Facilitative measures to support Israeli and Palestinian nationals in Canada
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
These program delivery instructions (PDIs) provide operational guidance related to facilitative measures to support foreign national family members of Canadians and permanent residents who have left Israel and the Palestinian Territories since the onset of the ongoing conflict, and affected Israeli and Palestinian nationals already in Canada with valid temporary resident status.
These measures provide access to change the conditions of their temporary stay by facilitating the issuance of fee-exempt study permits and open work permits in Canada.
All standard eligibility and admissibility requirements not otherwise exempted under this or another public policy must be met by clients; however, officers should take into consideration the circumstances of the clients and the availability of large diaspora communities in Canada that could provide support for them.
These special measures start December 21, 2023, and expire on June 12, 2024.
In these instructions, family member is defined as per subsection R1(3) as
- the spouse or common-law partner of the principal foreign national
- the dependent children of the spouse or the principal foreign national
- the dependent children of the dependent children (grandchild of principal foreign national or spouse)
A dependent child is a child who is
- under 22 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship
- 22 years or older and unable to financially self-support due to a physical or mental condition
Note:Foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who arrive on or after October 7 will benefit from priority processing for their in-Canada applications for study permits and open work permits. This is to ensure a reduced wait time between arriving, applying in Canada, and waiting for study and work permit applications to be processed to grant access to the labour market and a means of self-support.
Note: “In-Canada” does not include the port of entry.
On this page
Eligibility
Eligibility related to facilitative measures
Under these measures, the following clients may be eligible for a fee-exempt study permit or open work permit, and to change the conditions of their temporary stay:
1. Israeli nationals and Palestinian passport or travel document holders already in Canada (individuals with expired Israeli or Palestinian passports / travel documents must provide proof of Israeli or Palestinian citizenship along with a valid passport from another country)
- a national of Israel or the Palestinian Territories who is in Canada with valid temporary resident status (regardless of the date of their arrival) and who applies
- to change the conditions of their temporary stay as one of the following:
- worker
- student
- to change the conditions of their temporary stay as one of the following:
2. foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents (PRs) who are authorized entry as temporary residents (TRs) from Israel and the Palestinian Territories
- is the family member—per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations—of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023
- left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023
- is in Canada with valid temporary resident status
Note: To be eligible for the above-noted measures, the foreign national is not required to have travelled with the Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member.
Note: Clients are not eligible to apply for a study permit or open work permit under this public policy at a port of entry.
Important: To be eligible for facilitation under these facilitative measures, a national of Israel or the Palestinian Territories must be “in Canada with valid temporary resident status.” An individual who has applied for facilitation under the public policy may leave Canada while their application is pending, but must be in Canada with valid temporary resident status at the time the decision is rendered to benefit from facilitation under the public policy. Please note that in the usual course, a foreign national who leaves Canada no longer holds valid temporary resident status and must present themselves at the port of entry where a decision will be made whether to permit re-entry as a temporary resident.
Officers should confirm that the applicant has not left Canada prior to issuing a study permit or open work permit under the public policy. Officers can find instructions on confirming exit here: Entry/Exit Program.
Eligibility related to Interim Federal Health Program coverage
Under these measures, the following clients may be eligible for temporary Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage:
- permanent residents of Canada, who are subject to a waiting period or administrative delay for provincial or territorial health care coverage
- foreign national family members who accompanied the Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and who arrived in Canada via the Government of Canada assisted departures efforts
Note: To be eligible for the above-noted IFHP measures, the foreign national is required to have travelled with the Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member. However, there may be exceptional cases where foreign national family members did not accompany their Canadian citizen or permanent resident family members out of the region or for the full duration of the travel, and cases where Global Affairs Canada approved a non-accompanying family member whose Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member was in Canada. Officers are encouraged to be facilitative and may request functional guidance in these cases.
Canadian citizens are not eligible.
Officers can refer to the following public policies for additional information:
- Temporary public policy for nationals of Israel and the Palestinian Territories who are in Canada as temporary residents
- Temporary public policy for foreign nationals who are family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023
Program-specific special measures
Medical exams
Foreign nationals may be eligible for exemption from a subsequent immigration medical examination (IME) under the temporary public policy. Officers should refer to Temporary public policy to exempt certain foreign nationals from the IME for additional guidance.
Change temporary resident status in Canada
Israeli and Palestinian nationals, as well as foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents (PRs) who have arrived as temporary residents (TRs) from Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and who are applying from within Canada and have valid temporary resident status in Canada are eligible to apply to change the conditions of their stay, free of charge.
Clients who apply to change the conditions of their stay before it expires maintain their status as per subsection R183(5) while their application is processed. Officers should refer to Temporary residents: Maintained status during processing (previously called implied status) for additional instructions. This does not apply to TRP holders.
If the client is applying for a new or subsequent temporary resident permit (TRP), officers should refer to Temporary resident permits for additional guidance.
Important: Extensions of temporary resident status are not included under these temporary special measures. Clients may apply via regular channels to extend their temporary resident status.
Issuance of work permits in Canada
These public policies ensure that the following cohorts can apply for fee exempt work permits from inside Canada:
- Israeli and Palestinian nationals who are applying from within Canada who have valid temporary resident status in Canada at the time of their application submission and application decision
- foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023
To be eligible, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- holds a passport or travel document issued by Israel or the Palestinian Authority
- or is a foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023
- and
- has valid temporary resident status in Canada (including temporary residents with maintained status as per subsection R183(5));
- and they have applied for a work permit in Canada (employer-specific or open)
Open work permit validity could be valid up to three years as per officer discretion (or not exceeding passport validity).
