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New PR Pathway for Families of Ethiopian and Iranian Air Disasters
Friday, May 14, 2021
Families who are in Canada impacted by air tragedies, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, will now be able to apply for their Canadian permanent residency.
On May 12, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced the new public policy to help grieving families come to Canada.
In-Canada families of victims who were Canadian citizens, permanent residents or foreign nationals who were found eligible on their permanent residence application can apply for permanent residence under the new public policy. The policy will remain in effect until May 11, 2022.
All standard fees and biometric requirements apply under this public policy. Standard admissibility requirements also apply. However, applicants are still eligible even if they have lost their status in Canada.
This public policy applies only to members of victims’ families who are currently in Canada. IRCC says they are working on further measures to facilitate permanent residence applications for certain members of victims’ families who are outside Canada. An announcement will be made once those measures are in place.
IRCC is also extending the original temporary residence public policy for families of victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752. This will allow the individuals who were initially issued temporary resident visas following the disaster who didn’t travel, to continue to benefit from specialized assistance and come to Canada if they wish to. It will also help those who did travel to Canada with a temporary resident visa and who are now eligible to apply for permanent residence under this new public policy, as they will be able to extend their temporary resident status until their permanent residence application is processed.
Air disasters have taken the lives of too many Canadians and left too many families across our country without loved ones. The Government of Canada stands in solidarity with all those impacted by air disasters and says they will continue to support the families of the victims.