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 related to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to come to Canada.

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

• That’s why Canada ranks among the leading countries in welcoming displaced Palestinians from Gaza and is leading global efforts to support them.

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

• Canada welcomes the agreement between Israel and Hamas to implement the first phase of a peace plan.

• Leaving Gaza remains extremely challenging and limited due to factors beyond Canada’s control. The Government of Canada continues to engage with diplomatic counterparts at all levels to advocate for the exit from Gaza of those affected.

If pressed on data

• As of Sep. 30, almost 920 people have arrived in Canada through the special measures for extended family and over 400 through other IRCC programs.

• 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. Eligible clients may also access supports, such as one-time transitional financial assistance ($3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child) to help them cover basic needs.
• IRCC is offering the following in-Canada supports to individuals who arrive by December 31, 2025:
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.
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 refuge for extended family members. It is not intended to facilitate any large-scale exit of Palestinians from Gaza. It is anticipated that Palestinians from Gaza would return once conditions allow.

If pressed on movement out of Gaza
• The Government of Canada is aware of reporting that the Rafah border crossing may reopen. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will adapt our approach as required.

If pressed on Palestinian students in Gaza and Egypt:
• We understand that some students, including those with acceptance letters from Canadian institutions, have been experiencing increased processing times for their study permit applications.
• Applying to a Canadian school does not guarantee entry to Canada and all prospective international students must meet all requirements before a study permit is approved.