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 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 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.

In these instructions, family member is defined as per subsection R1(3) as

A dependent child is a child who is

Extended family member is defined as the following:

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 extend or change the conditions of their temporary stay:

1. Israeli nationals and Palestinian passport or travel document holders 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) who are

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 and who

a)

b)

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 temporary special measures, a foreign national must be physically in Canada with valid temporary resident status at the time of application under these measures and at the time that a decision is rendered.

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.

Officers can refer to the following public policies for additional information:

Program-specific special measures

Note: Palestinian nationals are eligible for in-Canada supports such as settlement services. Officers must include the visible remark “MOME2023” on the visitor record, study permit or work permit. This remark will ensure that eligible clients will be able to demonstrate eligibility for these in-Canada supports.

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.

Extend or 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. This includes individuals who arrived in Canada under the Temporary public policy to facilitate temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza.

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.

Effective March 8, 2024, 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, including those who arrived under the Temporary public policy to facilitate temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza, and who are applying from within Canada and hold valid temporary resident status, are eligible to apply to extend their temporary resident status free of charge.

Issuance of work permits in Canada

These public policies ensure that the following cohorts can apply for fee exempt work permits from inside Canada:

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following conditions:

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:

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

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:

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:

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

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 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.

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 are instructed on how to apply via specific web content.

Eligible clients include:

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.

Note: Individuals granted temporary residence under the temporary resident pathway for Palestinian extended family in Gaza also have access to in-Canada IFHP. Further information is found at Temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza.

Identification of temporary resident pathway clients in need of TR document amendment

Individuals granted temporary residence under the temporary resident (TR) pathway for Palestinian extended family in Gaza also have access to federally funded settlement services in Canada. Further information is found at Temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza.

Individuals authorized entry to Canada under the TR pathway for Palestinian extended family in Gaza should have the visible remark “MOME2023” on their port of entry–issued visitor record to allow them to gain access to settlement services.

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