Updated July 2026. IRCC’s special temporary measures for Iranian nationals expired at midnight UTC on March 1, 2026 — but the story didn’t end there. Within days, IRCC replaced it with a new, narrower policy. Here’s the full timeline.
What Expired
The “Updated temporary public policy for nationals of Iran in Canada as temporary residents” came into effect March 1, 2025 and expired February 28, 2026. It applied specifically to Iranian nationals who:
- Were in Canada with valid temporary resident status
- Arrived in Canada on or before February 28, 2025
While active, it let eligible applicants apply from inside Canada for an open work permit (or certain work permit renewals) and, under some conditions, a study permit — with priority processing for open work permit applications. Applications submitted on or after March 1, 2025 under this version were subject to standard fees; only earlier measures (before that date) had included fee waivers.
What Replaced It
On March 4, 2026, IRCC published a Revised temporary public policy for nationals of Iran in Canada as temporary residents, effective retroactively from March 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027. This new version is notably narrower than the one it replaced — it focuses primarily on work permit extensions for people who already held a valid work permit as of February 28, 2025, rather than opening the door to new open work permit applications the way the previous policy did.
Background: Why This Policy Existed
The federal government first introduced special measures for Iranian nationals in February 2023, in response to the civil unrest in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. The policy has been revised and replaced several times since, each version with somewhat different scope.
What to Do If This Affects You
If you missed the February 28, 2026 deadline for the version that just expired, check whether you qualify under the new Revised policy — since it’s narrower and centred on work permit extensions rather than new open work permit applications, eligibility depends heavily on whether you already held a valid work permit as of February 28, 2025. Given how frequently this policy area has changed, check IRCC’s official policy page directly for your current status rather than relying on any single article’s snapshot.
Source: IRCC, Revised temporary public policy for nationals of Iran in Canada as temporary residents.
