Temporary public policy for foreign nationals of the Palestinian Territories who are in Canada as temporary residents

Background

The situation within the Palestinian Territories remains volatile since the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which triggered an Israeli response that resulted in the death of thousands of Palestinians and destroyed large swathes of Gaza. As a result of the ongoing conflict, it is currently unsafe for Palestinian passport holders and their families to return to their homes, particularly for those in Gaza.

Many persons holding a passport or travel document issued by the Palestinian Authority have chosen to come to Canada to visit or spend time with family, study, or work temporarily. Similarly, many foreign national family, including immediate family and extended family members, of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who fled the Palestinian Territories as a result of the conflict are in Canada on temporary status or have pending applications for temporary resident visas, including under the Updated Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Temporary Resident Visas for Certain Extended Family affected by the Crisis in Gaza. Some of these foreign nationals remain unable to return home due to the conflict.

Public policy considerations

This temporary public policy intends to facilitate access to education systems and the Canadian labour market for eligible foreign nationals who are in Canada with temporary resident status by enabling them to apply from within Canada for fee-exempt study permits and/or open work permits and move between temporary resident streams, while also enabling those who wish to extend their existing temporary status in Canada to do so without fees. The intention of these measures is to ensure that these temporary residents are better able to support themselves in Canada until it is safe to return home.

Therefore, I hereby establish that there are sufficient public policy considerations that justify the granting, pursuant to section 25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, of exemptions from the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Regulations) listed below to foreign nationals who meet the conditions set out below.

Conditions (eligibility requirements):

Based on public policy considerations, delegated officers may grant an exemption from the requirements of the Regulations identified below when a foreign national meets the following conditions:

Part 1 – Nationals of the Palestinian Territories who are in Canada as temporary residents

1. The foreign national
   1. holds a passport or travel document issued by the Palestinian Authority;
   2. is in Canada with valid temporary resident status;
   3. has applied for
      1. an extension of their authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident under section 181 of the Regulations, or
      2. a temporary resident permit.
2. The foreign national
   1. holds a passport or travel document issued by the Palestinian Authority;
   2. is in Canada with valid temporary resident status;
   3. has applied for
      1. an extension of their authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident under section 181 of the Regulations, or
      2. a temporary resident permit; and
   4. has applied for a work permit under section 200 or 201 of the Regulations.
3. The foreign national
   1. holds a passport or travel document issued by the Palestinian Authority;
   2. is in Canada with valid temporary resident status;
   3. has applied for
      1. an extension of their authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident under section 181 of the Regulations, or
      2. a temporary resident permit; and
   4. has applied for a study permit under section 216 or 217 of the Regulations.

Part 2 - Foreign national family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents, including those arriving in Canada following assisted departure

4. The foreign national
   1. is
      1. the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who left the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023;
      2. a person who would be described as a citizen under s. 3(1) of the Citizenship Act but is subject to the first-generation limit to citizenship by descent set out in s. 3(3) of the Citizenship Act (i.e., is born abroad to a Canadian born abroad) or would be a citizen under s.3(1)(f) of the Citizenship Act but is described in s. 3(1)(f)(iii); or
      3. the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a foreign national referred to in (ii);
   2. left the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023;
   3. is in Canada with valid temporary resident status; and
   4. has applied for
      1. an extension of their authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident under section 181 of the Regulations, or
      2. a temporary resident permit.
5. The foreign national
   1. is
      1. the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who left the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023;
      2. a person who would be described as a citizen under s. 3(1) of the Citizenship Act but is subject to the first-generation limit to citizenship by descent set out in s. 3(3) of the Citizenship Act (i.e., is born abroad to a Canadian born abroad) or would be a citizen under s.3(1)(f) of the Citizenship Act but is described in s. 3(1)(f)(iii); or
      3. the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a foreign national referred to in (ii);
   2. left the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023;
   3. is in Canada with valid temporary resident status;
   4. has applied for
      1. an extension of their authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident under section 181 of the Regulations, or
      2. a temporary resident permit; and
   5. has applied for a work permit under section 200 or 201 of the Regulations.
6. The foreign national
   1. is
      1. the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who left the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023;
      2. a person who would be described as a citizen under s. 3(1) of the Citizenship Act but is subject to the first-generation limit to citizenship by descent set out in s. 3(3) of the Citizenship Act (i.e., is born abroad to a Canadian born abroad) or would be a citizen under s.3(1)(f) of the Citizenship Act but is described in s. 3(1)(f)(iii); or
      3. the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a foreign national referred to in (ii);
   2. left the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023;
   3. is in Canada with valid temporary resident status;
   4. has applied for
      1. an extension of their authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident under section 181 of the Regulations, or
      2. a temporary resident permit; and
   5. has applied for a study permit under section 216 or 217 of the Regulations.

Provisions of the Regulations for which an exemption may be granted:

For foreign nationals who meet the conditions listed in 1)

• Subsection 298(1) – the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a temporary resident permit;
• Subsection 305(1) – the requirement to pay an application processing fee for an extension of authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident

For foreign nationals who meet the conditions listed in 2)

• Paragraphs 199(a)-(i) – the requirements that a foreign national must meet in order to apply for a work permit after entering Canada;
• Paragraph 200(1)(c) – the requirement to be described under this paragraph of the Regulations;
• Subsection 298(1) – the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a temporary resident permit;
• Subsection 299(1) – the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a work permit

For foreign nationals who meet the conditions listed in 3)

• Section 213 – the requirement to apply for a study permit before entering Canada;
• Paragraphs 215(1)(a)-(g) – the requirements that a foreign national must meet in order to apply for a study permit after entering Canada;
• Subsection 298(1) – the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a temporary resident permit;
• Subsection 300(1) – the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a study permit

For foreign nationals who meet the conditions listed in 4)

• Subsection 298(1) –  the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a temporary resident permit;
• Subsection 305(1) –  the requirement to pay an application processing fee for an extension of authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident.

For foreign nationals who meet the conditions listed in 5)

• Paragraphs 199(a)-(i) – the requirements that a foreign national must meet in order to apply for a work permit after entering Canada;
• Paragraph 200(1)(c) – the requirement to be described under this paragraph of the Regulations;
• Subsection 298(1) –  the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a temporary resident permit;
• Subsection 299(1) – the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a work permit.

For foreign nationals who meet the conditions listed in 6)

• Section 213 – the requirement to apply for a study permit before entering Canada;
• Paragraphs 215(1)(a)-(g) – the requirements that a foreign national must meet in order to apply for a study permit after entering Canada;
• Subsection 298(1) –  the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a temporary resident permit;
• Subsection 300(1) – the requirement to pay an application processing fee for a study permit.

Other Admissibility and Selection Criteria

Foreign nationals eligible under this public policy are subject to all other legislative obligations and admissibility and selection requirements not exempted under this, or another, public policy.

Effective Date and Expiration

This public policy comes into effect on August 1, 2025.

Applications received pursuant to this public policy on or after the coming into effect date and before the expiry date, or the revocation, of the public policy will be processed under this public policy.

This public policy will expire July 31, 2026, and may be revoked at any time without prior notice.