Canada moved to ease immigration for Turkish and Syrian nationals already in the country a month after an earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people on Saturday.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred on February 6 killed more than 45,000 people in Turkey and thousands of people in neighboring Syria, and destroyed hundreds of thousands of buildings.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser said, “Canada is committed to providing assistance to those affected by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.”
The new measures will allow people from those countries to apply for work permits for foreigners for a certain period of time.
“Today, we are introducing new measures that make it easier for citizens of Turkey and Syria to extend their stay in Canada and be with their families while continuing to work and study in a safe environment,” Fraser added.
This announcement comes 10 days after the UN called on the international community to accelerate the resettlement of Syrian refugees from earthquake-affected areas in Turkey.
Voice of America