Canada Extends Wildfire Support for Immigration Applicants

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

Canada’s 2025 wildfire season has left a significant mark on many lives. To ease the challenges faced by newcomers and citizens alike, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has extended its special immigration measures until November 30, 2025. These measures provide fee waivers, document replacements, and more time for affected individuals to restore or extend their status in Canada.

Whether you’re a temporary resident, permanent resident, or Canadian citizen, if you’ve been impacted by the wildfires—directly or indirectly—there are supports in place to help you navigate the immigration system during this difficult time.

Key Highlights

• Special measures extended until November 30, 2025, for wildfire-affected individuals.
• Fee waivers available for permit extensions, restorations, document replacements, biometrics, and more.
• Applicable to all statuses: temporary residents, permanent residents, and citizens.
• Urgent processing possible at the discretion of IRCC officers.
• You don’t need to live in the burn zone—just provide an attestation of how you were affected.
• Simple process to flag your application under these wildfire-related measures.

What Are the Special Wildfire Immigration Measures?

IRCC has rolled out targeted support for those whose immigration status or documents were disrupted by the 2025 wildfires. Here’s a breakdown by group:

Who Is Eligible for These Measures?

Good news—anyone impacted by the wildfires can apply, regardless of their immigration status or location in Canada. You don’t have to be living in an active wildfire zone. To qualify, you must:

• Identify yourself as directly affected by wildfire conditions;
• Provide a signed attestation letter outlining your wildfire-related hardship (with supporting documentation when possible);
• Submit your application by November 30, 2025.

Special Measures That Apply to Everyone

If Your Application Is Incomplete or You Can’t Be Reached

If wildfires have slowed down your access to documents or communication channels, IRCC officers may allow extra time for you to provide the required information. They’ve also been instructed not to refuse applications solely for non-response between July 2 and November 30, 2025.

No New Medical Exams Needed (Unless Normally Required)

Lost or damaged documents due to wildfire don’t trigger a new immigration medical exam (IME). You’ll only need to complete one if it’s typically required for your application type.

Support for Temporary Residents (Visitors, Students, Workers)

1) Fee Waivers

If you’re a temporary resident affected by the wildfires, you may be eligible for waived fees for:

• Status extensions or restorations
• Visitor record
• Work permit
• Study permit
• Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)
• TRV counterfoil

2) More Time to Extend or Restore Status

If your status expired before September 2, 2025, you now have until November 30, 2025 to apply for restoration. If your status expires on or after that date, the usual 90-day window applies.

3) What Proof Should You Include?

Here’s what IRCC recommends including in your application to support your wildfire claim:

Important Conditions for Temporary Residents

• Workers: If you’ve applied to extend an employer-specific work permit, you can keep working under maintained status.
• Students: Keep a valid study permit to return once classes resume. If applying for extension, include a registrar’s letter.
• TRP holders: You don’t have maintained status. If your TRP expires, you can’t work or study. Apply on paper for a new TRP.

Help for Permanent Residents

Lost or damaged documents due to wildfires? If your PR card was issued in the last five years and was destroyed or lost in the fires, you can request a replacement at no cost. You’ll just need to include the standard lost/damaged declaration form (IMM 5451).

Need proof of status? You can request a Verification of Status (VOS) document if your original landing confirmation can’t be reprinted—and the VOS fee is waived too. Biometrics required for these requests? Also free of charge during this period.

Special Measures for Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens can also benefit from wildfire relief when it comes to lost or damaged documents:

• Free replacement of citizenship certificates
• Waived passport fees, including pickup, expedited, and urgent services
• Waived consular fees for passport applications from April 1 to November 30, 2025

Any replacement passport issued during this time will have the same expiry date as the original document.

How to Apply Under These Special Measures

To take advantage of the wildfire immigration support, submit your application as you normally would—either online or by paper. But here’s the key: you need to flag your application so IRCC knows to apply the special measures.

How to Flag Your Application

• Online applications: Include the code “WFF2025” somewhere in your submission text.
• Paper applications: Write “WILDFIRES25” on both the envelope and the first page of your application.

Will My Application Be Processed Faster?

Applications will follow regular timelines unless they meet IRCC’s existing urgency criteria. However, officers have the discretion to offer compassionate, flexible decisions during this window. If you need urgent processing, you can submit a request through IRCC’s webform for consideration.

Contact us for help with your wildfire-related application

Final Thoughts

We know how devastating wildfires can be—not just to homes and communities, but to your plans, your status, and your peace of mind. That’s why