Special immigration measures announced for Syrian, Turkish temporary residents

IMPACT – MEDIUM

The Canadian government has announced special measures for Syrian and Turkish temporary residents affected by the earthquake.

Key Points:

• Beginning March 29 until at least Sept. 25, Syrian and Turkish nationals will be able continue to study, work or visit family by applying for an extension free of charge.
• Syrian and Turkish nationals who are already in Canada will be able to apply for an open work permit and move between temporary categories.
• Syrian and Turkish nationals will not have to have a passport or travel documents to be approved for a permanent resident visa.
• New and existing temporary and permanent residence applications from the affected regions, including visitor visa applications for immediate family members of Canadian nationals and permanent residents, will be prioritized.
• More information regarding the special immigration measures for Syrian and Turkish nationals is available here.

BAL Analysis: Canadian authorities plan to provide more details on the special immigration measures in the coming weeks and may provide additional support to Syrian and Turkish nationals if determined necessary.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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