By Matthew Behrens
As a fragile temporary ceasefire takes hold in Gaza – one whose second phase may not come to pass, given the governing Israeli coalition’s reliance on members opposed to the deal – Canada has a rare but very brief opportunity to belatedly fix its modest Gaza temporary residence program, one that Immigration Minister Marc Miller had already concluded was a failure six weeks after its launch.
As the much criticized Gaza program marked its 1-year anniversary January 9, some 4,700 applications had been received, but only 616 individuals had arrived in Canada. None received Canadian assistance exiting Gaza; rather, those lucky enough to escape and their Canadian sponsors exhausted life savings to pay exorbitant border crossing fees into Egypt. An estimated 3,500+ applications remain unprocessed.
The punishingly slow pace of visa processing for Gazans – a paltry average of 2.5 applications completed per day, with a lethal waiting time for some of over a year – stands in stark contrast to the Canada–Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program. During CUAET’s first year, Canada welcomed 129,000 Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion and approved over half a million visas (an average of 1,370 applications per day), usually within a two-week turnaround. Canada waived security screening for those aged up to 17 and over 61, and dropped a required medical exam despite the Ukrainian population’s much higher risk of carrying tuberculosis, which Ottawa conceded “posed potential health risks to Canada.”
Similarly, Canada welcomed over 8,000 Israeli visa holders during 2024. Palestinian Canadians and refugee advocates point to such figures as clear proof of a painful, discriminatory double standard that fails to adequately respond to what Canadian officials acknowledge are “catastrophic conditions” in Gaza.
While some 600 individuals still in Gaza were pre-approved last year for Canadian visas contingent on completing final biometric security screening in Egypt, they remained in limbo as their names gathered dust on a list at the Israeli Coordinator of the Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which has thus far failed to issue exit permits. Advocates were informed last week that the Canadian list is now considered outdated, and all names will have to be submitted anew, a further delay that exposes applicants to the ongoing threats of disease, death from exposure, and malnutrition that will only worsen if the ceasefire ends.
While other governments – notably Australia – were able to facilitate the exit of thousands of Palestinians until the May closing of the Rafah border crossing, Miller glumly waved the white flag, claiming there was nothing Canada could do. Even if that were the case, it failed to explain why upwards of 1,000 Canadian visa applicants have been stranded for close to a year in Cairo, with no access to employment, education, medical care, or income supports.
The Gaza immigration program has been controversial since its launch, from racial profiling questions to a ridiculously low cap. Palestinian community members have felt unwelcome – baselessly smeared as security risks – while Gaza health care workers seeking visas were asked questions violating patient confidentiality. Some of those lucky enough to arrive have faced rude and intimidating airport questioning from Canadian border officers, while others have struggled to receive provincial health care coverage. (Ontario relented last month, but Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador still refuse access).
While there’s temporary relief that bombs are no longer falling in Gaza, current conditions remain unlivable for the vast majority of the 2.1 million people squeezed into an area 1/7th the size of Ottawa.
To make best use of this short ceasefire time frame, Canadian immigration officials must urgently devote the same energy they invested into the Ukraine program, complete remaining Gaza applications (which could be done over 3 business days based on the CUAET pace), and negotiate with the Egyptian government and COGAT for the rapid exit of Canadians’ loved ones.
After 15 months of inexcusable Canadian program failures, it’s the least we can do to fulfill our promise to reunite Canadian families with their traumatized loved ones.
Matthew Behrens coordinates the Rural Refugee Rights Network.
