Canada has processed a limited number of study permits from applicants in Gaza, with a higher rejection rate than approvals.
A June briefing note revealed that applicants undergo photography and fingerprinting as part of security screenings conducted while they remain in Gaza.
The note explained that enhanced biographic information allows preliminary security checks before applicants leave the region.
Of 37 applications reviewed, only two were approved and issued visas, while fourteen were rejected and the remaining cases are in final assessment stages.
Four applicants chose to withdraw their applications. Special permits were also made available for Gazan refugees with extended family in Canada, though the allocated quota of 5,000 remains largely unfilled.
By the end of March, approximately one thousand individuals had entered Canada under the extended‑family program.
In 2024, Canada temporarily waived immigration rules to admit Gazans who would otherwise be ineligible, becoming the sole country offering temporary residency to the group.
Recipients receive tax‑free grants of up to $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child, along with free health care, work and study permits, and language training at no cost.
No detailed budget has been released for this initiative.
The temporary residency is described as a short‑term humanitarian measure, not a refugee program, and participants are expected to depart once their permits expire.
