Canada introduces special immigration measures for disaster-affected foreign workers, students, and visitors

These measures, effective from April 1, 2026, to November 30, 2028, extend the period for eligible temporary residents to restore their status to six months, up from the usual 90 days. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada IRCC announced that these provisions are for individuals directly affected by natural disasters in Canada, such as wildfires, storms, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes, who held valid temporary resident status on the date of impact. Applicants must submit a signed attestation detailing how the disaster affected them, include the code "NaturalDisaster2026," and provide supporting evidence, such as proof of residence in the affected area.

Workers may also need to provide employer details and evidence of workplace closure, while students might need to provide details of their designated learning institution and proof of its closure. Students whose institutions are closed due to a disaster may be considered on authorized leave, allowing them to pause studies without penalty and continue off-campus work if their permits allow. Applicants must still pay standard fees.

Urgent processing requests can be made via an IRCC web form, selecting "Request Priority Processing for my existing application" and entering "NaturalDisaster2026" with reasons for prioritization. These special meas