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OTTAWA — A group of academics and activists wants the federal government to help Palestinians accepted for postgraduate studies in Canada get out of Gaza – but the immigration minister says she can’t do that alone.
The Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk Network says there are about 130 master’s degree and doctoral students in Gaza who are unable to file the biometric data they need to come to Canada, such as fingerprints.
Nadia Zahra, a University of Ottawa international development professor and network member, said that Immigration Minister Lena Diab’s statement during a committee hearing last Thursday about delays facing Palestinian students was “unacceptable.”
“The minister stated that students in Gaza need to apply like any other international student, no exceptions, and admission to a Canadian university does not mean you are eligible for a visa,” Zahra said during a press conference on Parliament Hill.
“The minister has responded with no consideration for the catastrophic circumstances these students are living through.”
During Thursday’s committee hearing, Ontario Liberal MP Salma Zahid asked Diab if the government will work with Palestinian students to find ways to get them to Canada.
In response, Diab cited ways Canadian citizens, permanent residents or people with family in Canada can get out of Gaza. She said that Canada can’t control Israel’s decisions on who gets to cross its borders.
“We understand that some students, including those with acceptance letters from Canadian institutions, have been experiencing increased processing times for their study permit applications,” Diab told the committee.
“Applying to a Canadian school does not guarantee entry to Canada and all prospective international students must meet all requirements before a study permit is approved.”
The network said about 30 Palestinian students accepted by Canadian schools are stuck in Egypt, and that some have been waiting as long as 18 months for student visa approvals after submitting their biometrics, such as fingerprints.
Zahra and her colleagues pointed out that two Palestinian students who were accepted by the University of Waterloo were killed in Gaza just over a year ago.
Taha Ghayyur, Justice for All Canada executive director, said that Canada is failing to meet its international obligation to protect civilians.
“Despite having the capacity and mechanisms to assist, the Canadian government is not applying international legal protections. The minister has the authority to waive biometrics but has declined to do so,” he said.
“Meanwhile, Canada’s allies evacuated and cleared hundreds of students within two weeks of acceptance. Canada must also meet this standard.”
At the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, Canada waived biometric requirements for “low-risk” Ukrainians looking to come to Canada. They included teenagers, adults aged 61 to 79 and people who previously held temporary visas in Canada.
Ukrainian students were generally still required to submit biometric data, but the standard $85 fee was waived.
Other countries, including France, have worked with Israel to facilitate passage for students. One mechanical engineering master’s student told The Canadian Press that France helped him get out of Gaza this summer just days after he was accepted at a French school.
During a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, Diab said she sympathizes with the students and that her department is doing “everything (it) possibly can” once information from schools and colleges comes in.
“But they also have to go through, just like any international students, security screening and various things that are outside the control of (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada),” Diab said Tuesday when asked about France being able to get students out of Gaza.
“So it’s not just immigration. There’s other partners that are involved in these processes that this department has no choice but to work with and rely on in order for that to happen.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2025.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press
