CIMM – IRCC’s General Responsive Measures for Conflicts in Sudan and Israel and the Palestinian Territories – March 20, 2024
Key Facts and Figures
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has led consular operations, including assisted departures, to assist Canadian citizens, permanent residents (PRs), and their family members who sought to leave Sudan, Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has supported these assisted departures by ensuring that Canadians, permanent residents and their immediate family members arriving as temporary residents have the required authorization or travel documents for arrival to Canada.
IRCC has also put in place facilitative measures for 1) foreign nationals of the affected countries who were already in Canada on temporary status, who may feel unsafe returning home, and 2) those arriving as temporary residents to facilitate access to education and the labour market.
Sudan
On April 30, 2023, IRCC implemented immigration measures to support Sudanese temporary residents who are currently in Canada. These measures allow Sudanese nationals to submit a fee-exempt application for an extension of their temporary resident status and to move within temporary resident streams so that they can continue to study, work, or visit family in Canada. They also allow Sudanese nationals to access fee-exempt open work permits.
Eligible family members of Canadians and permanent residents who left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023 were also exempt from the requirement to pay the applicable temporary resident visa and temporary resident permit processing fee, as well as fees for the provision of services in relation to the collection of biometric information.
In 2023, Canada has allocated over $165M in humanitarian assistance funding to experienced partners in Sudan and neighbouring countries impacted by the crisis.
On February 27, 2024, IRCC launched a new family-based humanitarian pathway for Sudanese and non-Sudanese nationals who resided in Sudan when the conflict began on April 15, 2023, so they can obtain permanent residency and reunite with their family in Canada.
Israel and the Palestinian Territories
Since October 12, 2023, IRCC has supported GAC in the assisted departure of over 1,600 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and eligible family members out of Israel.
In addition to that, as of March 14, 2024, GAC and IRCC have assisted 839 Canadians, permanent residents, and their eligible family members to cross at Rafah since November 1, 2023, and another 79 individuals in departing the West Bank.
On December 21, 2023, IRCC announced temporary immigration measures to help inland Israelis and Palestinians access fee-exempt study permits and open work permits, so they have access to education and the labour market while in Canada. They can also extend their existing status free of charge.
Some permanent residents and foreign national family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who arrived via assisted departure from the region can access Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage for a period of three months.
As of January 30, 2024, Canada also committed over $100M in funding for humanitarian assistance to address urgent needs arising from the crisis in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
Gaza
On January 9, 2024, IRCC launched a special temporary resident pathway for extended family members of Canadian citizens and PRs currently residing in Gaza. This measure aims to provide a temporary safe haven for Palestinians directly affected by the crisis in Gaza who have Canadian citizen or permanent resident family members in Canada willing to support them.
As of March 11, 2024, we have accepted 986 applications into processing for the public policy to facilitate temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza, meaning that applicants have used their unique reference code to submit a complete application through the IRCC Portal. These temporary resident visa applications are being reviewed to determine eligibility and preliminary admissibility. Once in Canada, these individuals will be able to:
stay in Canada for a period of up to three years
access IFHP for a period of three months
access settlement services
apply inland for study permits and open work permits free of charge
Key Messages
IRCC remains deeply concerned for the safety of the people affected by the conflicts in Sudan, Israel and Gaza.
In response to these conflicts, IRCC has implemented measures to facilitate the safe return of Canadians, PRs and their foreign national family members who arrived following assisted departure.
IRCC has also implemented measures that allow Sudanese, Israelis and Palestinians in Canada with the ability to apply inland for a study permit or an open work permit, free of charge. These measures allow eligible clients to continue studying, working or visiting family while they may not feel safe to return to their home country or region.
IRCC is also providing special family reunification programs for affected individuals in Sudan and Gaza:
a special permanent resident pathway for Sudanese nationals, as announced in December 2023 and launched on February 27, 2024
a special temporary resident pathway for extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents currently residing in Gaza.
IRCC continues to monitor the situations in each of these regions as they evolve and will continue to adapt our response to meet the unique needs of those who require our support.
Supplementary Information
If pressed on specific measures – Sudan
Foreign national family members of Canadians and permanent residents who left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023, are exempt from paying temporary resident visa and temporary resident permit processing fees, as well as fees for biometric collection.
