Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) — Canada

You apply for a TRP through IRCC using the correct form and supporting documents. Accuracy, completeness, and proper signatures are essential for IRCC to process your request.

Forms and who files them

You need to complete Form IMM 5708 – Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Visitor or Temporary Resident Permit Holder if you:

• Apply for an initial Temporary Resident Permit
• Request an extension of your TRP
• Apply to change conditions on your stay
• Seek to remain in Canada as a visitor or TRP holder

Each applicant submits their own form.

Applications go to IRCC, not the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CBSA handles border decisions, but IRCC processes in-Canada applications.

Use the latest version of IMM 5708, and download it with Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher. Outdated or improperly completed forms might be returned.

You may use IMM 5708 if you entered Canada on a Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa) and now need to regularize or extend your status through a TRP. Submitting a TRP application doesn’t guarantee approval.

How to complete and submit

Answer every question on IMM 5708 unless the form says otherwise. Don’t leave blanks.

Be careful with personal details. Mistakes in your name, date of birth, or document numbers can lead to refusal.

For Question 4, provide the document number from your most recent:

• Visitor Record
• Study permit
• Work permit

Sign and date the form. Use the actual date and include the place of your most recent entry into Canada.

Check the official TRP instructions from IRCC that fit your eligibility category before submitting. If you have a Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations request or a pending Refugee Claim (Asylum), make sure your explanation matches your current status and documents.

Send the completed form with all required evidence. Incomplete applications are returned, which slows things down.

Common procedural pitfalls

Delays usually happen when applicants submit incomplete forms.

IRCC will return your application if you:

• Leave required sections blank
• Forget to sign or date the form
• Use an outdated version of IMM 5708
• Miss required supporting documents

Clerical mistakes can also cause refusal. Incorrect document numbers or mismatched entry dates can raise concerns.

Filing a TRP doesn’t automatically protect your status. Approval is always discretionary, even if you present humanitarian factors or other reasons.

Review every answer before submitting and check that all required documents are included.

You have certain rights while IRCC processes your TRP application. These include rules on biometrics, clarity about your status while waiting, and limits on what IRCC can require during review.

Biometrics and reporting

IRCC may ask you to provide biometrics with your TRP application. This step is separate from the main review.

Processing times don’t include the time you need to give biometrics. The application clock starts only when IRCC gets a complete application, not when you book or attend a biometrics appointment.

Follow instructions from IRCC, which can include:

• Giving biometrics at an approved location
• Submitting extra documents
• Responding by the deadline in your notice

If you also apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa) using Form IMM 5708, or raise Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations or a Refugee Claim (Asylum), IRCC may treat your case as non-routine. These cases can take longer.

Use the IRCC processing times tool for current estimates. Some regions may not have accurate timelines due to changing conditions.

Status while waiting

A TRP application doesn’t automatically give you legal status in Canada. You need to already hold valid temporary status, such as under a Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa), or apply separately to extend your stay if eligible.

Your processing time starts when IRCC receives your complete TRP application and ends when a decision is made. It doesn’t pause and restart unless IRCC requests more information and you don’t respond.

You’re responsible for:

• Keeping valid temporary status
• Following all conditions on your stay
• Leaving Canada if your authorized stay expires and no extension is approved

If you’ve also submitted a Refugee Claim (Asylum) or requested Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations, those follow their own processes. A pending TRP doesn’t override them.

Processing obligations

IRCC must assess your application based on the information and documents you provide. Officers review whether your case is routine or non-routine and may ask for more evidence before deciding.

Processing times change by country and can shift if application volumes rise beyond annual immigration levels. In some regions, IRCC can’t provide accurate timelines due to local conditions.

IRCC’s obligations include:

1. Starting the clock when your complete application is received

2. Reviewing the application before deciding

3. Ending processing time when a final decision is made

If IRCC asks for more documents, respond fully and on time. Delays in responding can keep your file under review longer.

For current timelines, use the IRCC processing times tool.

You need to prove who you are, why you want to stay in Canada, and what your current status is. IRCC checks your identity, immigration history, and supporting evidence before making a decision.

Identity and travel documents

Submit a valid passport or travel document. It must show your full name, date of birth, and passport number.

Include:

• Full legal name and any aliases
• Date of birth
• Current immigration status in Canada
• Contact information (telephone and email)

If you have or had a Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa), include copies of those pages.

