The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has declared temporary immigration measures to aid the family members of Canadians and Permanent residents presently situated in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, along with Israelis and Palestinians already residing in Canada.
One initiative involves the implementation of fee-exempt study or open work permits in Canada. To qualify, the foreign national must be a family member of a Canadian citizen or Permanent resident who has departed from Israel and the Palestinian Territories, either alongside their family members or independently, since the commencement of the ongoing regional conflict.
Those Israelis and Palestinians currently residing in Canada who express concerns about their safety in returning to the region may also meet the criteria for these permits. Individuals meeting the eligibility criteria must hold valid temporary resident status to submit their applications.
Prioritization of Permanent Residency Applications for Family-Class Sponsorship
The IRCC will give priority to current Permanent Residency applications from Palestinians in family-based streams, such as family class sponsorship. This measure includes eligible applicants, such as spouses, common-law partners, children (regardless of age), grandchildren, siblings, parents, and grandparents of Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents, along with their immediate family members.
For eligibility, the Canadian citizen or Permanent resident must currently reside in Canada and provide proof of the relationship. This may include documents such as a copy of the child’s or grandchild’s birth certificate, a copy of the child’s or grandchild’s baptismal certificate, or another official document identifying the applicant as the parent or grandparent, such as a family book or civil registration documents.
The department indicates that additional information regarding these measures will be released shortly. Meanwhile, IRCC has established a dedicated service channel for inquiries about these special measures, accessible to clients both in Canada and abroad at 613-321-4243, with collect calls accepted.
IRCC emphasizes that clients can also inquire online by adding the keyword “MOME2023” to the IRCC crisis web form. This will ensure prioritized attention to their inquiries.
Moreover, Permanent residents, as well as family members of Permanent residents and Canadian citizens, may qualify to apply online for temporary medical coverage through the Interim Federal Health Program. This coverage aims to address immediate medical requirements upon their arrival following assisted departure from Gaza.