will maintain the same expiry date as the originals.

If an applicant paid a fee online before the waiver applied, IRCC may issue a refund after confirming eligibility.

How to Apply and Flag Your Application

To apply, submit your regular immigration, citizenship, or passport application—either online or on paper—following the standard process.

To ensure your file is processed under these special wildfire measures:

• For online applications, include the phrase “WFF2025” in your submission text.
• For paper applications, write “WILDFIRES25” on both the envelope and the first page of your application.

Applicants requesting urgent processing should submit a webform request explaining their wildfire-related hardship. IRCC officers may grant priority processing based on compassionate and case-specific considerations.

Key Takeaways

• The special measures are available until November 30, 2025.
• They apply to all categories of residents and citizens affected by the wildfires.
• Fee waivers, extended deadlines, and urgent processing options are available.
• Proof of impact through a signed attestation and supporting evidence is essential.
• Applicants should act promptly and ensure their submissions clearly reference the wildfire relief measures.
  
  

Conclusion

IRCC’s extension of special wildfire measures reflects Canada’s continued commitment to supporting those affected by natural disasters. Whether you are a visitor, student, worker, permanent resident, or citizen, these temporary policies ensure you can restore your status, replace lost documents, or obtain urgent processing without additional costs or delays. Applicants should make sure to apply before November 30, 2025, and include the required attestation to receive these benefits.