CIMM – Narrative on Canada’s Gaza and Sudan initiatives – May 27, 2024

Gaza

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas remains volatile and unpredictable. Canada remains deeply concerned for the safety of people in the region.

Beginning in October 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been supporting Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC) assisted departure of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and their eligible family members from the region.

In-Canada measures

The Government of Canada implemented several in-Canada measures to support individuals affected by the conflict in Israel and the Palestinian Territories:

• the ability to apply inland for fee-exempt study and open work permits for
  • immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, provided they are currently in Canada and they and their Canadian citizen or permanent resident relative left Israel or the Palestine Territories on or after October 7, 2023,
  • those who came to Canada through the special measures for extended family in Gaza,
  • Israelis and Palestinians already in Canada who feel unsafe returning to the region;
• access to the Interim Federal Health Program for a period of three months for permanent residents and family members of permanent residents and Canadian citizens who came to Canada as temporary residents following their assisted departure from Israel or the Palestinian Territories, including those who arrived via special measures for extended family in Gaza;
• access to federally funded settlement services for certain Palestinians, including temporary residents who were assisted by Canada in their departure, which are typically only available to permanent residents:
  • Services include access to language training and support connecting with the labour market and local community. Approved applicants will be able to access these services for up to three years.

As we continue to be as facilitative as possible, we also waived fees for those who need to extend their temporary resident status in Canada for up to three years.

Special measures for extended family members in Gaza

We understand many Canadians are concerned about the safety of their loved ones in Gaza.

That is why we launched special measures on January 9, 2024, to support temporary residence for people in Gaza who are the extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

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). They must also be in Gaza when they submit their application, hold a Palestinian Territories passport, and have an anchor in Canada who will support them for one year. The immediate family members of eligible applicants are also eligible (spouse/partner, dependent child, and dependent child of a dependent child).

Given the high level of interest from Canadians and permanent residents concerned for their loved ones in Gaza, we recently increased the number of temporary resident visa (TRV) applications that will be accepted into processing as part of the special measures for extended family in Gaza from 1,000 to 5,000.

While movement out of Gaza remains extremely challenging and limited, this may change at any time. With the cap increase, we will be ready to help more people as the situation evolves. Our focus remains on keeping families together and bringing them to safety as quickly as possible.

The Government of Canada continues to be flexible in our response as we assess the situation on the ground, the volume of applications received, and the ability to facilitate the departure of eligible family members from Gaza and their arrival in a safe third country. Canada is working closely—at every level—to facilitate the exit of extended family members and advocate for their safety.

Movement out of Gaza

To support the movement of Palestinians out of Gaza and to protect the health and safety of Canadians, a multi-stage security screening approach has been developed. This is part of a standard practice in crisis response situations where IRCC does not have a presence on the ground to initiate initial screening and collection of biometrics, as was the case with Afghanistan.

By using the enhanced biographic information applicants provide, we are able to conduct preliminary security screening while people are still in Gaza. As a result, we will be able to finalize most applications faster once people leave Gaza.

IRCC understands that people may not have access to all the required documents. Where possible, we are flexible in our approach and assess each situation individually.

Regarding movement out of Gaza, countries and other actors set their own entry and exit requirements. Canada is putting forward the names of those who passed preliminary screening to local authorities to secure their exit from Gaza, but we don’t ultimately decide who can exit Gaza.

Facilitative measures

Once applicants are in Cairo, we will collect their biometric information (fingerprints and photo) to complete the final step in the assessment process and work to provide a final decision on the TRV application as quickly as possible. The Government of Canada will provide food and accommodation to them for two days.

As of May 20, 2024, we have 2,903 applications accepted into processing, which means that applicants have used their unique reference code to submit a complete TRV application through the IRCC Portal.

As of May 20, 2024, 1,214 people who exited Gaza on their own and had TRV applications in process were able to submit biometrics and complete their application, and have been approved to come to Canada.

We continue to process TRV applications for people who exited Gaza on their own and who have TRV applications in process as part of the special measures. Once in Egypt, those applicants are able to submit biometrics and complete their application.

Once people have a TRV, they can arrange their own onward travel to Canada at their discretion.

