As Palestinians in Gaza fleeing the Israeli-Hamas war begin applying to move to Gaza through a special immigration program, Ottawa is demanding unprecedented levels of personal information from prospective immigrants. immigration lawyers say.
Immigration lawyer Panthea Jafari said: “This is significantly different from what is required for a normal visitor visa application.” ”[The federal government] They ask for much more information than those applications, and even more than permanent resident applications. ”
The federal government this week announced a new program that will allow up to 1,000 Palestinians who are relatives of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to apply to enter Canada and stay for three years if their families can financially support them. started.
Canadian citizens or permanent residents applying on behalf of relatives in Gaza will receive a form from the federal government requesting additional personal information about the immigration applicant.
The form asks for “a complete and detailed work history since the age of 16, including exact dates, description and details of roles and responsibilities, name of supervisor, reason for separation, and other matters.” Disciplinary issues. ”
It also requires an “explanation” and explanation of “scars or injuries that required medical attention.” The form asks applicants to list all social media accounts, previous phone numbers and email addresses associated with the prospective migrant, along with passport information.
Jafari said there is a lot of information to ask people who are running for their lives.
“It’s an incredibly difficult position to put people who are already vulnerable in this position, and I can’t imagine anyone having to be in this position right now. I can’t imagine the hardships they’re going through. I can’t stand it,” she said.
Adam Sadinsky of the Canadian Refugee Lawyers Association recently said it took a family of four six hours to gather all this information. He said it would be difficult for people in Gaza who struggle with unreliable internet access.
“I think the government is answering questions about security,” he said.
“I think [Immigration] Minister Mark Miller has publicly stated that safety is a top concern when it comes to these applications, and the government does not want Hamas commanders applying through this program and inadvertently entering Canada. ”
Immigration law practitioner Aidan Simadon said the federal government’s approach to immigration from Gaza betrayed a double standard.
“In any conflict, there are often security concerns,” he said. He said that Ukrainians fleeing a full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 will not be able to do so, despite documentation that the neo-Nazi-linked Azov Battalion is operating in Ukraine. It was pointed out that detailed questions were not asked.
“Does that mean Ukrainians are neo-Nazis? Of course not. In any conflict, it is only a small portion of the population that gets involved in human rights violations and extremist ideology,” he said.
Government says it will show flexibility
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a media statement that the Gaza Strip does not allow biometric tests, such as fingerprint scans or photo recognition, on migrants before they cross the Rafah River into Egypt. He said he was requesting detailed information from Gaza immigration applicants. Gate.
The ministry said, “We are asking for as much information as possible and will respond flexibly.”
In an interview with CBC’s Ottawa Morning on Thursday, Miller said it was reasonable to ask for those details given safety concerns.
“I don’t think Canadians would forgive us if we brought in someone who turned out to be a terrorist instead of who we wanted to be,” he said.
The Canadian government lists Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Israel launched a military operation in Gaza following a brutal Hamas attack on October 7 that killed around 1,200 Israeli citizens. More than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in the military response, according to the region’s health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas.
Mr Miller suggested the government could be flexible in cases of “genuine young people who have lost their parents”. But when it comes to applications from elderly residents of Gaza, he said “we cannot jeopardize the safety of Canadians.”
Miller also said the government would show flexibility on the 1,000-person cap it has placed on the temporary visa program. He noted that Israel and Egypt control the Rafah Gate, which connects Gaza and Egypt, and that Hamas is also involved in deciding who can cross.
He said: “We have witnessed games being played with windows open and closed, with little notice and in a seemingly arbitrary manner. Even if it’s against you.”
The ministry said Egypt and Israel only ask Gaza migrants for their full name, date of birth, gender, passport or national ID details, mobile phone number and current location by district.
The consent form issued to applicants by IRCC states that the personal information provided will be shared with service providers supporting Israel, Egypt, “other Canadian federal departments” and Ottawa.
The form states that the Government of Canada cannot provide guarantees about how personal information will be protected, used or disclosed once it is shared with these entities.
It’s unclear how many people have enrolled in the program so far or how quickly applications will be processed. Mr Miller said the government wanted to resolve the issue “as soon as possible”.
