Ottawa seeking unprecedented level of personal details from Palestinian migrants, lawyers say

As Palestinians in Gaza seeking to escape the Israel-Hamas war begin applying to come here through a special immigration program, immigration lawyers say Ottawa is asking for an unprecedented level of personal information from prospective migrants.

«It's strikingly different than what is ordinarily required for a visitor visa application,» said immigration lawyer Pantea Jafari. "[The federal government] is asking for significantly more information than any of those applications, and even more than any permanent resident's application."

This week, the federal government launched a new program to permit up to 1,000 Palestinians who are extended family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to apply to come to Canada and stay for three years if their families can support them financially.

A Canadian citizen or permanent resident who applies on behalf of a relative in Gaza receives a form from the federal government requesting additional personal information about the migrant applicant.

The form asks for «a full and detailed employment history, since the age of 16 years, including exact dates, description and details on your roles and responsibilities, name(s) of supervisors(s), reason for leaving the job, and any disciplinary issues.»

It also requires a «description» of, and explanations for, «any scars or injuries which have required medical attention.» The form asks applicants to list all social media accounts, former phone numbers and email addresses associated with a prospective migrant, along with passport information.

Jafari said that's a lot of information to ask of people who are fleeing for their lives.

«It's an incredibly difficult position to put an already vulnerable population into, and I just can't