Canada’s temporary suspension of immigration documents for foreign nationals residing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan will lapse at 23:59 Eastern Time on September 28, 2026, unless the Minister of Immigration issues another extension. The measure, enacted under the Minimising the Risk of Exposure to Ebola Disease in Canada Order, halted the issuance and finalisation of visas, permits and electronic travel authorisations for affected applicants. The policy was most recently prolonged on August 28 for 31 days after the World Health Organization reported a record-breaking outbreak in eastern DRC. According to the Canada Gazette notice, more than 24,000 temporary and permanent resident documents were suspended, preventing airlines from boarding holders due to automatic “no-board” messages. With the order due to expire tonight, carriers, designated medical examiners and Canadian visa offices have been alerted to prepare for a possible resumption of processing. IRCC said it will prioritise suspended files once the public-health order is lifted, but warned that applicants may still be subject to enhanced screening at ports of entry, including health questionnaires and potential quarantine if symptomatic. Businesses recruiting talent from Central Africa—particularly mining, engineering and humanitarian organisations—should monitor IRCC’s website on September 29 for confirmation. If the order is not renewed, employers may wish to expedite biometrics and medical exams for workers whose files have been on hold since May. Travel managers should also review airline readiness, as some carriers removed Kinshasa and Entebbe routes from their computerised reservation systems during the ban. Public-health authorities emphasise that the expiry does not signal the end of Ebola risk. Companies sending staff to or from the region must continue to follow Government of Canada travel-health notices, ensure robust duty-of-care protocols and verify that insurance policies cover evacuation for haemorrhagic fevers.
