Ottawa extends temporary measures for Palestinians already in Canada, the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) announced, while many people are still struggling to leave the Gaza Strip.
These prolonged measures allow the Palestinians in Canada who left Gaza on October 7, 2023 or before making a request for study of study permit, open work permit, temporary residence permit or extension of their temporary resident status. These measures were first implemented in December 2023.
In a press release, IRCC reported that in July 8, a total of more than 1,750 people who left Gaza succeeded in security checks and were authorized to come in Canada. The Federal Agency also reports that, since the start of the conflict, more than 860 people have arrived in the country from Gaza.
This announcement occurs while calls are launched so that Ottawa accelerates the approval of visas in the special program offered to family members of Palestinian origin who try to flee violence in the territory.
A lawyer specializing in immigration from Toronto, Debbie Rachlis, who represents dozens of applicants as part of this program, said last week being involved in “at least five cases” of deceased people while waiting for their visa.
The visa program requires applicants to submit biometric data, including fingerprints and photos, collected in person in an IRCC office. However, there is no office of this type in the Gaza Strip.
In its Friday evening press release, IRCC said they recognized “that many other people who made requests as part of the access route to the temporary residence for members of the extended family could not leave Gaza to provide their biometric data and complete their requests”.
“Canada continues to plead in favor of the departure and safety of people who are still in Gaza, but the final decision that would allow them to leave is not our responsibility. Canada also continues to process requests from the expanded family members, ”read the ICC press release.
“Within the framework of prolonged measures [vendredi]applicants will be able to continue to make requests provided to work permit or studies once they are here, ”said the agency.
The document argues that the Government of Canada monitors the evolution of the situation in the Middle East and that it will continue to adjust its response.
– with information from Sarah Smellie, the Canadian press
