Crisis in Gaza: Financial assistance

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is giving financial assistance to help eligible individuals and families who are impacted by the crisis in Gaza and are in Canada with valid temporary resident status.

The financial assistance is a non-taxable, one-time payment to help take care of your immediate and basic needs while you get settled in Canada.

To make sure those who are already in Canada and those who arrive in the coming months are able to quickly access financial assistance to meet their basic needs, we’ll be providing the one-time payments in stages, beginning with those who arrive by March 31, 2025.

If you arrived in Canada on or before this date, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible after arriving.

How much can you expect to receive

• CAN$3,000 for each adult (18 or older)
• CAN$1,500 for each child (17 and under)

On this page

• Who can apply
• Before you apply
• How to apply
  • Step 1: Follow the instructions in the email we sent you
  • Step 2: Get the application form and fill it out
  • Step 3: Send us your completed application
• After you apply
  • How to send us your bank information
  • If your application is approved
  • If you have problems with your payment or have questions 

Who can apply

You can apply if you meet the requirements for 1 of the 3 groups below.

1. You hold a passport or another travel document issued by the Palestinian Authority, and you
   • left Gaza on or after September 1, 2023
   • arrived in Canada by March 31, 2025
   • are in Canada with valid temporary resident status
2. You’re the immediate family member of someone under group 1, and you
   • arrived in Canada by March 31, 2025
   • are in Canada with valid temporary resident status
3. You were part of the Government of Canada assisted departures out of Gaza or the West Bank between November 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024, and you
   • arrived in Canada by March 31, 2025
   • are in Canada with valid temporary resident status

Who is an immediate family member

An immediate family member is defined as a

• spouse or common-law partner
• dependent child (yours, your spouse’s or your common-law partner’s) or
• dependent child of a dependent child 

Before you apply

If you don’t have a Canadian bank account, you need one to receive payment. This is because payment is made by direct deposit. We don’t provide financial assistance in cash.

To open a bank account, you need your

• temporary resident status document [IMM 1442] (opens in a new tab) 
  • This is your
    • visitor record
    • work permit
    • study permit
    • temporary resident permit
  • passport (or other travel document)

Learn more about opening a bank account in Canada (opens in a new tab) , including your rights and responsibilities.

How to apply

If you meet the requirements, we’ll contact you by email with instructions on how to apply. 

Step 1: Follow the instructions in the email we sent you

In your email, we’ll give you

• information on the financial assistance
• instructions on how to apply
• an email address for you to contact us to start your application

If you didn’t get an email with instructions and you think you may be eligible, contact us using our crisis web form.

Contact us using our crisis web form by following these instructions:

1. Select “I need help with something else and I am impacted by the crisis in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.”
2. In the “Tell us about your situation” section
   • enter the keyword “CGTAI”
   • tell us that you didn’t get an email with instructions on how to apply for financial assistance and you think you may be eligible
   • explain how you meet the eligibility requirements
3. Upload a copy of the bio page of your passport (or other valid travel document)
4. Upload a copy of your existing temporary resident document

We’ll verify your information. If we determine you may be eligible, we’ll email you with instructions on how to apply.

Go to our crisis web form

Step 2: Get the application form and fill it out

After you contact us to start your application, we’ll send you

• an application form
• instructions on what information and supporting documents to send us 

Step 3: Send us your completed application

Follow the instructions in your email and send us

• your completed and signed application form
• the required information and supporting documents indicated in your email and on the form 

After you apply

How to send us your bank information

After we receive your completed application, we’ll send you a link to a secure web form. Use the secure web form to send us the information for the bank account where you want us to deposit the funds.

To set up direct deposit, we’ll need the following information:

• transit number
• institution number
• account number

Your bank can give you this information either with a

• direct deposit form
  • This will have all 3 of these numbers, usually labelled.
• void cheque
  • This also has all 3 of the numbers, but they are not usually labelled.

For security reasons, the link to the secure web form is generated only for you and expires after 10 business days. If your link expires, we’ll contact you and send you a new one.

Find out more about the secure web form and how to make sure the email is from us. 

If your application is approved

• Payment will be made by direct deposit in the bank account that was provided in the secure web form.
• When your payment is processed, we’ll email you a “Notification of Payment Letter” and a copy of your signed application.
• After your payment is processed, your bank may take 3 to 5 business days to show the deposit in your account.

If you have problems with your payment or have questions

Contact us using the email address that was provided to you. 

Related links

• Settlement services in Canada
• Temporary health-care coverage