IRCC’s operational bulletin on special measures for Haitian nationals was updated on 19 October 2026 to confirm that the temporary public policy—first introduced in November 2025—has been extended until 27 October 2026. The policy waives fees for status extensions, open work permits and study permits for eligible Haitians already in Canada, and exempts certain applicants from the passport requirement if their documents were lost amid Haiti’s security crisis. The extension comes as Haiti continues to face gang-related violence, airport closures and a national state of emergency. According to IRCC, more than 3,000 Haitian nationals and family members of Canadian citizens have benefited from the measures, allowing them to maintain legal status and pursue employment or education while conditions in their home country remain unstable. For Canadian employers, the fee waivers make it easier to retain Haitian workers whose permits would otherwise expire in the coming months. Immigration lawyers caution, however, that applicants must still meet admissibility criteria and that the generous provisions do not apply at ports of entry; all applications must be filed within Canada. Mobility managers with staff on Caribbean projects should also note that the public policy exempts certain permanent-residence applicants outside Canada from presenting a valid passport at visa issuance, provided they are otherwise ready for finalisation. This could accelerate family-reunification timelines once commercial flights from Port-au-Prince resume. Observers expect Ottawa to reassess the measures again in late October but acknowledge that a further extension is likely if Haiti’s security situation fails to improve.
