Newsletters
Canada has decided not to extend the temporary visas granted to Turkish earthquake survivors following the devastating Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes in southern Türkiye, a move that is expected to lead to the return of thousands of Turkish citizens in the coming weeks.
According to reports, nearly 9,000 Turkish nationals are expected to head back to Türkiye after their permits expire, while many others have already returned voluntarily.
After the powerful earthquakes that struck Kahramanmaras in southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, 2023, the Canadian government rolled out a special immigration program designed to support people directly affected by the disaster.
Through this program, Turkish citizens who met certain criteria were allowed to move to Canada under temporary work and residence permits.
The initiative was intended to offer short-term stability to those who had lost homes and livelihoods as entire cities were left heavily damaged or destroyed.
Following the launch of the program, about 20,000 Turkish citizens traveled to Canada and began building temporary lives there, often taking up physically demanding or low-paid jobs while trying to rebuild their futures.
At the outset, the temporary permits were expected to be reviewed each year and potentially extended depending on circumstances.
During the tenure of then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, discussions even emerged around the possibility of granting permanent residence or citizenship to some of the Turkish earthquake survivors who had settled in the country.
These conversations raised hopes among many participants in the program that they might eventually be able to remain in Canada on a longer-term basis.
However, immigration policy shifted after Mark Carney took office as Canada’s prime minister on March 14, 2025.
Under the revised approach, authorities decided not to renew the special permits starting in 2026. As a result, Turkish citizens whose temporary visas expire have been informed that they must leave the country once their legal stay comes to an end.
The decision effectively brings the special post-earthquake program to a close.
Reports indicate that around 10,000 Turkish citizens who benefited from the program have already chosen to return to Türkiye voluntarily.
With extensions no longer available, roughly 9,000 more people are expected to follow in the coming days as their visas expire.
Meanwhile, some Turkish nationals living in Canada under the program have organized themselves under a platform called “TS2023,” through which they have called on Canadian authorities to consider granting permanent residence.
Members of the group have urged the government to come up with what they describe as a fair and reasonable solution, saying that many arrived in Canada after their homes were destroyed and hoped to start new lives there.
One of the messages shared by participants in the initiative reads: “Our homes in our hometowns turned into rubble, and we came to Canada to start a new life. We want a fair and reasonable solution for permanent residence.”
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
0 min read
1 min read
