November 15, 2013

Canada to Prioritize Applications from the Philippines in Response to Typhoon Haiyan

Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced yesterday that Canada will prioritize visa and immigration applications for people in the Philippines who have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

The announcement comes following the catastrophic natural disaster that destroyed many cities and towns in the Philippines a week ago.  Canada has ensured that the Canadian Embassy in Manila remains open providing full visa, immigration and passport processing.  Canadian Visa Centres in Manila and Cebu are also open.

Canadians without travel documents as a result of the typhoon will have their applications expedited.  People in the Philippines who can demonstrate they are significantly and personally affected by the typhoon will have their applications prioritized for urgent processing.

Within Canada:

Filipino citizens temporarily in Canada who are affected by the typhoon and are looking to extend their stay must declare their case for priority. These applicants and their family members will be assessed in a compassionate and flexible manner.

Priority visa and immigration processing applies only to those affected by Typhoon Haiyan.  For more information on Temporary Residency please see our pages on Visitor Visas, Work Permits, Study Permits, and the Live-in Caregiver Program.

The Canadian Government has also set up a Typhoon Relief Fund, and pledged that from Nov 9 – Dec 8, 2013 it will match every donation made by Canadians to a recognized aid organization. Lists of how best to donate are available here and here.