The Canadian government has opened the door to immigration for those affected by the war in Sudan and granted them permanent residency to Sudanese and non-Sudanese citizens who resided in Sudan when the conflict began on April 15, 2023 if they have relatives in Canada, on the condition that they agree to support them financially.
For his part, Canadian Immigration Minister Mark Miller confirmed that this humanitarian decision from the government is intended for Sudanese citizens and other foreign citizens who have lived in Sudan since the outbreak of the last war in mid-April.
Humanitarian visas for Sudanese who have relatives in Canada
Participants in the programme must be a child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, or sibling of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in order to be eligible for the programme.
On the other hand, Ottawa did not specify how much money would be required for these relatives to agree to provide financial support for them.
A person is required to submit an application for the programme and go through the standard security and biometric screening that is performed on visa applicants, such as having their fingerprints taken.
During the spring of this year, contending militias in Sudan sparked a civil war, which resulted in the displacement of around five million people, many of whom were already refugees from neighbouring countries.
A week ago, the United Nations Office for the Prevention of Genocide sent a request to other nations, urging them to speak out against what it refers to as the growing ethnically driven violence in the country, which includes attacks against civilians and killings without discrimination.
A news statement that was produced on Thursday and announced the new immigration procedures included Miller's comments regarding the matter.
In the statement, Miller was cited as saying, "The ongoing conflict in Sudan, as well as the humanitarian situation on the ground, continues to be of deep concern." This sentence was included in the statement.
A total of $165 million in humanitarian help has been provided by Canada to those who have been impacted by the crisis. Additionally, Canada has accelerated the process of applying for immigration and waived fees for some individuals who have fled the conflict.
Opening immigration for those affected by the war in Sudan
According to the Canadian government, the applicant must be a child of any age, a grandchild, a parent, a grandparent, or a sibling of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada.
Canadian family members must agree to support and assist their loved ones as they establish new lives in Canada.
According to a statement from the Canadian government, "more information will be available on the IRCC website soon so people can prepare what they need to apply through the pathway."