The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:
- initial work permit – exemption code 999
- open work permit holder – exemption code P03
Officers should refer to the fee list: Fee list.
Regular work permit application
Applications submitted in the regular work permit categories under sections R204 to R208 for Israeli or Palestinian nationals and foreign national family members should be processed as per the instructions for the specific work permit category.
Applications submitted with an LMIA for nationals of Israel or the Palestinian Territories and foreign national family members should be processed as per the instructions: Labour Market Impact Assessment Review.
Public policy open work permit application
The public policy allows eligible temporary residents in Canada to submit an application for an open work permit, free of charge, while remaining in Canada. This will allow nationals of Israel or the Palestinian Territories already in Canada as well as foreign national family members who left the region to support themselves until they are able to return to their home country.
Note: Clients are not eligible to apply for an open work permit at a port of entry under this public policy.
Conditions: If the applicant has not completed a medical examination, the following condition should be imposed: “Not authorized to work in 1) child care, 2) primary or secondary school, 3) health services field occupations.”
Possible documentation that foreign national family members could provide to demonstrate eligibility under these special measures include (but are not limited to): a copy of their passport, travel itinerary, plane tickets, along with proof of relationship (such as a marriage certificate, proof of common-law relationship, birth certificates for children).
Officers should refer to Temporary Workers for additional guidance.
Issuing open work permits in GCMS
The instructions on this page should be reviewed in conjunction with:
The work permit will be issued under the authority of section 25.2 of the Act. Applicants are still required to meet the other requirements for work permit issuance.
In GCMS on the Application screen, officers should enter the information below in the specified fields:
| Field | Selection or input |
|---|---|
| Case type | 20 |
| ORG ID | O288915006251 |
| Province of destination | Unknown |
| Exemption code | R01 Public policies issued under section A25.2 (inside Canada) This code should be entered manually |
| Employer | Open |
| Intended occupation | Open |
| NOC | 99999 |
| Duration | The open work permit may be issued for 36 months or until the expiry of the passport or biometrics, whichever comes first. |
| Conditions | Officers should ensure that instructions provided in Work permit issuance in GCMS: Occupation or location restricted are followed. If the applicant has not completed a medical examination, the following condition should be imposed: “Not authorized to work in 1) child care, 2) primary or secondary school teaching, 3) health services field occupations.” |
| Biometrics |
Work permit applicants are required to provide biometric information and pay the biometric fee – $85 The regular biometric exemptions apply (for example, age or 1 in 10). |
| User remarks (mandatory) | Israeli-Palestinian temporary public policy |
Refusals for ineligible work permit clients
Officers may encounter applications submitted from clients who are ineligible for these special measures. These applications should be refused.
If a refusal is warranted, officers should select “Other” ground, and include the following note before proceeding to refusal:
Individual does not meet definition of eligible person as per the public policy.
Officers must also include this note under application remarks in GCMS.
Issuing study permits in Canada
These public policies ensure that the following cohorts can access study permits from inside Canada:
- Israeli and Palestinian nationals who are applying from within Canada who have valid temporary resident status in Canada at the time of their application submission and application decision
- foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023
Note: Clients are not eligible to apply for a study permit at a port of entry under this public policy.
To be eligible, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- holds a passport or travel document issued by Israel or the Palestinian Authority
- or is a foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023
- and
- has valid temporary resident status in Canada (including temporary residents with maintained status as per subsection R183(5));
- they have applied for a student permit in Canada under section 216 of the Regulations
The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:
- initial study permit
Study permit validity must be tied to the specified period of study (and passport validity).
Officers should refer to the fee list: Fee list.
All applicants must submit their study permit applications by following the instructions to apply for a study permit. Clients who apply to change their status before it expires will maintain their existing status while their application is being processed.
Possible documentation that foreign national family members could provide to demonstrate eligibility under these special measures include (but are not limited to): a copy of their passport, travel itinerary, plane tickets, along with proof of relationship (i.e. marriage certificate, proof of common-law relationship, birth certificates for children).
Officers must associate the following ORG ID to all study permit applications under these special measures:
ORG ID: O288915006251
Officers should refer to Temporary Residents: Students for additional guidance.
Refusals for ineligible study permit clients
Officers may encounter applications submitted from clients who are ineligible for these special measures. These applications should be refused.
If a refusal is warranted, officers should select “Other” ground, and include the following note before proceeding to refusal:
Individual does not meet definition of eligible person as per the public policy.
Officers must also include this note under application remarks in GCMS.
Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage:
Permanent residents and accompanying foreign national family members of the Canadian citizen or permanent resident from Israel or the Palestinian Territories arriving in Canada may be eligible for IFHP coverage.
Eligibility:
Permanent residents and the foreign national family members of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who arrived in Canada in light of the crisis in Israel and the Palestinian Territories may be eligible to apply for temporary IFHP coverage. Clients will be instructed on how to apply via specific web content.
Eligible clients include:
- permanent residents of Canada who are subject to a waiting period or administrative delay for provincial or territorial health care coverage
- foreign national family members who accompanied the Canadian citizen or permanent resident and who arrived in Canada via assisted departures
Note that Canadian citizens are not eligible. Clients must be in Canada to be eligible for IFHP coverage.
IFHP coverage will be issued upon submission of the IFHP application via the IRCC secure account.
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