A wildfire near Martin Lake, northwest of Tatla Lake in B.C., was captured in this photo taken on Monday, June 16, 2025. B.C. Wildfire Service
Canada is dealing with one of its worst wildfire seasons ever. The fires have forced many people to leave their homes and lose important belongings. To help, the government has introduced new support for those affected.
The announcement came from the immigration department on Wednesday. It includes help for both Canadian citizens and newcomers.
Free replacements for key documents
Canadians and permanent residents who lost their passports or PR cards in the wildfires can now get replacements for free. If someone already paid to replace those documents after April 1, they can ask for a refund.
This step is meant to ease the burden on people trying to recover from the damage caused by the fires.
Support for international students and workers
The help isn’t just for citizens. Temporary residents like international students and foreign workers can also get free replacements for lost documents. This includes study permits and work permits.
The government is also allowing free renewals and restorations of these permits. Normally, if someone loses their status in Canada, they must apply to restore it within 90 days. But this rule won’t apply to people affected by the wildfires.
Who this doesn’t apply to
Not everyone is covered by these measures. People holding employer-specific work permits who want to switch to open work permits are not included. These special changes only cover those who lost their documents due to the wildfires.
Fire season facts and numbers
This wildfire season is one of the worst in Canada’s history. So far, fires have burned about 3.7 million hectares of land. That’s more than six times the size of Prince Edward Island.
As of early July, around 465 fires are still burning. Many of these are considered “out of control.” Fire crews are working hard, but the situation remains serious in many areas.
Help for emergency crews from abroad
Canada is also getting support from international firefighters. To make things easier, the government is waiving application and biometric fees for emergency workers coming from other countries. This allows them to enter Canada quickly and join in the firefighting efforts.
Deadline for help
All the support measures announced are available until November 30. After that, the free services and waivers may end.
These new steps aim to reduce stress for people already facing huge challenges. With hundreds of fires still burning, the government hopes this help can ease some of the pressure on families and workers.
