Foreign Nationals Affected by Alberta Wildfires Eligible for Additional Special Measures

Canada

Special measures in addition to those implemented on May 16 are now in place to support those affected by the Alberta wildfires , including a work permit extension grace period, expedited processing options and the waiving of certain fees and requirements for visitors, workers and students. Some key measures are outlined below.

Work Permit Holders

Foreign workers whose work permits have expired may continue to work under the same terms as the expired work permit if they apply for a new work permit by August 3, 2016. Open work permit holders may continue to work for any employer in Canada and employer-specific work permit holders may continue to work for the employer named on their work permit.

Fees for work permits will be waived until August 3, 2016.

If Application Documents Were Lost or Destroyed

Foreign nationals whose immigration application supporting documents were lost or destroyed as a result of the wildfires who apply online should send a follow-up email to [email protected] with their full name, date of birth, country of birth and Unique Client Identifier (UCI) or Application identification number to allow Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to flag the application for urgent processing. These messages must indicate “URGENT: ALBERTA FIRE” in the subject.

The IRCC website also outlines other special measures in place for temporary residents, students and other affected foreign and Canadian nationals.

Qualifying for Special Measures

To qualify for any special measures, affected applicants must send an email to [email protected] with the following information:

• A request for consideration under the special measures; and
• Proof that the residence or place of work location has been directly affected by the disaster.

All requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals

Foreign nationals affected by the Alberta wildfires should consult the IRCC website for specific documentary requirements to apply for replacement of Canadian status documents.

Residents and temporary residents with new contact information as a result of the fire, or those with questions can email [email protected] and include the Unique Client Identifier (UCI) - if known, full name, date of birth, city and country of birth, and write "URGENT: ALBERTA FIRE" in the subject line.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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