Reuniting resettled Yazidis and other survivors of Daesh with their families

Ottawa, November 20, 2023—Canada recognizes the challenges that Yazidis and other survivors have faced at the hands of Daesh. Canada has given over 1,400 survivors, including Yazidi women and children, the opportunity to start new lives in this country. Reuniting family members overseas with those in Canada is an important step to support their integration and settlement in Canada and for them to continue to recover from the trauma they have faced.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will begin accepting applications on December 1, 2023, through a new temporary public policy for family members, extended family members and de facto dependents of resettled Yazidis and other survivors of Daesh who are in Canada. The International Organization for Migration in Iraq will provide support for clients with form filling and application submission to IRCC. Up to 400 principal applicants and their eligible family members will be able to come to Canada under this policy. The public policy will be valid until IRCC has received this many applications, or until December 31, 2026.

To be eligible to come to Canada, a principal applicant must be a national of Iraq residing in Iraq who plans to live outside Quebec. Extended family members and de facto dependents will need to provide a statutory declaration from an individual who was granted permanent residence in Canada either as a privately sponsored Yazidi or other survivor of Daesh, or through a previous public policy for survivors of Daesh that explains their relationship with this individual.

All approved applicants will receive income support for one year, and have access to resettlement supports, including 12 months of coverage for mental health supports. The temporary public policy came into effect on December 1, 2023. Find out more about eligibility and how to apply.