(Ottawa) A group of Canadian academics asks the federal government to accelerate the approval of study visas for Palestinians, after the death of two students admitted to a Canadian university before they can leave the region.
Ayman Oweida, president of the Palestinian students and researchers in danger, said that the two students, two twin sisters, had been killed during an air strike in Gaza in December.
The Palestinian students and researchers in danger is a volunteer group of Canadian academics who helps Palestinian students from second and third cycles to access research projects in Canada.
However, his work was slowed down by Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. The Canadian government does not have a diplomatic presence, which means that students in the enclave have no way to record their biometric data with the government to complete their visa request.
The network claims to have placed around 70 students in universities in the country, many of which have benefited from full scholarships.
“In addition to the two students killed, 15 Gaza students we welcomed lost family members […] relatives, brothers, sisters, parents, etc. “Said Mr. Oweida.
Mr. Oweida, a researcher in oncology at the University of Sherbrooke, said that a student who had to collaborate with him on a project has been blocked in Gaza for a year.
He said the Canadian part of the network contacted the deputies to try to solve the problem, without success.
“I think the Canadian government has an exceptional opportunity here to intensify its efforts and act […] To solve this problem and repatriate these students at home, that is to say in Canada, “he argued.
Want to realize your dreams
Meera Falyouna, who lives near the Rafah border post, is one of the Canadian students still blocked in Gaza.
The 25 -year -old mastery student said he applied to the University of Regina while she lived in a tent with her family in December 2023. She was accepted on the industrial engineering program in April 2024 and submitted her Canadian student visa request in July 2024.
Mme Falyouna said she had to start her studies last September. Not being able to provide the biometric data necessary for her visa request, her file remains unanswered, even if she sees her friends going to study in France, Ireland and Italy, for example.
“I don’t want to be among the dead. I want to be considered a dreamer, a future engineer, a future teacher, a future doctor, ”said Mr.me Foryouna to the Canadian press.
“I want to be a person who has an impact on Canada and also, one day, return to my country and contribute to the reconstruction of the Palestinian university system. »»
Matthew Krupovich, immigration spokesperson, refugees and citizenship Canada (IRCC), said that biometric data can only be completed after leaving Gaza.
He added that the countries of the region, including Egypt and Israel, control their own conditions of entry and exit at their borders.
People arriving in Canada from Gaza must also submit to additional security control since the attack on October 7, 2023 against Israel.
“As security control is carried out by organizations outside IRCC, we are unable to provide average processing times. Each request is different and, therefore, the processing time may vary, ”said Krupovich in an email response.
“All study permits from around the world are evaluated equally and according to the same criteria, regardless of the country of origin. Safety control is one of the factors, but not the only one, which can lead to longer treatment times. »»
70 pending students
Rafah’s border post to Egypt has been closed since May 2024.me Falyouna said the rest of his family arrived in Egypt only five days before the border closure.
Mme Falyouna said he feared that she and her comrades Palestinian students will completely lose their places.
“I now receive the support of my teacher. She insisted that I accept my letter of postponement every time, but I still risk being not accepted next time, because I have already asked for a postponement of admission on three times, “she said.
Aaron Shafer, an associate professor specializing in genomics at the Trent University of Peterborough, Ontario, said that a Palestinian student who had to work with him has been blocked in Gaza for eight months.
Mr. Shafer thinks that the student has lost weight in the past eight months due to a serious food shortage in Gaza.
“He probably weighed – just looking at the photos, we never met – 60 kilos, but he is a little guy. And last week, he said, “We are happy because people receive food. We haven’t received it yet, but we are happy,” said Professor Shafer.
Mr. Shafer said that about a third of students admitted by Canadian universities are already in Egypt, but still await the processing of their visa request.
“These are literally 70 students. And this is what we ask: to process the visas of 70 students who occupy positions in Canadian laboratories, “he argued.
For the moment, Mme Falyouna and other students can only wait and try to survive.
“I want to tell the Canadian government that we want to be treated like other students from countries at risk, such as Ukraine and Syria,” she said.
“We want to be treated like them. We want to be treated fairly, we want to benefit from the same support as them. We just want to be alive to realize our dreams. »»
