Several facilitative measures have been announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in support of Iranian temporary residents, permanent residents, and citizens. Through this proposed public policy, Canada is confirming its commitment to protect Iranians, and vowing to keep families together during this time of uncertainty. As it is understood that Iranians may not feel safe to return home at this time, the government has supplied several tools to aid in providing a safe environment by extending their time in Canada as temporary residents.
Iranian temporary residents in Canada are able to extend their stay in Canada effective March 1st, 2023, for free by applying to:
· Extend their current temporary resident status
· Change their temporary resident status (for example, from a visitor to a worker)
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship stated that,
“Canada will not stand idly by in the face of these aggressions as the Iranian regime continues its ongoing human rights violations. Our government is continuing to stand up for the people of Iran by making it easier for Iranians who wish to extend their stay here in Canada to be with their families and allowing them to continue to work and study in safety. We will continue to work closely with the Iranian Canadian community who is resolved to shed light on the repressive actions of the Iranian regime.”
Under the proposed public policy, candidates can apply to extend their temporary resident status in Canada, extend their open work permit, as well as apply to study in Canada. Applicants will need to submit their applications to confirm eligibility requirements prior to February 28, 2024, and all applications will be processed in priority sequence.
In addition, Canadian citizens and permanent residents living in Iran are now able to apply for the following documents at no cost to them:
· Canadian citizenship certificate
· Permanent resident travel document
· Limited validity Canadian passport
To support Iranians looking to travel from Iran to Canada, in search of refuge, the Canadian government has also waived the application fee for Certificates of Canadian citizenship and travel documents for permanent residents including Canadian passports with a limited validity.
Individuals interested in these special measures can apply as of March 1, 2023, and until February 28, 2024. Our immigration lawyers at Brace Law can help you take advantage of these special measures. You can Consider It Handled when you work with Brace Law! Call us today at 905-815-6555.
With offices in Oakville and Vaughan, we serve clients in English, Italian, Albanian, Arabic, Punjabi, Farsi, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Urdu. For more information, please call us at 905-815-6555 or email admin@bracelaw.ca . We can help! We offer phone consultations and virtual meetings. Our fees are affordable.