Canada Gaza emergency travel
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to implement 'Canada Gaza Authorization for Emergency Travel' to evacuate at‑risk relatives of Canadians and permanent residents, open a humanitarian corridor, waive visas, deploy aircraft and appoint a coordinating envoy. The government responds it introduced temporary measures, assisted evacuations and accepted applications, but says exits from Gaza remain constrained.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would create a named, centralized evacuation pathway to reunite at‑risk relatives with Canadian sponsors quickly, potentially saving lives amid immediate threats.
- A humanitarian corridor plus aircraft and visa waivers would provide a coordinated route to reduce delays and exposure to bombardment, disease and collapsing services.
- A special envoy or task force and a CUAET‑style humanitarian permit would speed processing and centralize coordination using a tested Canadian model.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Canada cannot unilaterally guarantee exits from Gaza; control of crossings and local security may prevent rapid evacuations despite new Canadian policies.
- Waiving visas and expediting arrivals complicates admissibility and security screening, risking gaps if checks are rushed or incomplete.
- Deploying military aircraft and running a corridor involves major logistical, diplomatic and safety trade‑offs; multilateral or aid‑focused approaches might be more feasible.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada The population of Gaza is enduring an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, including forced starvation, displacement, and systematic attacks on civilians, in blatant violation of international law; The Gaza Temporary Resident Visa (Gaza TRV) program, launched by Canada, has failed to meet its commitments, leaving many applicants in prolonged uncertainty and delay; Emergency evacuation has become a matter of life and death, as families remain trapped, facing bombardment, disease, hunger, and the total collapse of infrastructure and healthcare; and While other countries have successfully carried out evacuation operations for their nationals and at-risk relatives in Gaza, Canada has yet to provide a humanitarian corridor or establish a similar evacuation mechanism. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to implement a comprehensive and urgent evacuation plan, under the name “Canada Gaza Authorization for Emergency Travel”, to 1. Evacuate at-risk relatives of Canadian citizens and permanent residents from Gaza; 2. Establish a safe humanitarian corridor for evacuation, in coordination with international partners and neutral organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross; 3. Deploy Canadian military aircraft or chartered planes to evacuate those most at risk (children, women, the wounded, and the elderly); 4. Waive visa requirements and grant a humanitarian permit, similar to the model used for Ukrainian refugees under the CUAET program; 5. Appoint a special envoy or establish a dedicated task force to coordinate evacuation efforts and to maintain direct communication with affected families and relevant stakeholders; and 6. Uphold Canada's international obligations to protect Palestinian families seeking safe refuge, in line with Canada’s response to other humanitarian crises. 1. Evacuate at-risk relatives of Canadian citizens and permanent residents from Gaza; 2. Establish a safe humanitarian corridor for evacuation, in coordination with international partners and neutral organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross; 3. Deploy Canadian military aircraft or chartered planes to evacuate those most at risk (children, women, the wounded, and the elderly); 4. Waive visa requirements and grant a humanitarian permit, similar to the model used for Ukrainian refugees under the CUAET program; 5. Appoint a special envoy or establish a dedicated task force to coordinate evacuation efforts and to maintain direct communication with affected families and relevant stakeholders; and 6. Uphold Canada's international obligations to protect Palestinian families seeking safe refuge, in line with Canada’s response to other humanitarian crises.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Signed by Peter Fragiskatos 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.