e-4328 (Citizenship and immigration)

The Government of Canada remains committed to helping those suffering in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. We announced a total of $50M in support of the humanitarian response, including two commitments to match funds donated by Canadians. In addition, through the Canadian Red Cross, Canada deployed 22,000 relief supplies including blankets, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, kitchen sets and jerry cans from its humanitarian stockpiles for use in Türkiye.

In addition to its regular immigration pathways, special measures have been introduced to facilitate Turkish and Syrian nationals affected by this tragedy. On September 28, 2023, the Government extended these special measures put in place last spring through to January 3, 2024, to continue to support Turkish and Syrian nationals, as well as Canadian citizens and permanent residents. These include:

• Free extensions of temporary residence status for Turkish and Syrian nationals studying, working, or visiting family in Canada;
• Access to open work permits for Turkish and Syrian nationals already in Canada;
• Priority processing of temporary residence, permanent residence, and refugee resettlement applications from persons in the affected regions, including for family members;
• Waiving travel document requirements for permanent resident visas, as some permanent residence applicants may have lost their passports as a result of the earthquakes; and,
• Waiving fees for temporary passports, limited-validity passports, emergency travel documents, Canadian citizenship certificates, and permanent resident travel documents, to assist Canadian citizens and permanent residents in their return to Canada from the affected area.

Under Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations provision 1(3), family members include a spouse or common-law partner, a dependent child, or a dependent child of a dependent child. This definition is generally used in the context where an applicant is seeking to bring dependents under a temporary or permanent resident program.

In addition, the Government of Canada has a generous family reunification program. This program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor, as permanent residents, spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, parents, grandparents, dependent children (including adopted children), and other relatives in specific circumstances (for example, orphaned relatives under the age of 18 or a relative of any relation to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident provided the sponsor has no relatives who can be sponsored). As such, a sibling can come to Canada as an accompanying dependent child when sponsoring a parent, or under the “other relative” category. Alternatively, applications for permanent residence can also be made under humanitarian and compassionate considerations, which are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.