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Dangerous Delays: Palestinian Students’ Endless Wait for Canadian Study PermitsFebruary, 2026
In the wake of Israel’s crushing assault on the Gaza Strip, over 130 Palestinian students holding acceptances into Canadian universities have found their entry, and thus admissions, impeded by an immigration process whose rationales fail to stand up to scrutiny. The IRCC has not only failed to address the exceptional circumstances from which these students are applying, it has also added additional, opaque and unprecedented screenings that further delay the process without any clear guidelines as to what is required - predicaments for which Canada has a precedent of showing flexibility or making allowances, and which other countries have managed to mitigate. These delays by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) are not only preventing students from commencing their studies, but are a breach of basic humanitarian and rule of law principles. This analysis is based on a review of standard visa application practices, media reports, correspondence with Palestinian students, and precedents from other countries and circumstances. |
