Temporary special measures to support Iranian nationals

These program delivery instructions (PDIs) provide operational guidance related to temporary special measures to support Iranian temporary residents in Canada who came to Canada to visit or spend time with family, study or work temporarily. With the situation ongoing in Iran, some of these temporary residents may not want to return home, and may wish to prolong their stay.

These special measures waive certain processing fees to extend temporary status or move between temporary resident streams, and facilitate the issuance of open work permits for Iranians in Canada. These clients will receive priority processing and enjoy maintained status while their application remains in progress.

The measures also provide travel document and citizenship certificate fee waivers for Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents who reside in Iran to help facilitate their travel.

All other standard eligibility and security requirements must be met by clients.

These special measures take effect retroactively from February 9, 2023, until February 28, 2025.

On this page

• Background
• Eligibility
• Program-specific special measures
  • Fee waivers for extension of temporary resident status
  • Fee waivers for issuing work permits or extensions in Canada
    • Fee waivers for issuing open work permits
  • Fee waivers for issuing study permits and extensions
  • Fee waivers for in-Canada biometrics
  • Fee waivers for Permanent resident travel documents
  • Fee-waivers for Canadian regular passports, Canadian citizenship certificates, temporary passports

Background

On October 7, 2022, the Government of Canada announced a suite of measures designed to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its repression of peaceful protests against the tragic killing of Mahsa Amini by the regime’s “morality police.”

Many Iranian nationals have chosen to come to Canada to visit or spend time with family, study, or work temporarily. As per the Temporary public policy for nationals of Iran in Canada as temporary residents, the fee waiver measures outlined have been implemented for those temporary residents who may feel uncomfortable returning to Iran at this time and may wish to extend their stay, and for permanent residents or Canadian citizens who reside in Iran to help facilitate their travel.

Eligibility

Under these special measures, the following clients may be eligible:

• a national of Iran (holds a passport issued by Iran) in Canada with valid temporary resident status; who applies for an extension of their authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident or to change their temporary resident status via the following applications:
  1. a work permit or extension or
  2. a study permit or extension or
  3. a visitor record extension or
  4. a temporary resident permit
• Canadians citizens or permanent residents who reside in Iran and have applied for
  1. a citizenship certificate – if the client does not have a certificate for passport issuance (as eligible via the online application or through the paper stream via Canadian consular services) or
  2. a passport (see below for details)
     1. a one-year limited validity passport (no fees to be charged)
        • Should client wish to obtain a full validity passport, fees apply
        • Fees for the temporary passport are to be waived at all times.
     2. permanent resident travel documents

Officers should confirm that the applicant has not left Canada prior to granting the exemption for fees or the public policy open work permit. Officers can find instructions on confirming exit here: Entry/Exit Program.

Program-specific special measures

Each program has its own eligibility and document requirements for these special measures. Refer to the appropriate line of business below for further information and to the Fee list for information on applicable fees.

Fee waivers to extend or change temporary resident status

Clients applying from within Canada are eligible both to have their fees waived and for priority processing when they apply for an extension or to change their temporary resident status. They are also exempt from paying the biometric enrollment fee under these special measures. See below for more information about biometrics.

The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:

• Extension of temporary resident status
• temporary resident permit – exemption code 999
• biometrics – exemption code B11

Clients who apply for an extension or to change their status before it expires will maintain their status while their application is processed. Officers should refer to Temporary residents: Maintained status during processing (previously called implied status) for additional guidance.

Please note that temporary resident permit fees are waived under the public policy. If the client is applying for a new or subsequent temporary resident permit, officers should refer to Temporary resident permits for additional guidance.

Fee waivers for issuing work permits or extensions in Canada

These special measures include fee-exempt work permit applications or extensions. For in-Canada work permit extension applications, a copy of the CV or resume is not required.

To be eligible for the fee waiver, applicants must meet all of the following conditions:

• hold a passport from Iran
• be physically in Canada at time of application and decision
• have valid temporary resident status in Canada (including maintained status as per subsection R183(5))
• have applied for a work permit in Canada (employer-specific or open)

The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:

• initial or renewal of work permit
• open work permit
• biometrics – exemption code B11

Fee waivers for issuing open work permits

These special measures include fee-exempt open work permit applications or extensions. Foreign nationals are not eligible to apply for an open work permit under this public policy at a port of entry.

Officers should confirm that the applicant has not left Canada prior to granting the exemption for fees or the public policy open work permit. Officers can find instructions on confirming exit here: Entry/Exit Program.

Fee waivers for issuing study permits or extensions

These special measures include fee-exempt study permit applications or extensions.

The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:

• Initial or renewal of study permit

Study permit extension validity must be tied to the specified period of study (and passport validity).

All applicants must submit their study permit or extension application by following the instructions to extend their study permit. Clients who apply for an extension or to change their status before it expires, will maintain their status while their application is being processed.

Officers should refer to Temporary Residents: Students for additional guidance.

Fee waivers for in-Canada biometrics

All individuals required to do so must provide their biometric information in support of their application. However, under these measures, the biometrics enrolment fee is waived. Officers must manually enter the biometric fee waiver code to issue a biometric instruction letter.

• biometric fee waiver code: B11

For more information on biometrics and fees:

• Biometrics collection and screening
• Biometric fee

Fee waivers for permanent resident travel documents

Canadian permanent residents who reside in Iran will have their fees waived for Permanent Resident Travel Documents (PRTD) to help facilitate their travel. Applicants are responsible for identifying themselves as eligible under these special measures when they provide a completed application.

The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:

Permanent resident travel document

For paper applications submitted between February 9, and February 28, 2025, clients are required to write “Iran2023” on the cover of the envelope and first page of their application or covering document.

Eligible Canadian permanent residents must follow standard procedures, but the PRTD application fee should not be charged to the applicant. Clients must upload an attachment that states “Iran2023” in the “Proof of Payment” section to be able to submit their online application. Refer to Fee waivers and refunds for further guidance.

Fee waivers for Canadian regular passports, Canadian citizenship certificates, temporary passports

These special measures also apply to Canadian citizens requesting Canadian citizenship certificates and temporary passports who reside in Iran to help facilitate their travel.

The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:

• first time or replacement certificate of Canadian citizenship (proof of citizenship)
• one year limited validity passport that is linked to a temporary passport
• temporary passport
• replacement fee for lost or stolen passport
• passport pick-up service fee

For further information on applications for a Canadian citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship), as applicable to these special measures, the Citizenship Program Delivery team (CPD) will provide specific processing instructions in consultation with Passport Foreign Operations and Global Affairs Canada. Ultimately, regardless of which processing channel the client submits their proof of citizenship application, clients are encouraged to select the electronic citizenship certificate to facilitate issuance and receipt.

For further information on the Passport Program’s eligibility and document requirements, officers should refer to the instructions provided in Passage.