CIMM – Immigration Responses to Recent Crises – Lebanon – November 25, 2024

Key Facts

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been priority processing applications from Lebanon since November 2023, with a focus on Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members to enable them to return to Canada.
• On October 30, IRCC introduced measures to help foreign national family members who have left Lebanon for Canada, and Lebanese nationals who are already in Canada and can no longer return home due to the conflict.

Key Messages

• Canada remains deeply concerned about the situation in Lebanon and is focused on the safety and security of people in the region.
• IRCC’s primary focus is to assist Canadian citizens and permanent residents in obtaining the necessary travel documents required to board flights and safely leave Lebanon, while ensuring that families remain together.
• In partnership with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), IRCC continues to identify and expedite applications of spouses and dependent children travelling with Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
• We have increased our capacity to process files from the region and continue to process applications from Canadians, permanent residents and their family members in Lebanon as quickly as possible.
• Further, on October 30, 2024, the Government of Canda announced temporary measures to support Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members who have left Lebanon, as well as Lebanese nationals already in Canada who are currently unable to return home.
• The immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who left Lebanon on or after September 29, 2024, will be eligible to apply for an open work permit, a study permit, or a status extension at no cost once in Canada. These measures apply to spouses and dependants regardless of their nationality, and regardless of whether they left on flights arranged by GAC, or by other means.
• In addition, Lebanese nationals who are already in Canada with valid temporary resident status can now also apply for an open work permit, a study permit, or a status extension at no cost.