Sudanese nationals in Canada, including those who arrived following assisted departure, are able to apply inland for a study permit or open work permit or extend their temporary resident status free of charge, so that they can support themselves while they remain safely in Canada.
In October 2023, IRCC extended the in-Canada facilitative measures for Sudanese nationals for another year (now to expire in October 2024).
Should foreign national family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who fled the conflict in Sudan wish to apply for permanent residence under the family class, they are able to do so free of charge.
IRCC has also ceased collecting fees for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have been affected by the conflict and may need to replace their passport, citizen certificate, PR travel documents and other important documentation.
In terms of application inventory under our regular programs, IRCC has been priority processing temporary resident and permanent resident applications from nationals of Sudan.
In December 2023, the Department also announced a family-based permanent resident pathway for Sudanese nationals affected by the current conflict. This pathway is capped at 3,250 principal applicants.
If pressed on specific measures – Israel/Palestine
The foreign national family members of Canadian citizens and PRs arriving as temporary residents, either with their family members or of their own accord, are able to apply for a fee-exempt study or open work permit once in Canada.
Additionally, PRs and family members of Canadian citizens and PRs who came to Canada following the assisted departures are eligible to apply online for time-limited medical coverage under the IFHP to support immediate medical needs upon arrival or to cover a standard waiting period for provincial coverage. Coverage under the IFHP is for three months from when the person arrived in Canada, and includes retroactive coverage. Those arriving from the Palestinian Territories will also have access to settlement services.
Israelis and Palestinians already in Canada who feel unsafe returning home at this time also have the ability to apply inland for fee-exempt study permits and open work permits. These measures expire on June 12, 2024.
IRCC also committed to priority process all existing and new permanent residence applications for Israelis and Palestinians within family-based streams, for example, family class and overseas dependents of protected persons in Canada. Permanent resident applications in the Parents and Grandparents stream of the family class must be processed in the order in which they have been received, per program requirements.
If pressed on special temporary resident pathway for extended family members in Gaza
In January 2024, IRCC implemented a special temporary resident pathway for family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Gaza. This program is currently capped at 1,000 applications accepted into processing.
To be eligible, applicants must be the spouse, common-law partner, child (regardless of age), grandchild, sibling, parent or grandparent of a Canadian anchor (the extended family member already in Canada).
If pressed on getting people out of Gaza
The situation in Gaza is complex, with significant volatility on the ground.
The Government of Canada has put forward names of people who passed preliminary eligibility and admissibility reviews to local authorities for approval, but does not ultimately decide who can exit Gaza.
Movement out of Gaza remains extremely challenging and may not be possible at this time, as other countries set their own entry and exit requirements.
If pressed on ensuring measures are not exploited by Hamas
Biometric and full admissibility screening will be required before applicants can travel onward to Canada. It is important that we finalize applications before people arrive in Canada.
The completion of security screening is a regular part of the review process and biometric checks are one of the best methods to identify people who may be inadmissible or pose a threat to Canada.
If pressed on Israeli extremist settlers
All visitors, immigrants and refugees are carefully screened before coming to Canada. Screening prevents people who pose a threat to the health, safety or security of Canadians from entering Canada.
Israelis holding a National Israeli Passport who wish to visit, work or study in Canada require an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to board their flight to Canada. The Government of Canada conducts pre-travel screening of visa-exempt travelers through the eTA program to verify that these travelers are admissible to Canada.
If a person is found to be inadmissible, their application for an eTA will be refused. A Canada Border Services Agency officer will make the final determination about whether a person is admissible and can enter Canada when they arrive at a port of entry, such as an airport. Each case is decided on its own merits.
If pressed on the differences between different responses
As global displacement intensifies and becomes more complex, IRCC is increasingly being called upon to respond to a range of unique humanitarian situations that necessitate a migration response, including facilitative measures (e.g., waiving of requirements for existing programs) and/or the creation of new programs.
Canada has responded to a number of crises in recent years such as Sudan and the situation in Israel and Palestine, employing a mix of measures and supports meant to address the unique needs of each situation. Our recent initiatives have focused on facilitating family reunification and providing facilitative measures or pathways to Canada for those with humanitarian needs.
Situations are examined on a case by case basis, as each humanitarian crisis that Canada responds to is different from those that came before it.
IRCC continues to review its programs, policies and processes to assess their fairness, transparency, equity and cultural sensitivity.
