Canada has suspended processing for around 36,000 permanent residence applications under Ebola-related immigration and quarantine measures affecting foreign nationals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and the Republic of South Sudan.
The measures also suspend PR visas already issued to people from the affected regions, preventing about 1,700 PR visa holders from travelling to Canada.
Permanent residence applications suspended
As of May 24, 2026, Canada had suspended 36,060 permanent residence applications for applicants who had not yet arrived in Canada.
| Permanent residence category | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Uganda | Republic of South Sudan | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic | 511 | 123 | 7 | 641 |
| Family class | 1,165 | 2,194 | 50 | 3,409 |
| Humanitarian and compassionate / public policy | 574 | 338 | 9 | 921 |
| Permit holders class | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Protected persons | 1,778 | 28,274 | 613 | 30,665 |
| Unspecified | 3 | 395 | 20 | 418 |
| Total | 4,037 | 31,324 | 699 | 36,060 |
The largest affected group is protected persons, with 30,665 applications suspended. Uganda accounts for the largest share of suspended PR applications, with 31,324 cases.
Temporary residence documents also affected
The suspension also applies to temporary residence applicants and holders of temporary residence travel documents, including temporary resident visas and electronic travel authorizations.
The measures took effect on May 27, 2026 and are set to remain in effect for 90 days.
As of May 26, 2026, there were 24,548 foreign nationals from the affected countries holding valid temporary or permanent immigration documents who had not yet arrived in Canada.
| Country of residence | Valid documents held by foreign nationals not yet arrived |
|---|---|
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 12,415 |
| Republic of South Sudan | 326 |
| Uganda | 10,075 |
| Temporary resident total | 22,816 |
The temporary resident document totals include study permits, temporary resident visas, electronic travel authorizations, temporary resident permits, and work permits.
In addition, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had 7,751 temporary resident applications in its inventory as of May 24, 2026 for individuals who listed one of the three affected countries as their country of residence. These included eTAs, study permits, work permits, temporary resident visas, and temporary resident permits.
Effect of the suspension
While the measures remain in force:
- affected applications will not be processed;
- affected immigration document holders cannot travel to Canada;
- travel may still be possible only if the person qualifies under a specified exemption.
The measures were implemented under the Minimizing the risk of Exposure to Ebola Disease in Canada Order (Immigration Applications and Documents) because the affected countries were considered to have a “high or very high risk of an outbreak of Ebola disease.”
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration may exempt a foreign national who is “in urgent need of protection or on other humanitarian and compassionate considerations.”
Bill C-12 powers used for the first time
The article states that this is the first use of powers granted by Bill C-12, which took effect on March 26, 2026.
Bill C-12 gives the Governor in Council broad executive authority over immigration applications, immigration documents, and temporary residents. This includes the power to suspend, cancel, or amend documents such as:
- work permits;
- study permits;
- temporary resident visas;
- permanent resident visas.
Related quarantine measures
The immigration document suspension was introduced alongside quarantine measures for travellers who recently visited one of the affected countries.
Those quarantine measures took effect on May 30, 2026 and are scheduled to remain in place until August 29, 2026.
The figures cited in the article come from the Canada Gazette and were accurate as of 2 p.m. on June 12, 2026.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
