Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced Saturday that Canada will make it easier for temporary residents from Turkey and Syria to extend their stays and prioritize visa applications from people from those two countries.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake and powerful aftershocks struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, killing more than 50,000 people and displacing millions.
Mr Fraser said the Government would allow Turkish and Syrian people who have been granted temporary residence permits to apply for extensions and waive associated application fees.
He said the ministry would also prioritize processing temporary visa applications for people affected by the earthquake.
At a news conference in Mississauga, Ont., Mr. Fraser said, “For people applying for temporary resident visas, we will be able to prioritize the processing of their applications.”
“There are specific steps that we have in place within the system to provide guidance to personnel and facilitate the approval of cases so that they can come to Canada.”
Fraser said the government is using it. Efforts to house people who fled Ukraine after Russia invaded the country last year have been revealed. He said the government provided temporary protection to large numbers of Ukrainians much more quickly than regular refugee resettlement programs.
“We are adopting new strategies to facilitate the arrival of people who find themselves in this situation and who might not normally be granted permission to enter Canada,” he said. Stated.
“The specific mechanisms we use include the system (Immigration Department) to identify people affected by the earthquake and make positive admissions decisions for the entire group of applicants at once. )”
As of March 10, approximately 600 Syrians and 6,400 Turkish nationals living in Canada are scheduled to expire within the next six months. The government has announced that they have temporary status.
There were close to 16,000 Canadian visa applicants from Turkey and Syria as of Feb. 8, including about 1,700 applicants who live within the area that was impacted by the earthquakes, said the government.
Marwa Khobieh, executive director of the Syrian Canadian Foundation, said the new government measures to help those impacted by the earthquake are a start, but more work is still needed to support the survivors.
About 6.9 million people were internally displaced inside Syria before the earthquake and more than 6.8 million Syrians have been forced to flee their country since 2011, including 3.6 million in Turkey alone, according to the United Nations.
“Not everyone is aware of the challenges facing Syria due to the pre-earthquake crisis,” Hobie said.
“Especially in northwestern Syria (the people) don’t have a unified government to represent them. How do I apply?”
Mr. Kobie said many people apply to enter Canada. He said it was important the government continued to work with community groups to find solutions to the logistical issues that could be a deterrent.
Sima Akan, president of the Canadian Federation of Turkish Associations, said the government’s response to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria has been slow and the government’s new measures will threaten the lives of loved ones Turkey hopes to bring to the earthquake zone. He said it’s not enough to support the Canadians he sends.
“There was no discussion about fees (waiving) for new applicants from the region. There was no discussion about relaxing the paperwork (requirements) for new applicants,” she said.
“I hope the system improves, but at the moment it doesn’t seem as mature as it needs to be.”
Mr Akan said new applicants must provide biometric details so the government can process their visas. However, many people in Turkey and Syria are unable to go to Canadian visa offices to submit fingerprints and photos.
“We have proposed establishing a mobile biometric center in the southeast of Turkey so that people from northern Syria can also travel to submit their applications,” she said. “They may have mobile units to do biometric authentication and the ability to move those units to locations that are convenient for people.”
Mr. Fraser said the provision of biometric authentication He said he expected it to be “the biggest logistical challenge for…” People seeking entry to Canada due to earthquake-affected areas.
“People need to go to a place that can provide them with a biometric appointment,” he said. “We are able to be flexible and move some of the mobile biometric kits available. It`s something we`re willing to consider.”
Ozgure Sekar said he wants to bring his sister and brother to join him in Canada after the earthquake destroyed their homes in southern Turkey last month.
The Toronto man travelled to areas damaged by the quake to support his family members and friends, before coming back to Canada from the city of Antakya in Turkey earlier this week.
The Toronto man returned to Canada from the Turkish city of Antakya earlier this week after visiting earthquake-hit areas to support family and friends.
He said his sister lost several family members, including her 12-year-old son. His brother, who lived at home with his mother, wife, and four children, lost his home and job.
“The whole city has been destroyed. Thousands of people are dead. “It’s a very bad situation,” Sekhar said in an interview.
“People are living in tents. No one lives in the houses. All the houses will be destroyed. There is no power. Not too much water. People are crying from emotional shock.”
Sekhar said she was waiting for the government to make it easier for Canadians with loved ones affected by the earthquake to apply to enter Canada.
“There’s no way to stay there.” “It will take five to six years to rebuild the city,” he says. “The best opportunity is to bring (his sister and brother) here for a few years. stay with me. Mentally they are getting better. ”