As extreme weather conditions become more frequent and severe, Ottawa announces special measures to support communities
Canada has introduced new immigration measures to help temporary residents affected by domestic natural disasters.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will now allow eligible temporary residents who are directly affected by a natural disaster in Canada to replace lost or damaged status documents and to restore or extend their status, or renew work and study permits, even if they are beyond the usual 90‑day restoration period. The measures apply across the country from April 1, 2026 to Nov. 30, 2028.
For HR professionals, the change creates extra breathing room to keep international staff lawful and on payroll after events such as wildfires, floods, storms, hurricanes and earthquakes, provided employees can show they were directly affected and that they held valid status at the time. Employers may also be asked to provide letters on company letterhead confirming workplace closures or disruptions to support worker applications.
“Climate anxiety” is a growing concern for many employees – and that could have consequences for many Canadian employers, according to previous research. In 2023, the degree of devastation from climate change “was difficult to comprehend,” David Phillips, senior climatologist at Statistics Canada, said in a previous report about the top 10 weather stories.
‘Greater flexibility’
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab framed the changes as a response to a worsening climate risk. “As natural disasters become more frequent and severe, our government remains committed to supporting affected communities,” she said, adding that “these measures will provide greater flexibility for those impacted and help foreign emergency personnel enter Canada more quickly when they are needed most.”
Temporary residents who apply to extend their status continue to benefit from maintained status, meaning they can usually keep working while their extension application is being processed, as long as it is filed before expiry. In 2025, about 1,595 foreign emergency services personnel came to Canada to help fight wildfires, and the new measures will exempt similar personnel from visa‑required countries from standard application and biometric fees to speed future deployments.
For HR leaders in sectors and regions exposed to climate risk, the key operational questions now are which employees may qualify for the special measures, what evidence they need, and how quickly HR can help them restore or extend status while managing broader business continuity.
Canada’s new thermal stress rules are arriving as climate change makes heat and cold a daily operational concern in many workplaces, from warehouses and postal routes to commercial kitchens and transit yards. Canadian HR Reporter previously reported what that means for HR professionals.
Key details of disaster‑related immigration measures
Topic |
What IRCC is doing |
Why it matters to HR |
|
Timeframe |
Special measures apply from 1 April 2026 to 30 November 2028. |
Sets a clear window when HR can use these flexibilities for affected staff. |
|
Who can apply |
Temporary residents (students, workers, visitors) directly affected by a natural disaster in Canada during the covered period, who had valid status on the date they were affected. |
HR needs to know who in the workforce holds temporary status and was in an impacted area. |
|
Restoration window |
Disaster‑affected temporary residents have up to 6 months to apply to restore status (standard fees still apply), instead of the normal 90 days. |
Extra time to salvage employment relationships with international staff whose lives and paperwork were disrupted. |
|
TRP holders |
Those on a temporary resident permit must apply for a new TRP to extend their stay. |
HR must flag that TRPs are not automatically extended under the measures. |
|
Core documents |
All applicants must submit a signed attestation letter explaining when and how the disaster affected them and include the code “NaturalDisaster2026”. |
HR may help employees draft clear attestations and ensure the code is used consistently. |
|
Proof of location |
Applicants should provide proof of residence or temporary stay in an affected area (for example, government‑issued ID, utility bill, hotel receipt). |
HR may be asked to help confirm addresses or provide supporting records where appropriate. |
|
Workers |
Worker‑status restoration applications must include the employer’s name and address and, if applicable, proof the workplace is not operational (employer letter, media article, or notice on company website). |
HR is responsible for producing accurate letters on company letterhead and coordinating public notices about closures. |
|
Students |
Students must provide DLI details and, if applicable, proof the school is closed (school letter, media article, email to students, or website notice). If the DLI is closed, they are on “authorized leave”, can still work off campus if allowed, and remain eligible for a post‑graduation work permit. |
Protects student employees and future graduate hires; HR can often retain student workers within existing permit limits. |
|
Maintained status |
Temporary residents who apply to extend status before expiry keep maintained status and can work while the application is processed. |
Reduces unnecessary work stoppages if HR tracks permit expiries and encourages early filing. |
|
Priority processing |
Disaster‑affected applicants can request urgent processing via an IRCC web form by choosing “Request Priority Processing for my existing application” and using the “NaturalDisaster2026” code in their explanation. |
HR can support critical employees by helping them request faster decisions. |
|
Foreign emergency personnel |
Foreign emergency services personnel from visa‑required countries coming to respond to a disaster are exempt from standard application and biometric fees. |
Faster deployment of external responders can shorten closures and support a quicker, safer return to work for employees. |
