More than 130 students from Gaza who have been accepted to Canadian universities remain trapped in limbo as they await visa approvals. Despite receiving full scholarships and university admission offers—including from institutions such as the University of Waterloo—these students have faced long delays, some waiting over 18 months, unable to leave Gaza due to administrative and security hurdles. The ongoing conflict and challenges within Gaza complicate their ability to complete visa processes, including mandatory biometric and security checks, which Canada currently cannot conduct on-site due to the absence of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) presence in Gaza.
The Canadian government has cited security concerns, the need for background checks, and difficulties related to evacuating students as reasons for the slow processing. Nevertheless, advocates argue that other countries such as the UK, France, Ireland, and Italy have successfully navigated similar challenges to expedite these students’ admissions and safe passage. Critics claim Canada’s delays point to a lack of political will rather than purely technical issues, as many students are not even seeking refugee status but entry as student scholars.
Tragically, some students have lost their lives during the wait and the escalating violence in Gaza. Two Gazan twins accepted to Canadian universities were killed in an airstrike in December 2024. Meanwhile, students still stuck in Gaza display remarkable resilience by studying in dangerous conditions, including makeshift classroom settings under the threat of ongoing conflict.
Efforts by Canadian advocacy groups, including Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk (PSSAR), continue to press for faster visa processing and evacuation pathways. Approximately one-third of these students have managed to leave Gaza, relocating to neighboring countries such as Egypt or Jordan, where they await the final processing of their Canadian documentation.
SOURCE
FAQs
Q1: Why are Gazan students struggling to get visas for Canada?
Security screenings and biometric requirements must be completed outside Gaza, complicating timely processing amid conflict.
Q2: Have other countries helped Gazan students study abroad?
Yes, countries like France, the UK, Ireland, and Italy have facilitated safe evacuation and admissions for Gazan students.
Q3: What is being done to help the students stuck in Gaza?
Advocacy groups are urging Canada to expedite visa processing and establish evacuation routes similar to those other countries have implemented.
This situation underscores the complex intersection of conflict, immigration administration, and the right to education, with many young Gazans caught in protracted uncertainty despite their academic qualifications and offers to study abroad. The hope remains that these students will soon be freed to pursue their educational aspirations safely in Canada.
