Overview

• Ehab, who was accepted to the University of Alberta, received his French student visa on July 10 and arrived in Marseille after France organized his evacuation from Gaza.
• His Canadian study permit application, submitted in February and acknowledged by IRCC in April, has yet to move forward because biometric collection cannot occur inside Gaza.
• Without a diplomatic presence in Gaza, Canada requires students to travel to neighboring countries for biometrics and endure additional multi-agency security screenings before approval.
• The Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk Network says about 70 Gaza students remain trapped awaiting Canadian visas, while five recently began programs in France.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada attributes delays to complex external screening requirements, prompting calls from academics to fast-track Palestinian applicants like the French model.