Canadian immigration FAQ

Yes, but the claim must first pass a review of whether you are eligible to make it. IRCC first confirms whether your claim is eligible, and only eligible claims are referred to the IRB (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) for a decision.

Generally, you first make the claim inside Canada and go through the eligibility decision. If the claim is eligible, it is referred to the IRB. You then receive notices about the hearing and move into hearing preparation and the decision stage.

The IRB says that most hearings take less than 3 hours. The hearing is confidential throughout, to protect claimants and their families.

IRCC explains that eligible refugee claimants can get an open work permit while they wait for a decision on their claim. Family members who are also in Canada, are included in the same refugee claim and plan to work may also be eligible to apply for an open work permit.

IRCC’s Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) can provide short-term health coverage to eligible refugee claimants, and IRCC explains that the IFHP mainly pays for “urgent or essential” care. As of May 1, 2026, out-of-pocket amounts for some supplemental benefits will be adjusted, while basic health-care benefits remain free.

IRCC is clear that whether to reapply depends on the reasons for refusal and on whether your situation has changed; sending the same information again usually will not change the result. Work out the reasons given in the refusal letter first, then decide whether to strengthen the application and reapply.

IRCC explains that there is generally no formal appeal process when a temporary residence application is refused. If you want a new decision, the usual course is to reapply, but you should do so only when your situation has changed significantly or you can provide new information that responds to the reasons for refusal.

IRCC explains that you can usually reapply at any time, unless the refusal letter clearly states a restriction. You should make sure, though, that you can add new information that was not provided before and that responds to the reasons for refusal.

Start from the reasons listed in the refusal letter and work through them point by point: which are about missing documents, and which are concerns about itinerary, funds, ties to your home country and so on. IRCC also stresses that reapplying with the same information is unlikely to change the result, so the priority is to strengthen the evidence and the logic of your explanation for each reason given.

No. Hiring a representative does not guarantee approval. IRCC’s guidance on refusals notes that even when you use an immigration representative, the result usually will not change if the same information is submitted. Whether the outcome improves depends on whether the reasons for refusal are answered effectively and new information is supplied.

Yes. You can apply to extend your stay, which means obtaining a visitor record. IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before your status expires.

IRCC indicates that IMM 5708 is the form commonly used to apply to extend your stay or change your conditions.

IRCC states clearly that a work permit or study permit is not a visa, and extending one does not automatically result in a new temporary resident visa (TRV) being issued. If you need a new TRV, you must apply for it separately.

IRCC explains that a visitor visa is placed in your passport and is used to enter Canada. A visitor record is a document that extends or sets the conditions of your stay inside Canada. The two serve different purposes.

IRCC cautions that if you change your status to visitor, once your original study permit or work permit expires you usually can no longer apply for a new study permit or work permit from inside Canada. Changing to visitor status therefore does not necessarily give you more time to arrange another status.

IRCC explains that candidates are scored and ranked under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and that rounds of invitations are held several times over the year. Policy documents also mention that invitations take place roughly every two weeks; official announcements prevail.

IRCC explains that the CRS awards points for factors such as skills, education, language and work experience. Whether you are invited depends on the minimum score for that round of invitations, and the cut-off changes from round to round.

IRCC explains that if you qualify both for a provincial nomination and for a federal program under Express Entry, you usually apply to the province or territory for nomination first. Once nominated, creating or updating your Express Entry profile earns additional points and improves your chance of being invited.

IRCC’s family sponsorship program explains that you can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child to become a permanent resident. The sponsored person and their family members must pass background, security and medical checks.

IRCC explains that an expired PR card does not mean you have lost permanent resident status, and you can still remain in Canada. However, you usually need a valid PR card to return to Canada on commercial transportation. Whether you can leave and re-enter without a PR card depends on how you travel and the documents you hold.