Temporary measures to support family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have departed Sudan

These instructions provide operational guidance related to the updated temporary public policy for family members who fled conflict in Sudan.

Under this updated public policy, eligible foreign national family members who have departed Sudan since the violence erupted on April 15, 2023 and arrived in Canada under the original Temporary public policy for family members who fled conflict in Sudan may apply to extend their temporary resident status in Canada as well as apply for an open work permit (OWP), study permit (SP), temporary resident permit (TRP), and for permanent residence under the family class, fee-exempt.

All standard eligibility and admissibility requirements not exempt under these measures must be met by applicants. Applicants who do not meet these requirements may have their applications refused.

This temporary public policy took effect October 28, 2025 and expires on October 27, 2026.

On this page

• Background
• Eligibility
  • Family member definition
  • Valid temporary resident status
• Program-specific special measures
  • Fee waiver to extend or change temporary resident status in Canada
  • Fee waiver for issuing work permits in Canada
  • Issuing open work permits in the Global Case Management System (GCMS)
  • Fee waiver for issuing study permits or extensions in Canada
  • Application for permanent residence under the family class
  • Fee waivers for in-Canada biometrics
  • Refusals for ineligible clients

Background

The humanitarian crisis affecting Sudanese civilians is worsening as the civil war continues. Sudan has the largest displaced population in the world, comprising over 14.5 million internally and externally displaced people. An estimated 10.5 million people have been internally displaced since mid-April 2023, including those who experienced secondary displacement.

Canada and its partners have been assisting Canadians, permanent residents and their family members in their departure from Sudan as well as Sudanese nationals in Canada unable to return to Sudan at this time. In April 2023, IRCC supported the evacuation operation to bring Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada to safety, including facilitating their foreign national family members via the Temporary Public Policy for Family Members who fled Conflict in Sudan – archived. IRCC is continuing to support those family members through an updated public policy issued in October 2025, which focuses on in-Canada temporary measures detailed in these instructions.

Eligibility

Under this temporary public policy, the following clients may be eligible:

1. A foreign national who meets the following criteria:
   • is the family member – per the definition of subsection R1(3) (see below) – of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023, and who:
     • left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023;
     • entered Canada before July 15, 2023; and
     • is in-Canada with valid temporary resident status

     and

   • subsequently has applied to extend or change the conditions of their temporary stay as one of the following:
     • worker
     • student
     • visitor

     or

   • has applied for a new or subsequent temporary resident permit

     or

   • has applied for a permanent resident visa as a member of the Family Class or for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class

Family member definition

Foreign nationals, including Sudanese nationals, are eligible family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents, if they meet the definition of “family member” under subsection 1(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR):

1. the spouse or common-law partner of the person
2. a dependent child of the person or of the person’s spouse or common-law partner, and
3. a dependent child of a dependent child referred to in paragraph (b)

A dependent child is a child who is

• under 22 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship
• 22 years or older and unable to financially self-support due to a physical or mental condition

Extended family members are not eligible and are not included under these measures.

Valid temporary resident status

To meet the valid temporary resident status requirement in the eligibility criteria set out above, a foreign national must:

1. Be physically present in Canada at the time of application and when a decision is made.
2. Have been authorized to enter as a temporary resident under section 22 or 24 of the IRPA
3. Be within their period of authorized stay as a temporary resident or have maintained their status under section R183(5)

Restoration of temporary resident status

Clients who are eligible for restoration may apply to restore their status at the same time as submitting an application under these measures. However, officers must first render a decision on the application for restoration. Officers should refer to Restoration of temporary resident status for additional guidance.

Program-specific special measures

Fee waiver to extend or change temporary resident status in Canada and temporary resident permits

Eligible foreign nationals who are applying from within Canada are eligible for a fee waiver when they apply to extend or change the conditions of their stay or for a new temporary resident permit (TRP). They are also exempt from paying the biometrics enrolment fee under these measures. See below for more information about biometrics.

Officers may waive the following fees under this temporary public policy:

• extension of visitor record – exemption code ‘999’
• temporary resident permit – exemption code ‘999’
• biometrics – exemption code ‘B11’

Officers should refer to the Fee list.

Officers may issue visitor record extensions of up to 6 months or until passport or biometrics validity, whichever comes first.

Clients who apply to extend or change the conditions of their stay before it expires, maintain their status as per R183(5) while their application is processed. Officers should refer to Temporary residents: Maintained status during processing (previously called implied status) for additional instructions. This does not apply to temporary resident permit (TRP) holders. If the client is applying for a new or subsequent TRP, officers should refer to Temporary resident permits for additional guidance.

