e-6719 (Foreign affairs)

The Government of Canada remains deeply concerned about the crisis in Gaza and empathizes with those affected. Canada welcomes the agreement of Israel and Hamas to implement the first phase of a peace plan.

When responding to international crises, immigration responses are tailored to each different context to meet the unique challenges of each crisis. In response to the situation in Gaza, the government’s priority has been to reunite families and provide a temporary safe haven for Palestinians directly affected by the crisis in Gaza who have family members in Canada willing to support them.

Since October 12, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has supported Global Affairs Canada in the assisted departures of over 900 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and eligible family members from Gaza.

In December 2023, the Government of Canada introduced temporary immigration measures to allow Israelis and Palestinians in Canada to apply for a fee-exempt study or an open work permit, as well as fee exemptions for Israelis and Palestinians seeking to apply for an extension of their authorization to remain in Canada or apply for a temporary resident permit. Measures for Israeli nationals expired on July 31, 2025, as originally announced, given the relative stabilization of conditions. However, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains acute. As a result, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada extended the measures for Palestinians who are in Canada as temporary residents, including those who arrive under the pathway for extended family, and for certain other immediate family members of Canadians and permanent residents.

In January 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada launched measures to provide temporary safe haven for Palestinians directly affected by the crisis in Gaza who have Canadian citizen or permanent resident family members in Canada willing to support them. The measures facilitate access to a temporary resident visa for up to 5 000 individuals.

The Department has now accepted 5 000 applications into processing. While intake closed on March 6, 2025, priority processing of temporary resident visa applications under the temporary public policy is ongoing. As of September 30, 2025, more than 1 250 people who exited Gaza and had temporary resident visa applications in process were able to submit biometrics, complete their application, and have been approved to come to Canada. Also as of September 30, 2025, 918 people have arrived in Canada through the special measures for extended family, and over 400 through other Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada programs.

Once in Canada, eligible clients may apply for a fee-exempt study or open work permit. They may also access one-time transitional financial assistance ($3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child), three months of healthcare through the Interim Federal Health Program, and settlement services.

All persons seeking to come to Canada are required to meet admissibility and eligibility requirements, including security screening and providing their biometrics, where required. This screening ensures that individuals do not pose a threat to the health, safety, or security of Canadians. To support the movement of Palestinians out of Gaza, a multi-stage security screening approach is being used. This process allows Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and our Public Safety partners to initiate security screening in advance of applicants’ exit from Gaza. In order to complete processing on these files, applicants must exit Gaza to submit their biometrics, as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has no presence there.

The closure of the Rafah border in May 2024 significantly reduced available options for movement out of Gaza. Furthermore, every country sets their own entry and exit requirements. The Government of Canada continues to engage with countries in the region and established partners on the ground to advocate for safe movement out of Gaza and to help keep families together. However, Canada does not control who can leave or under what circumstances.

It is important to note that the situations in Gaza and Ukraine are different. In Ukraine, people generally had the ability to exit the country at their discretion. In contrast, the primary challenge in Gaza remains the difficulty of exiting, due to various factors that remain outside of Canada's control. This is the primary issue in how quickly applications from Gaza can be processed. The Department continues to prioritize temporary resident visa applications under the temporary public policy. Each application is assessed individually, and processing times may vary. Processing times may be longer when additional information is required to complete background checks.

The Department remains committed to ongoing engagement with stakeholder groups representing the Palestinian community to provide updates and gather feedback on client needs and experiences. We continue to monitor the situation and adapt our response as circumstances evolve.