Whether evacuees from the Gaza Strip will be granted immigration status in Canada or not will be determined based on individual circumstances, says IRCC Minister Marc Miller.
“I think it’s something we’ll tackle as the case may be,” he said in an interview on Monday.
In terms of settlement services and income support, Miller said that new arrivals from Gaza will be dependent on their families. Their needs will be determined by IRCC from there.
“We’ll have to look at what that means, and look at the volume,” he said.
“I don’t know the financial situation of a lot of people leaving. I can’t suspect that it’s great, but I don’t presume people don’t have funds, either.”
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Canada has been working to secure the safe passage of upwards of 400 people who hold connections to the country; this is part of negotiations between Israel and Egypt that are being mediated by Qatar.
Canada has a list of 75 anticipated evacuees who crossed through the highly controlled Rafah border, and are allowed to stay in Egypt for 72 hours.
These people include Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible family members without Canada immigration status. Four Canadians got out with the help of a third party, according to Global Affairs Canada.
The discussion in question centers around the violence in the Middle East following Hamas’ October 7 incursion that resulted in the death of 1,400 Israelis. An additional 240 Israelis were taken hostage by the militant group into Gaza.
Israel’s retaliatory attack has resulted in the death of more than 10,500 Palestinians, as per the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. 4,300 of them were children.
The Canadian Press report outlines how Canada is yet to accept refugees from Gaza.
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“There are a number of security considerations and policy considerations that are compelling us to focus on Canadians. We want to get Canadians out,” Miller said.
He added, however, that if people are able to escape the war and flee to Canada, it would be humane to them.
The next question, as per Miller, is whether Canadians in Lebanon should be evacuated after Canadians in Gaza are out. This consideration arises out of Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants’ constant clashes for a month along the Lebanon-Israel border.
“That is the next set of considerations that I hope does not come to fruition because that means that the conflict has escalated,” Miller said.