Priority processing of certain family-based applications

We are priority processing most existing and new permanent residence applications for Palestinians within family-based streams, for example, family class (with the exception of the parents and grandparents program) and overseas dependents of protected persons in Canada.

Other TRV holders such as holders of study or work permits and super visas

As an additional measure, IRCC recently confirmed a process to allow people with an existing and valid TRV or a super visa to identify themselves if they need assistance to exit Gaza.

Palestinians inside Gaza with a valid TRV or super visa can use the crisis web form to request that the Government of Canada share their information with the governments of Israel and Egypt for approval to exit Gaza. People may also have their representative or family members submit a crisis web form on their behalf.

For those already outside Gaza who need to finalize their TRV submission, which may be a regular TRV or one associated with the Gaza special measures, IRCC will confirm their information and provide it to the Embassy of Canada in Cairo. People will be asked to go to the embassy to finalize their application and provide their biometrics.

In addition, those who exited Gaza on their own may apply for a regular TRV if they do not have one in process.

Sudan

The security situation in Sudan has been very dangerous since fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces on April 15, 2023.

Assisted departure efforts and supports

The Government of Canada’s initial focus was on evacuation efforts. IRCC worked with GAC, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Canada Border Services Agency and security partners to support the assisted departure of Canadian citizens, permanent residents, locally engaged staff and their immediate family members.

IRCC deployed additional officers to the region to help those already on the ground with immigration-related operations. For timely assistance and support, IRCC provided 24/7 coverage to support clients and officers on the ground.

We also waived TRV and permit application fees, as well as fees associated with biometrics collection, for eligible immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to help keep families together.

The Embassy of Canada in Sudan temporarily suspended its operations due to the ongoing security situation. In addition, the visa application centre in Khartoum remains closed until further notice, which impacts applicants’ ability to submit applications in Sudan.

That said, IRCC is processing applications with the assistance of migration officers who work across our global integrated network. As a result, we continue to prioritize all completed overseas temporary and permanent resident applications, including refugee applications from those in Sudan.

In addition, fees related to certain passports (temporary passports, limited validity passports, emergency travel documents) and citizenship documents (Canadian citizenship certificates), certain administrative services, and permanent resident travel documents are waived for Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents in Sudan who wish to leave.

In-Canada special measures

On April 30, 2023, IRCC announced that the Government of Canada would waive temporary residence application fees for foreign nationals who fled Sudan with their Canadian family members. Under these measures, eligible foreign national family members were exempt from the requirement to pay the applicable processing fee for the TRV and the temporary resident permit.

Family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who arrived in Canada by July 15, 2023, could apply for an open work permit or study permit, or permanent residence under the family class, all free of charge.

These measures have been extended until October 27, 2024, as we continue to support the people of Sudan who are striving for peace and an end to violence in their country.

New humanitarian pathway

To build on our efforts to support those affected by the conflict, we also introduced a new humanitarian pathway to permanent residence for Sudanese and non-Sudanese nationals with certain extended family in Canada who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The pathway opened on February 27, 2024. Application intake closed on May 6, 2024, as we may have received enough applications to fill the available spaces, and we are assessing the ones that have already been submitted. We will post more information on our website if we start to accept applications again for this program.

This public policy also grants fee exemptions for the collection of biometrics information to minimize the financial burden for eligible principal applicants and their family members who are affected by this crisis.

To apply, people must have been residing in Sudan when the conflict began on April 15, 2023, and must be the child (regardless of age), grandchild, parent, grandparent or sibling of an extended family member in Canada. The extended family member in Canada must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who agrees to support them and help them build their new life here.

Under this pathway, the extended family member in Canada must demonstrate the financial means to support the applicant and their family members upon arrival in Canada.

In recognition of the vulnerable populations that were already displaced and residing in Sudan when the war broke out on April 15, 2023, non-Sudanese nationals who were forced to flee the country are also eligible to apply for this humanitarian pathway.

Canada has a proud and long-standing tradition of providing protection to the most vulnerable people, and Canada currently accepts many Sudanese nationals or persons who were living in Sudan as government-assisted refugees. We’re continuing to work with partners to facilitate the processing of these refugees as quickly as possible.

Canada remains deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in Sudan. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.