New immigration support for Turkish and Syrian nationals impacted by the earthquakes was announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on March 18, 2023:
🔹An open work permit for up to 3 years will be available for Turkish and Syrian nationals already in Canada.
🔹Turkish and Syrian nationals in Canada can apply for an extension of their student, worker, or visitor status free of charge, effective March 29, 2023, or easily transition between these temporary streams.
🔹Visa applications from those affected by the earthquakes will be prioritized, including the family members of those already in Canada as well as first time applicants.
🔹IRCC will use AI to identify the people impacted by the earthquakes to render faster decisions.
🔹The Minister expects a much higher approval rate for the applications from those impacted by the earthquakes compared to prior non-emergency applications from those regions.
🔹Canada is waiving the passport or travel document requirement for Permanent Residence applicants who have lost their travel documents as a result of the earthquakes.
🔹Fees for passports and travel documents, permanent resident travel documents will be waived for Canadian citizens and permanent residents from Turkey and Syria and applications will be prioritized.
If you are a Turkish or Syrian national, or a family member of a Turkish or Syrian national, and would like to discuss how these measures can benefit you, reach out to book a consultation at bulantseva.immigration@gmail.com.
Good luck with your immigration journey!