CIMM - Question period note - June 2, 2021

Date: May 12, 2021
Classification:
Department: IRCC

Special measures in response to Ukraine international airlines disaster (flight PS752)

Issue: What is the Government of Canada doing to help families affected by the loss of their loved ones, as a result of the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 air disaster in Iran?

Proposed response:

• The Government of Canada is committed to supporting families of the Canadian citizen and permanent resident victims of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has put in place a temporary public policy to offer a pathway to permanent residence for in-Canada families of Canadian victims of these air disasters. This public policy will remain in effect from May 12, 2021, until May 11, 2022.
• Applicants wishing to apply through this pathway must be in Canada when submitting their application. All the information families need to determine if they are eligible and how to apply is available on the IRCC website.

Responsive only:

• This pathway is in place to support members of the families of victims who were—at the time of the air disaster—Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada or foreign nationals who had a positive eligibility decision on their permanent residence application.
• More information about measures facilitating permanent residence for members of the families of the Canadian citizens and permanent residents who were victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 who are outside Canada is available on our website.

Contact:

Susan Greene
Executive Director of Coordination for PS752
Tel. No.: 343-550-1538

Approved by:

Dr. Nicole Giles
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations
Tel. No: 613-437-8211

Background:

• Immediately after the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 (PS752) took place on January 8, 2020, the Government of Canada provided assistance to family members of the victims who needed to travel to and/or from Iran or Canada on an urgent basis or to remain in Canada temporarily.
  • Requests for passports and citizenship certificates (for proof of citizenship), as well as permanent resident cards (PR cards) and permanent resident travel documents were expedited.
• Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship approved special measures to waive fees and expedite applications received between January 10 and June 30, 2020, for the following lines of business:
  • temporary resident visas
  • temporary resident permits
  • visitor record extensions
  • work permit extensions
  • study permit extensions
  • restoration of status
• This past fall, the Minister announced additional special measures to help foreign national family members of victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 who were stuck in Canada due to global pandemic border closures.
  • Temporary residents in Canada who are members of the family of a victim of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, and whose status had expired or was about to expire before January 16, 2021, were eligible to apply to extend or restore their status at no cost. This measure is being extended to allow the individuals who were initially issued temporary resident visas following the disaster, but who did not travel, to continue to benefit from specialized assistance and come to Canada if they wish to. It will also help those who did travel to Canada with a temporary resident visa and who are now eligible to apply for permanent residence under this new public policy, as they will be able to apply at no cost for an extension of their temporary resident status which could be extended until their permanent residence application is processed.
• The proposed pathway to permanent residence further recognizes the circumstances of families who lost loved ones in the disaster by allowing them an opportunity to settle permanently in Canada.
• Certain members of the family of victims who were Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or individuals who had applied for permanent residence in Canada and had a positive eligibility decision at the time they passed away on Flight PS752 are eligible to apply.
• As a means to recognize the circumstances of families who lost loved ones in the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019, eligible families will also be able to access this pathway to permanent residence.

Eligibility criteria

• The member of the family who was a victim of flight ET302 or PS752 must have been one of the following:
  • Canadian citizen
  • permanent resident of Canada
  • foreign national who had a positive eligibility decision on their permanent residence application
• Applicants must be:
  • the spouse or common-law partner of a Canadian victim of flight ET302 or PS752
  • one of the following relatives of a Canadian victim or of their spouse or common-law partner:
    • child
    • grandchild
    • parent
    • grandparent
    • sibling (including half-siblings)
    • aunt or uncle (sibling of a victim’s parent or sibling of a victim’s spouse or common-law partner’s parent)
    • niece or nephew (child of a victim’s sibling or child of a victim’s spouse or common-law partner’s sibling)
• Applicants must be in Canada at the time of application, and they must have done one of the following:
  • had valid temporary resident status in Canada when the member of their family passed away on flight ET302 or PS752
  • been granted temporary residence after the member of their family passed away on flight ET302 or PS752, as long as they applied for temporary resident status in Canada before March 23, 2021
  • made a refugee claim in Canada on or after the date that the member of their family passed away on flight ET302 or PS752, and their claim has not been found ineligible to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board
  • were issued a temporary resident visa or permit after benefiting from the 2020 or the 2021 temporary residence public policy for families of victims of Flight PS752