Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has put new temporary measures in place for eligible Palestinians and certain family members who are in Canada. The measures took effect on August 1, 2026 and are scheduled to remain in place until December 30, 2027, unless revoked earlier.
The 2026 framework has two distinct parts. People who already received an open work permit under earlier Palestine-related public policies may be able to extend that permit once under the new extension policy, with standard application fees. Separately, eligible Palestinians and certain family members who have not previously used the special measures may be able to apply from within Canada for a fee-exempt open work permit, study permit, visitor-status extension or temporary resident permit.
2026–27 Measures at a Glance
| Situation | Current measure |
|---|---|
| Existing open work permit issued under earlier Palestine special measures | Eligible holders may apply for one extension under the new policy; standard work permit fees apply |
| Eligible person who has not previously applied under earlier special measures | May be able to apply for a fee-exempt open work permit, study permit, visitor extension or TRP |
| Arrival deadline for eligible new users of the measures | On or before September 30, 2027 |
| Policy effective date | August 1, 2026 |
| Scheduled expiry | December 30, 2027 |
Who may qualify for a new fee-exempt application?
IRCC’s current instructions identify two main groups that may qualify when they have not previously applied under the earlier public policies.
The first group includes people who:
- hold a Palestinian passport or another travel document issued by the State of Palestine;
- entered Canada on or before September 30, 2027;
- have valid temporary resident status in Canada when they apply and when a decision is made; and
- have not previously applied for an open work permit, study permit or extension of stay under the earlier Palestine-related public policies.
The second group can include certain foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. IRCC requires both the foreign national and the Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member to have left Palestine on or after October 7, 2023, together with the other conditions listed for the measure.
Which family members are covered?
For these measures, IRCC defines an eligible family member as:
- a spouse;
- a common-law partner;
- a dependent child of the person, spouse or common-law partner; or
- a dependent child of a dependent child.
Applicants should use IRCC’s legal definition rather than a broader everyday meaning of family. Parents, siblings or other relatives are not automatically included simply because they are related.
Open work permits for people who have not used the earlier measures
Eligible applicants who fit the new-user conditions may apply for an open work permit from inside Canada without paying the application fees specified by the special measure.
An open work permit is not tied to one employer in the same way as an employer-specific permit, although the holder must still comply with any conditions printed on the permit and with Canadian employment law.
IRCC’s current instructions tell applicants to select “Open Work Permit” when completing the work permit application. Because these applications are made under a public policy, applicants should follow the special online questionnaire and document-upload instructions rather than using a generic checklist from an older article.
Existing open work permit holders can apply for an extension
A separate part of the 2026 measures applies to people who already have a valid open work permit that was issued under one of the earlier public policies for Palestinians and eligible family members.
To qualify for the extension route, an applicant must meet the specific conditions in the policy, be in Canada when applying and when the decision is made, and be applying for their first extension under this new public policy.
IRCC states that an open work permit can only be extended once under this 2026 extension policy.
Extension fees are not waived
This point is easy to miss. Standard application fees apply to the extension route. IRCC currently lists:
- work permit processing fee: $155;
- open work permit holder fee: $100; and
- biometrics fees where biometrics are required.
This is different from the fee-exempt new applications available to eligible people who have not previously applied under the earlier special measures.
Study permits are also available under the special measures
Eligible applicants who have not previously used the earlier public policies may apply for a study permit from within Canada under the 2026 measures without paying the study permit application fee.
They still need to meet the requirements that IRCC has not exempted. A fee exemption is not the same as automatic study permit approval.
Students should also confirm admission and school requirements separately. A study permit allows a person to study under immigration rules; it does not create a university or college admission offer.
For broader student guidance, see Canadanship’s International Students and Study sections.
Visitor status can be extended
Eligible people who meet the conditions may also use the measure to extend their stay as visitors. IRCC’s special instructions indicate that the qualifying application can be fee-exempt.
Visitors should not assume that extending visitor status gives them authorization to work or study. Work and study rights depend on the permit or exemption that applies to the person.
Temporary resident permits are handled separately
IRCC also provides instructions for eligible people who need a temporary resident permit (TRP). A TRP is different from ordinary temporary resident status and is used where a person is otherwise inadmissible or no longer meets all normal temporary-residence requirements but may have compelling reasons to remain in Canada.
IRCC emphasizes that there is no guarantee a TRP will be issued. An officer makes the decision based on the individual circumstances.
For some eligible Palestine-measures applications involving a TRP, IRCC provides paper application instructions and tells applicants to mark the application with the special code PSE2026.
What if someone already used an earlier Palestine public policy?
The new fee-exempt route is aimed at people who have not previously applied for an open work permit, study permit or stay extension under the earlier policies. Someone who already obtained an open work permit through a previous measure should look at the separate extension rules instead.
This is why applicants should identify their history before choosing an application path. Applying under the wrong section can lead to incorrect fee treatment or missing documents.
The September 30, 2027 arrival date is important
For the new-user route, IRCC requires eligible Palestinian passport holders to have entered Canada on or before September 30, 2027. The same arrival date appears in the family-member conditions where it applies.
The policy itself is scheduled to expire on December 30, 2027. Those two dates have different functions: September 30 is an arrival-related eligibility cutoff, while December 30 is the scheduled end of the public policy.
Valid temporary status matters
For several parts of the policy, applicants must have valid temporary resident status when they apply and when IRCC makes a decision. Temporary resident permit holders have separate instructions and should not assume they fit the ordinary valid-status route.
Anyone whose status is close to expiring should review the current IRCC page immediately rather than relying on a summary written weeks earlier.
Additional supports may be available
IRCC’s Palestine measures page also links to temporary health coverage, settlement services and financial assistance for eligible people. These supports have their own rules and should not be treated as automatic simply because someone qualifies for a work or study permit.
What applicants should prepare
Depending on the application type, documents can include:
- a Palestinian passport or qualifying travel document;
- proof of immigration status in Canada;
- proof of the earlier open work permit for an extension application;
- proof of travel date where required;
- proof of family relationship where applying as an eligible family member;
- the appropriate IRCC form for work, study, visitor or TRP status; and
- a letter identifying the application as being made under the 2026 Palestine special measures.
Applicants should use the document list generated for their exact application type because one checklist does not apply to every situation.
What the measures do not provide
- They do not automatically grant permanent residence.
- They do not guarantee approval of a work permit, study permit or TRP.
- They do not waive fees for every type of application; open work permit extensions under the extension policy use standard fees.
- They do not allow every relative of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to qualify.
- They do not remove all normal admissibility and eligibility requirements.
How to avoid outdated information
Special public policies are often amended, extended or replaced. Readers should check the date at the top of the IRCC instructions and make sure they are using the 2026 measures rather than an archived 2023, 2024 or 2025 page.
Canadanship will continue to organize immigration changes in its Immigration section, but the final application should always be based on the current IRCC instructions.
Official Sources and What They Confirm
| Official source | Details confirmed by the source |
|---|---|
| IRCC – Immigration measures for temporary residents in Canada | Eligibility pathways, open work permit extension rules, fee treatment, study permit, visitor and TRP application instructions, and September 30, 2027 arrival condition. |
| IRCC – 2026 open work permit extension public policy | Legal conditions for extending an open work permit issued under earlier Palestine-related public policies and the December 30, 2027 expiry. |
| IRCC – 2026 public policy for eligible arrivals | Legal exemptions for eligible Palestinians and family members arriving by the specified date, including work, study and temporary-residence provisions. |
Last verified August 28, 2026. Immigration circumstances are individual, and applicants should use the current IRCC instructions for their specific status and application type.