Question Period Note: Government of Canada’s response to the situation in Gaza

On January 9, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) put in place facilitative measures and established a temporary resident pathway to allow foreign nationals in Gaza who are extended family members of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to come to Canada.

• Canada remains deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza and empathizes with those affected.

• IRCC introduced special measures to facilitate temporary residence for up to 5,000 extended family members in Gaza of Canadian citizens and permanent residents with the priority of reuniting families.

• Due to factors beyond Canada’s control, leaving Gaza remains extremely difficult and often impossible, posing a critical obstacle for applications from persons currently in Gaza. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

If pressed

• As of March 31, 2026, approximately 1,000 people have arrived in Canada through the special measures for extended family members.

If pressed on students
• In February 2026 I directed IRCC to prioritize processing applications from a group of Palestinian students identified through the Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk (PSSAR) Network.
• IRCC continues to work with partners to expedite the processing this group of study permits applications for 37 Palestinian students and their family members who had been residing in Egypt.
• As of June 16, 2026, two applicants have been approved and issued a visa; fourteen applications have been refused, while the remaining cases are in the final stages of assessment, including procedural fairness reviews where required. 4 applicants have chosen not to proceed with their application.

• On December 21, 2023, IRCC announced temporary immigration measures to support extended family members of Canadians and permanent residents of Canada residing in Gaza. The intake cap of 5,000 applications was reached on March 6, 2025. Processing of existing applications continue.
• IRCC has waived Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and biometric fees for eligible applicants and their immediate family members.
• Once in Canada, eligible clients may apply for a fee-exempt study or open work permit.
• IRCC is offering the following in-Canada supports to individuals who arrive by December 31, 2026:
o Transitional Financial Assistance in the form of a one-time payment of $3,000 per adult (18 years and older) and $1,500 per child (17 years and under) for individuals who apply to receive the assistance by March 31, 2026. This assistance is offered to support clients with immediate and essential needs; such as food, clothing, and housing, and settlement services.
o Provision of settlement services until March 31, 2027, to help individuals support themselves and integrate into their new communities.
o Three months of Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage. Once IFHP coverage expires, individuals may be eligible to apply for public health insurance in their province or territory of residence. If they do not qualify, their anchor relative is responsible for covering their health care costs.
o As announced in Budget 2025, the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) is introducing co-payments for supplemental health products and services.
o Starting May 1, 2026, IFHP beneficiaries will pay $4 for each eligible prescription medication filled or refilled, and pay 30% of the cost of all other eligible supplemental products and services. Basic healthcare benefits, including doctor visits and hospital care will remain fully covered with no co-payments required.

Security screening:
• To support the movement of Palestinians out of Gaza and to protect the health and safety of Canadians, a multi-stage security screening approach was employed.
• By using the enhanced biographic information from applicants, Canada is able to conduct preliminary security screening while people are still in Gaza. Provided no inadmissibility concerns are flagged and where applicable, people who are able to exit Gaza will have their biometrics collected in a third country.
• This is part of standard practice in crisis situations where IRCC does not have a presence on the ground to initiate screening and collection of biometrics, similar to Afghanistan.

Resettlement from Gaza / Palestinian Territories:
• The temporary resident pathway is a time-limited humanitarian measure focused on temporary protection for extended family members. It is not a refugee program and not intended to facilitate any large-scale exit of Palestinians from Gaza. It is anticipated that Palestinians from Gaza would leave Canada once conditions allow.

Situation in the Middle East
• The situation throughout the Middle East remains unpredictable due to ongoing military activities in the region. The security situation could deteriorate significantly without notice.
• On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched joint airstrikes against Iran, with several explosions reported in central Tehran and elsewhere in Iran.
• Iran responded by launching retaliatory strikes against Israel and US-related military installations and other facilities across the region. A two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran was agreed to on April 8, 2026. However, the region remains volatile and the conflict may resume.
• The Government of Canada and its network of missions abroad remain fully engaged and are focused on the safety and security of Canadians in the Middle East.

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