- IRCC extended special immigration measures for specific Iranian workers in Canada through March 31, 2027.
- The updated policy narrows eligibility to workers whose original permits were issued by February 28, 2025.
- Applicants must pay standard processing fees as previous fee waivers are no longer available.
(CANADA) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) extended special immigration measures for Iranian nationals on March 1, 2026, letting certain work permit holders already in Canada apply for work permit extensions until March 31, 2027.
IRCC announced the policy update on March 4, 2026, after a previous, broader set of measures expired on February 28, 2026.
The renewed program matters most for Iranian nationals who are in Canada and working on time-limited permits, because it keeps a pathway open to stay authorized to work while they remain in the country.
At the same time, the update narrows the scope of who can use the measure. The earlier policy had covered workers, visitors and students arriving by February 28, 2025, while the current policy focuses on workers only.
That shift means visitors and students who might have qualified under the earlier framework are not included in the March 2026 renewal, which instead centers on extending an existing work authorization for a defined group of in-Canada permit holders.
The new iteration also comes without fee waivers, a change from the expired program, and it limits applicants to a one-time extension under these specific measures.
Eligibility under the renewed policy begins with nationality and documentation. Applicants must have Iranian nationality and hold a valid passport.
Location and status in Canada form another gate. Applicants must be in Canada and hold a valid work permit at the time they apply, and they must still have a valid work permit when IRCC makes a decision on the application.
IRCC also tied eligibility to when the original work permit was issued. The work permit must have originally been issued on or before February 28, 2025.
Applicants who already received an extension under these special measures cannot use the renewed policy again. IRCC set the measure up as a single opportunity, allowing only one extension under this framework.
Standard immigration screening still applies. Applicants must meet regular IRCC admissibility and work permit requirements, even when applying through this special public policy.
The benefit offered under the program is time-limited, and IRCC set clear boundaries around what an approved extension can look like. The extension can be granted for up to 2 years, but it cannot go beyond the expiry date of the applicant’s passport.
That passport limit can shorten an extension even when someone otherwise qualifies for the full period. IRCC gave examples to illustrate how the cap works, such as about one year if a passport expires in March 2027, or a full two years if it expires in March 2028 or later.
Applicants must submit the request online. IRCC did not set out a paper filing route in the policy description tied to the March 2026 renewal.
Processing times do not receive special treatment under the measures. IRCC said no priority processing applies and that standard IRCC timelines apply.
IRCC also set a firm end date for when applications can be filed under the program. Eligible workers can apply until March 31, 2027, which the department framed as the deadline for using the measure.
The renewed measures replace an earlier framework that had been broader in both who it covered and the set of tools it offered. Under the policy that ended on February 28, 2026, the eligible groups included workers, visitors and students arriving by February 28, 2025.
By contrast, IRCC’s March 2026 update narrowed eligibility to workers with a qualifying work permit issued on or before February 28, 2025, leaving out visitors and students from the renewed measure.
IRCC also narrowed what the policy provides. The current update focuses on work permit extensions only, rather than a broader set of facilitative options.
The earlier measures included features such as open work permits and in-Canada study permits, elements that are not part of the current policy as described in the March 2026 update.
Even where the extension duration matches the earlier framework—up to two years—the renewed policy emphasizes the passport-based cap and the one-time nature of the extension under these measures.
Costs also changed in a way that affects applicants’ planning. IRCC said the new iteration has no fee waivers, while the previous policy had some available.
For workers who qualify, the fee issue is straightforward but potentially consequential. IRCC said costs range from $155 to $355 depending on permit type, and applicants must account for the correct amount for their category.
The absence of fee waivers means applicants who qualified for the public policy still need to pay the standard fees associated with their work permit extension request, with the applicable amount varying across work permit categories.
That variation can matter for timing as well as budgeting, because an application that does not include the correct fee can be disrupted.
IRCC’s renewed measures are framed as a time-limited option, not a permanent arrangement. The department advised using the period covered by the policy to pursue permanent residence pathways, while also warning that future extensions are not guaranteed.
The broader context also includes separate inadmissibility rules that may affect some applicants. IRCC referenced expanded rules affecting certain senior Iranian officials under IRPA section 35(1)(b) since February 25, 2026, an issue that may shape whether an individual can qualify under standard admissibility requirements.
While the renewed measure is aimed at in-Canada workers, IRCC’s conditions make clear that applicants must still satisfy the normal rules that govern admissibility and work permits, alongside the special policy’s added requirements such as nationality, a valid passport, and the February 28, 2025 cutoff tied to the original work permit.
The timeline of the renewal also shows how quickly the policy landscape shifted at the end of February. The previous measures expired on February 28, 2026, and IRCC set the renewed version as effective March 1, 2026, before announcing the update publicly on March 4, 2026.
For affected Iranian nationals in Canada, the dates and status requirements set a narrow window of eligibility in practical terms. Applicants must remain in Canada, keep their work permit valid through the time of decision, and apply online by March 31, 2027, while also ensuring their passport validity supports the length of extension they are seeking.
IRCC’s design also limits the program’s reach by focusing on people who already had work permits issued on or before February 28, 2025, rather than opening the measure more broadly to other temporary residents or to those who entered Canada after that point.
In practical terms, the renewed measures resemble an extension-based policy rather than a wider package of temporary facilitation. The March 2026 update sets out who qualifies, what the extension can cover, and the financial costs, while keeping the usual processing stream and standard rules in place.
IRCC directed applicants to consult its official webpage for application details and updates, as the department continues to administer the special measures and the standard work permit system in Canada at the same time.