List your employment history for the past 10 years, or the 10 years before retirement. If the form doesn’t have enough space, add an extra page.

If you’re applying from inside Canada, you may need to use Form IMM 5708, depending on your situation.

Evidence of reason to stay

You must explain why you need to remain in Canada despite inadmissibility.

Provide written details describing:

• The specific reason you need to stay
• The length of time you’re requesting
• Any urgent or compelling factors

If relying on Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations, include documents showing hardship or personal circumstances.

If your case involves a Refugee Claim (Asylum), provide proof of your claim status.

You can also include:

• Financial records
• Medical documentation
• Work-related letters

Family and extra documents

If family members are included, submit proof of your relationship.

You may need:

• Marriage certificate or marriage license
• Documents confirming common-law or dependent relationships

Provide copies, not originals, unless IRCC specifically asks for originals.

Include residence documents showing where you live in Canada. If you list family, make sure their personal information matches their identity documents.

Organize your documents clearly.

Incomplete or inconsistent documents often delay processing. Double-check that all names, dates, and details match across your documents.

You’ll pay a fixed fee and should expect several months of processing. Timelines depend on where you apply, how complete your file is, and the specifics of your inadmissibility.

How long it takes

IRCC currently estimates 4 to 12 months to process a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) under standard processing (as of March 2026). This period starts when IRCC receives your complete application and ends when a decision is made.

Processing time depends on:

• Your country of residence
• The office that handles your file
• The complexity of your inadmissibility
• Whether you’re applying from inside or outside Canada

If you apply from outside Canada or the US, add 3 to 4 months for mailing and document transit.

If you submit your TRP with a Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa) or through Form IMM 5708 from inside Canada, IRCC may process them together, but the TRP timeline still applies.

Fees for the Temporary Resident Permit

The government fee for a Temporary Resident Permit is CA$200 per person (as of February 2026). Pay this fee when you submit your application to IRCC.

This applies whether you apply:

• From inside Canada
• From outside Canada
• Alongside a Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa)

If you’re requesting a work permit too, you’ll pay a separate work permit fee. A work permit costs CA$155 per person. Different rules may apply for certain group applicants, such as performing artists.

TRP fees are separate from any permanent residence application, including those based on Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations or after a Refugee Claim (Asylum).

Processing time details and exceptions

IRCC measures processing time from the date they get your complete application. Missing documents, unpaid fees, or incomplete forms will delay your file.

Processing can take longer if:

• Your inadmissibility involves criminal history
• IRCC asks for more documents
• Medical or police records arrive late
• You have a complicated immigration history

Applications related to Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations or a pending Refugee Claim (Asylum) have their own processing timelines. A TRP linked to those doesn’t speed up or delay the other application.

For minors (under 18) outside Canada or the US, expect extra mailing and handling time.

IRCC updates processing estimates regularly.

A Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) often connects to other immigration processes, both temporary and permanent. You might need a TRP because you’re inadmissible, and you might move off it by restoring status, applying on humanitarian grounds, or seeking protection.

Typical pathways in

People usually seek a TRP when they’re inadmissible to Canada but have a strong reason to enter or stay.

Common situations:

• You applied for a Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa) and IRCC found you inadmissible.
• You’re in Canada and lost status, then request authorization to remain despite inadmissibility.
• You present yourself at a port of entry and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) finds an inadmissibility issue.
• You have an active Refugee Claim (Asylum) but face a separate inadmissibility concern.

Most in‑Canada TRP applications go to IRCC. CBSA can issue a TRP at the border after reviewing admissibility.

If you’re in Canada as a visitor, you may use Form IMM 5708 to change or extend your status, and sometimes request a TRP at the same time if you’re inadmissible.

Next steps after entry

A TRP doesn’t give you permanent status. You’re expected to keep valid authorization at all times.

After you get a TRP, you can:

1. Apply to extend the TRP before it expires.

2. Submit an application based on Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations if you want permanent residence.

3. Continue or start a Refugee Claim (Asylum), if you qualify.

4. Apply for a different temporary status, if your inadmissibility is no longer an issue.

If anything in your situation changes, IRCC will reassess admissibility when you apply for a new permit or permanent residence.

You need to track expiry dates and file applications before your current document runs out.