VisaCanada narrows Haiti and Sudan measures to eligible work-permit renewals
IRCC’s October 28 changes retain a targeted renewal route until December 30, 2027, with standard fees and specific prior-permit conditions.
Official source date: 2026-10-27
Edited and checked by the VisaWand editorial team
October 28 changes separate renewal from other applications
Canada has replaced broader crisis-related temporary measures for people affected by the situations in Haiti and Sudan with a targeted work-permit renewal arrangement. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced the change on October 27, with its detailed country instructions identifying October 28, 2026 as the operative date. The new application deadline is December 30, 2027. This is an application window, not an automatic extension of every affected person’s existing immigration document.
The announcement says eligible holders of valid work permits issued under the previous temporary measures may apply to extend them, paying standard processing fees. Visitors and students are directed to the existing application channels. The practical distinction is important: being Haitian or Sudanese, or having relatives connected with either crisis, does not by itself establish eligibility for this particular renewal. Start with the announcement to understand the policy change, then use the relevant country instructions for the application.
Sudan-linked workers must check their existing permit
IRCC’s Sudan instructions require a valid work permit issued under a qualifying previous public policy for Sudanese nationals in Canada or eligible family members who fled the conflict. Applicants must be in Canada with valid temporary resident status both when applying and when a decision is made. Someone already issued a renewal under the October 28 measure cannot obtain another renewal under the same measure.
The Sudan page lists the historical public policies to help applicants identify the basis of their existing permission. It also retains general eligibility and admissibility requirements. A qualifying renewal could last up to three years, but the department cannot issue beyond passport or biometric validity. Check those dates before submitting: the maximum possible period is not a promise of a three-year document. Use the Sudan resource to match the earlier policy and confirm the conditions rather than relying only on nationality.
Haiti-linked applicants need the correct explanation and evidence
The Haiti instructions likewise cover temporary residents holding valid work permits from the specified earlier Haiti public policies, including eligible family members. The online application must identify the active public-policy route. Its required uploads include the worker-status extension application, the current work permit, passport or travel document, and a letter stating that the application is under the 2026 Haiti measures. Relationship or representative forms may also be needed for the individual situation.
The Haiti page lists a CAD155 work-permit processing charge plus CAD100 for the open work permit. Biometrics, where required, add CAD85 individually or up to CAD170 for an eligible family. It instructs applicants to pay at the end of the application and submit a complete file through the IRCC secure account. Use that country-specific page for the upload fields and additional-document instructions; uploading a passport alone would not demonstrate the basis for this renewal.
Visitors and students have separate next steps
People holding visitor records, study permits or temporary resident permits cannot assume the former special measures still let them switch to another permit type. For a visitor seeking more time, IRCC’s visitor-record application page explains the normal online process. Applicants need electronic document copies and a valid payment card, answer the questionnaire for a personalised checklist, and select visiting with Canada as their current country of residence. A visitor record application does not establish permission to work. The visitor application resource also distinguishes applying online from the limited paper exceptions for a disability or problems with the online application. It explains that the account is used to pay fees, submit the file and check progress, helping applicants keep the application and its receipt together.
Students should instead use IRCC’s study-permit extension resource and check the expiry date printed under additional information. The department lists CAD150 for a study permit, including an extension. Its guidance distinguishes extending an existing permit from restoring status after expiry. The crisis-policy deadline in December 2027 does not replace an individual permit’s earlier expiry date. Neither a uniform processing time nor automatic approval follows from the new announcement; the correct route, current document and timely complete application remain decisive.
