"I applied for a work permit extension and received a refusal because I am not eligible to apply online and must submit a paper application. The reason – I have TRP status. But I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT IT!"
What is happening?
Many people were granted TRP status when they entered Canada with a single journey travel document or when they arrived in Canada before the CUAET program started.
Since border officers were unsure how to process Ukrainians, they assigned them TRP status and issued a work permit based on this status.
The issue only became evident when people started applying for extensions—and in large numbers.
Many have been receiving refusals, with the justification that they were TRP holders. In order to apply for a TRP extension, it must be done on paper and mailed to IRCC. Moreover, a standard TRP extension includes both a TRP application and a work permit application.
Even if you later received a passport and are applying for a work permit extension based on your new passport, your TRP status does not disappear automatically. You must submit a request to cancel it, as it is no longer needed.
What to do in this situation? There are several options:
1. Apply for a work permit extension online and include a request to cancel TRP status in the application package.
2. Apply for a work permit extension online and, once you receive your file number, submit a separate request via the web form to cancel TRP status due to no longer needing it. In this case, you MUST include your work permit application file number.
3. Apply for both a work permit extension and TRP extension by paper, but in the paper package, attach a letter requesting the cancellation of TRP status, as it is no longer needed (for example, if you now have a valid passport).
This issue must be resolved quickly to ensure you can extend your work permit by March 31, 2025, and gain an additional three years of stay in Canada.
Many people are unaware of their TRP status, as they were issued only a work permit at the border, but were not given a printed TRP document.
For those who arrived with a single journey travel document, this is particularly important, as their status in the system is, in most cases, TRP.
Oleksandra Melnykova, Immigration and Refugee Consultant in Canada.
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