In-Canada temporary measures to support foreign nationals in response to the crisis in Israel and Palestinian Territories

These instructions 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, including extended family members who arrive in Canada under the updated Temporary public policy to facilitate temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza, 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.

Effective March 8, 2024, clients are also eligible to apply for fee-exempt extensions of their temporary resident status 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, for issuance of fee-exempt study permits and open work permits in Canada, and March 8, 2024, for fee-exempt extensions of temporary resident status, and expire on July 31, 2025.

On this page

• Eligibility
• Program-specific special measures
  • Medical exams
  • Fee waiver to extend or change temporary resident status in Canada
  • Fee waiver for issuing work permits or extensions in Canada
  • Issuing open work permits in the GCMS
  • Fee waiver for issuing study permits or extensions in Canada
  • Refusals for ineligible clients
  • Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage
• MOME2023 remark and access to settlement services
  • Eligibility
  • Amending temporary resident documents missing the MOME2023 remark

Eligibility

Under these measures, the following clients may be eligible for a fee-exempt study permit or open work permit, and to extend or change the conditions of their temporary stay:

1. a national of Israel or the Palestinian Authority who meets both of the following criteria:
   • holds a passport or travel document (individuals with expired passports/travel documents must provide proof of Israeli or Palestinian citizenship along with a valid passport from another country)
   • is in Canada with valid temporary resident status (regardless of the date of their arrival)
2. a foreign national who meets both of the following criteria:
   • was issued a temporary resident visa following facilitation under the Temporary public policy to facilitate temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza
   • is in Canada with valid temporary resident status
3. a foreign national family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a Canadian citizen or permanent residents who left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023, and who meet both of the following criteria:
   • also left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023
   • is in Canada with valid temporary resident status
4. a foreign national family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who holds a passport or other document issued by the Palestinian authority, and who meets the following criteria:
   • was issued 1 of the following
     • a temporary resident visa based on exemptions from the Act or Regulations granted by a delegated officer on humanitarian and compassionate grounds between January 9 and June 30, 2024
     • a temporary resident permit by a designated officer between January 9 and June 30, 2024
   • is in Canada with valid temporary resident status

     These individuals must also apply for 1 of the following:

     • to extend or change the conditions of their temporary stay as 1 of the following:
       • worker
       • student
       • visitor
       • temporary resident permit holder
     • for an initial or subsequent temporary resident permit

Family member definition

In these instructions, family member is defined as per subsection R1(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), as

• the spouse or common-law partner of the Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• the dependent children of the spouse or the Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• the dependent children of the dependent children (grandchild of the Canadian citizen or permanent resident 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

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.

Fee waiver to extend or change temporary resident status in Canada

Eligible foreign nationals who are applying from within Canada and have valid temporary resident status in Canada are eligible for a fee waiver when they apply to extend or change the conditions of their stay. Clients are not exempt from paying the biometric enrollment fee under these special measures.

The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary measures are to be waived:

• extension of temporary stay – exemption code “999”
• temporary resident permit – exemption code “999”

Officers should refer to the Fee list.

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.

Fee waiver for issuing work permits or extensions in Canada

These measures include a fee waiver for initial work permit applications, including open work permits, and work permit extensions in Canada.

The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:

• initial or renewal of work permit – exemption code 999
• open work permit holder – exemption code P03
• temporary resident permit (if applicable) – exemption code “999”

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.

Officers should confirm that the applicant has not left Canada before granting the fee exemption and the public policy open work permit. The Entry/Exit Program explains how officers can confirm exits.

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:

• Open work permit – General processing and issuance
• Conditions and validity period on work permits

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:

Fee waiver for issuing study permits or extensions in Canada

These measures include a fee waiver for initial study permit applications and study permit extensions in Canada.

The following fees for eligible clients under these temporary special measures are to be waived:

• initial or renewal of study permit– exemption code “999”
• temporary resident permit (if applicable) – exemption code “999”

Officers should refer to the fee list: Fee list.

All applicants must submit their study permit or extension applications by following the instructions to apply for a study permit or to extend their study permit. Clients who apply for an extension or to change their status before it expires will maintain their existing status while their application is being processed.

Study permit validity must be tied to the specified period of study (and passport validity).

Officers should refer to Temporary Residents: Students for additional guidance.

Refusals for ineligible 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:

The individual does not meet the conditions (eligibility requirements) as defined in the in-Canada temporary measures to support foreign nationals in response to the crisis in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Officers must also include this note under application remarks in GCMS, along with a justification for the refusal.

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 are 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 the Government of Canada assisted departures efforts

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.

MOME2023 remark and access to settlement services

Changes to the Settlement Program Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) expanded settlement service eligibility to a broader cohort of temporary residents extending beyond the scope of the public policies. Clients who are eligible for federally funded settlement services should be issued the MOME2023 remark on their temporary residence document (including TRP, VR, SP or WP). This remark is used by service provider organizations (SPOs) to determine whether a client is eligible to access federally-funded settlement services. IRCC may also use this notation in determining eligibility for transitional financial assistance.

Eligibility

Officers must carefully review eligibility for settlement services below prior to including the MOME2023 user remark on a client’s temporary resident document.

The following clients are deemed eligible to receive federally-funded settlement services until March 31, 2027, and should be issued a temporary resident document with the MOME2023 remark:

1. Foreign nationals holding a passport or travel document that was issued by the Palestinian Authority, and their family members, as defined in section 1(3) of the IRPR, who:
   1. meet 1 of the following conditions:
      • are granted a temporary resident visa under the “Updated Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Temporary Resident Visas for Certain Extended Family Affected by the Crisis in Gaza” or the “Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Temporary Resident Visas for Certain Extended Family affected by the Crisis in Gaza”
      • do not meet the eligibility requirements of the above-noted public policies and are issued a temporary resident visa (TRV) based on exemptions from the IRPA or the IRPR granted by a delegated officer on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds
      • do not meet the eligibility requirements of the above-noted public policies and are issued a temporary resident permit (TRP) by a designated officer where justified in the circumstances
   2. are in Canada with valid temporary resident status
2. foreign nationals holding a passport or travel document that was issued by the Palestinian Authority, and
   1. left Gaza on or after September 1, 2023
   2. arrived in Canada by December 31, 2025
   3. has valid temporary resident status in Canada
3. foreign national family members, as defined by section 1(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), of a person listed in 2), and
   1. arrived in Canada by December 31, 2025
   2. has valid temporary resident status in Canada
4. a foreign national who was assisted in their departure from Gaza or the West Bank by the Government of Canada between November 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024, and
   1. has valid temporary resident status in Canada

Amending temporary resident documents missing the MOME2023 remark

Upon arrival at the port of entry, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer must include the visible remark MOME2023 on the client’s temporary resident document. If an eligible client does not receive the remark at the port of entry and does not receive a subsequent document with the MOME2023 remark, they will need to have their temporary resident document amended.

The client can notify IRCC through the crisis notification web form and the Client Support Centre will send a referral directly to the IOB. If the client is eligible for settlement services, their temporary resident document should be amended to include the MOME2023 remark so that they may access relevant settlement services.