Accelerate Palestinian family reunification
Petitioners ask the Minister to speed up and simplify Palestinian family‑reunification from Gaza and the West Bank, allow biometrics alternatives, prioritize evacuations, consult communities, and match Ukraine‑era rapid measures. The government responds it opened a temporary policy for up to 5,000 Palestinians, prioritizes processing, and notes applicants must exit Gaza for biometrics and security checks.
Why we would sign this petition
- Speeds safe family reunification amid acute humanitarian danger by reducing processing times and prioritizing evacuations, directly aiding those at highest risk.
- Simplifying procedures and allowing biometric alternatives reduces barriers for displaced applicants lacking documents or consular access.
- Using the rapid Ukraine model promotes equal, timely treatment across crises and leverages proven processes to move people faster.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Security and admissibility checks, including biometrics, are essential to protect public safety and may limit how quickly cases can be finalized.
- Practical obstacles—closed borders and the need for applicants to exit Gaza—constrain Canada’s ability to process or evacuate people rapidly.
- Matching Ukraine’s approach may require significant resources, international cooperation, and adaptations to Gaza’s distinct conditions; tailored alternatives 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 Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has a moral and legal obligation to uphold international humanitarian law and refugee protections; The International Court of Justice and United Nations bodies have raised grave concerns about the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank; Canada has demonstrated its capacity for rapid humanitarian response by processing Ukrainian visas in a matter of days, while Palestinian applications are often delayed over a year; and Launching a special program for Palestinians that, if not more generous due to the ongoing genocide & ethnic cleansing, at least matches the level of support provided to Ukrainians. We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to 1. Immediately reduce processing times for family reunification applications from Gaza and the West Bank to reflect the urgency of the humanitarian crisis; 2. Simplify application procedures to ensure accessibility for applicants facing extreme conditions, including displacement, famine, and destruction of infrastructure;3. Provide alternative options for applicants to complete biometrics or other documentations outside Gaza and West Bank; 4. Prioritize the evacuation and reunification of Palestinians in life-threatening circumstances; 5. Engage directly with affected communities in Canada through a virtual roundtable to better understand their needs and experiences; and 6. Let the processes and speed Canada used to help Ukrainians be guide to ensure an equal treatment and urgency in response to all humanitarian crises, regardless of origin, race, or religion. Given Palestinians face even greater danger under the most horrifying conditions, make the response significantly faster and more responsive than the measures Canada implemented for Ukraine. 1. Immediately reduce processing times for family reunification applications from Gaza and the West Bank to reflect the urgency of the humanitarian crisis; 2. Simplify application procedures to ensure accessibility for applicants facing extreme conditions, including displacement, famine, and destruction of infrastructure;3. Provide alternative options for applicants to complete biometrics or other documentations outside Gaza and West Bank; 4. Prioritize the evacuation and reunification of Palestinians in life-threatening circumstances; 5. Engage directly with affected communities in Canada through a virtual roundtable to better understand their needs and experiences; and 6. Let the processes and speed Canada used to help Ukrainians be guide to ensure an equal treatment and urgency in response to all humanitarian crises, regardless of origin, race, or religion. Given Palestinians face even greater danger under the most horrifying conditions, make the response significantly faster and more responsive than the measures Canada implemented for Ukraine. 3. Provide alternative options for applicants to complete biometrics or other documentations outside Gaza and West Bank; 4. Prioritize the evacuation and reunification of Palestinians in life-threatening circumstances; 5. Engage directly with affected communities in Canada through a virtual roundtable to better understand their needs and experiences; and 6. Let the processes and speed Canada used to help Ukrainians be guide to ensure an equal treatment and urgency in response to all humanitarian crises, regardless of origin, race, or religion. Given Palestinians face even greater danger under the most horrifying conditions, make the response significantly faster and more responsive than the measures Canada implemented for Ukraine.
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. In January 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada introduced 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 July 29, 2025, more than 1,775 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. As of July 29, 2025, 880 people have arrived in Canada through the special measures for extended family, and over 400 through other Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada programs. In addition to applications approved through the temporary measures, Palestinians and those impacted by the conflict who left Gaza on or after October 7, 2023, have been able to use Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s existing programs. All persons seeking to come to Canada are required to meet admissibility and eligibility requirements, including security screening, and provide their biometrics, where required. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada must assess the admissibility of a client pursuant to section 11(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. 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. For this reason, processing times are case-specific and can vary. Exiting Gaza remains extremely difficult due to factors beyond Canada’s control, which is a critical obstacle to finalising applications quickly. The Department continues to process temporary resident visa applications under the temporary public policy on a priority basis. The closure of the Rafah border in May 2024 significantly reduced available options for client movement. 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 Gaza or under what circumstances. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continues to be flexible as we assess the situation, including our ability to facilitate eligible family members leaving Gaza and reaching a safe third country as quickly as possible. For example, we understand that people may not have access to all required documents. Where possible, we are flexible in our approach while continuing to protect the safety and security of Canadians. If it is not possible to provide a required document, applicants must clearly explain why this is the case. Processing times will depend on the details of each application. Timelines may be longer if Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has to wait for additional information to complete background checks. The Department has, and will continue to, meet with multiple stakeholder groups representing the Palestinian community on a regular basis to provide regular updates and hear their feedback on client needs and experiences. 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, our 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. It is important to note that in the case of Ukraine, people generally had the ability to exit the country at their discretion. With regards to people in Gaza, the primary challenge has been the ability for people to exit, which is a barrier outside of Canada’s control. We continue to monitor the situation closely and work with partners to support those affected by the crisis with a connection to Canada. Our focus remains on keeping families together and advocating for them to come to safety as quickly as possible.