Canada has announced a temporary visa program for people in Gaza with Canadian relatives. The program offers visas to a maximum of 1,000 Palestinians, including extended family members such as parents, grandparents, siblings, and grandchildren, and is set to launch on January 9, 2024. The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel has created a humanitarian catastrophe on the Gaza Strip, and Palestinians in Gaza seeking to escape the Israel-Hamas war have begun applying to come to Canada through this special immigration program.
The Temporary Visa Program
The special extended family program for people in Gaza is set to launch next week, after Palestinian Canadians pleaded for months to get help from the government to rescue their loved ones. The program would offer visas to a maximum of 1,000 Palestinians, according to local authorities. Two-thirds of the Palestinian casualties are women and children, Gaza’s Health Ministry says. Canadians with family in the region have described feeling terrified for loved ones who are running out of food, water, and medicine.
Toronto immigration lawyer Yameena Ansari said she believes the cap represents a huge underestimate. Ansari advocated for the policy as part of an ad hoc group of immigration lawyers called the Gaza. “Just between the lawyers in this group, we know more than 1,000 applicants,” said Ansari, who called the limit “heinous.”
Canada’s Immigration Minister’s Statement
Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller has stated that there isn’t a hard cap on the temporary visa program for Palestinians. The federal government cannot guarantee safe passage out of the besieged Palestinian territory, but Miller said the government is working with international partners to ensure the safety of those who are able to leave.
The temporary visa program for Palestinians is a much-needed initiative by the Canadian government to help those affected by the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. While the cap of 1,000 visas may not be enough to accommodate all those in need, it is a step in the right direction. The Canadian government should continue to work with international partners to ensure the safety of those who are able to leave the region.
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