Fee waiver for issuing work permits in Canada

These measures include a fee waiver for initial work permit applications, including open work permits, and work permit extensions in Canada.

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

• Initial or renewal work permit – exemption code ‘999’
• open work permit – exemption code “P03”
• temporary resident permit (if applicable) – exemption code ‘999’

Officers should refer to the Fee list.

Regular work permit application

Applications submitted in the regular work permit categories under R204 to R208 for nationals of Sudan are fee-exempt but should be processed as per the instructions for the specific work permit category.

Applications submitted with a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for nationals of Sudan are fee-exempt but should be processed as per the instructions: Labour Market Impact Assessment Review.

Public policy open work permit application

This public policy allows eligible temporary residents in Canada to submit an application for an open work permit while remaining in Canada. This will allow the eligible foreign nationals to support themselves until they are able to return to their home country.

Foreign nationals are not eligible to apply for an open work permit under this public policy at a port of entry.

Issuing open work permits in the Global Case Management System (GCMS)

The exemptions under this public policy are granted under the authority of Section 25.2 of the IRPA. Applicants are still required to meet the other requirements for work permit issuance.

The open work permit is issued and is coded as follows:

Fee waiver for issuing study permits or extensions in Canada

These measures include a fee waiver for initial study permit applications and study permit extensions in Canada.

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

• Initial or renewal study permit – exemption code ‘999’
• temporary resident permit (if applicable) – exemption code ‘999’

Officers should refer to the Fee list.

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

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

Applications for permanent residence under the family class

Foreign national family members applying under the family class from overseas will benefit from priority processing, but will be subject to standard fees.

Foreign national family members who departed Sudan to a third country on or after April 15, 2023, whether assisted or not in their departure by Canada or its partners, may be eligible to apply from within Canada for permanent residence under the family class or the spouse or common-law partner in Canada stream.

To be eligible for permanent resident fee waivers, clients must meet the following requirements:

The foreign national

1. is in Canada with valid temporary resident status, and
2. left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023;
3. is the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023;
4. entered Canada before July 15, 2023, and
5. has applied for a permanent resident visa as a member of the family class or for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class

Applications will be submitted through the Permanent Residence Online Portal and should be processed on a priority basis. The Operations Planning and Performance Branch (OPPB) will give the processing office weekly lists indicating applications eligible for fee waivers.

Eligible applications are fee-exempt and clients are not required to pay the following fees:

• Sponsorship fee – exemption code FPC. Description: Fee paid (Canada)
• Application for permanent residence fee – exemption code FPC. Description: Fee paid (Canada)
• Right of Permanent Residence Fee – exemption code RFC. Description: Right of Permanent Residence Fee Paid (Canada)
• Biometric enrolment fee – exemption code B12

Officers should refer to the Fee list.

To add the exemption codes: Go to GCMS Application > Fees tab > Scroll down to Fees subsection > Select Fee line > Code > open “Pick Code” and select applicable exemption code.

Officers exempting fees pursuant to these special measures must enter remarks in the GCMS application to note that the fees were exempted under the temporary public policy for Sudan special measures for family class.

Officers should refer to Permanent resident program: Non-economic classes for additional guidance.

Should there be an indication of citizenship by descent that has yet to be confirmed or assessed and the family is in Canada, they should be counselled to complete a proof of citizenship application for assessment (PDF, 3.1 MB) as part of the facilitative measures currently in place for those affected by the situation in Sudan. A scanned version of the application can be sent by e-mail to the UrgentProofCOVID general mailbox.

The citizenship program should also be advised if the child has submitted a grant of citizenship application through the regular process that has yet to be finalized. If the family is overseas, the child should be referred to the relevant consular services who will contact Citizenship and Passport as per current protocols for Sudan.

Fee waivers for biometrics

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

• Biometric fee
• Waiver code: B11 for temporary resident applications and B12 for permanent resident applications under the family class

Officers should refer to the Fee list.

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

Refusals for ineligible clients

Officers may encounter applications submitted from clients who are ineligible for this temporary public policy, who do not meet other standard eligibility requirements or who are found to be inadmissible to Canada. If an officer has determined that the applicant does not meet eligibility requirements or is inadmissible, the application should be refused.

Officers should record their reasons for decision as per the instructions in: Decision making: Standard of review and process for making a reasonable decision.

If a refusal is warranted due to the applicant not meeting the eligibility requirements of this public policy, officers should select “Other” ground, and include the following comment:

You do not meet the eligibility requirements as per the Updated temporary public policy for family members who fled the conflict in Sudan.