Immigration Department beefing up resources in Beirut amid fears of larger conflict: government official

The federal Immigration Department has increased staffing in Beirut to prioritize immigration applications from Lebanon, amid growing concerns about a wider conflict in the Middle East, according to a senior government source who spoke to CBC News.

The source, who remains unnamed due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, mentioned that the department is considering policies to allow Lebanese passport holders in Canada to extend their stays if the situation in Lebanon worsens. "Those kinds of measures are being prepared for Lebanese nationals in Canada right now," the source said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly had earlier hinted at additional resources being deployed to Lebanon. "We've increased the number of diplomatic staff and people working for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to ensure we provide the right services to Canadians wanting to leave," Joly stated on Wednesday.

For foreign nationals attempting to come to Canada, the extra human resources are intended to expedite processes like security screenings and to assist those who are not citizens or permanent residents but hope to secure a seat on government-arranged flights out of Lebanon. The official added, "If you're a spouse who's not a citizen, get a Temporary Resident Visa, and those kinds of things."

These flights to Canada are available to immediate family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents, such as spouses or dependent children. However, they must complete additional paperwork and documentation.

For Lebanese citizens already in Canada who wish to extend their stays, the official noted that the government is considering policies similar to those implemented for Israelis and Palestinians in Canada after October 7, 2023.

In the event of an evacuation due to escalating conflict, the official stressed that priority would be given to Canadians and permanent residents. "It's prepared to click in an instant," the official said, noting that commercial flights are still operating to and from Beirut.

During the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Canada evacuated nearly 15,000 people from Lebanon by sea. At the time, Israel targeted Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport, claiming Hezbollah was receiving weapons there, forcing the airport to shut down.

The NDP has been urging the Canadian government to evacuate Lebanese Canadians, as it did in 2006. Two Canadians are among the 1,000 people the Lebanese government says have been killed in the past week following Israel’s airstrikes on Hezbollah targets.

Instead of a mass evacuation, the Canadian government has encouraged its citizens to leave Lebanon on commercial flights, for which it has block-booked tickets. On Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada reported that only a third of the 1,700 Canadians in Lebanon who were contacted and offered seats on these flights have accepted. Passengers must cover the $330 US cost of the ticket.

"We're following the situation extremely closely and are obviously very concerned," Immigration Minister Marc Miller said last week, although he declined to provide details on potential scenarios the department is considering.

According to Global Affairs Canada, approximately 45,000 Canadians currently live in Lebanon.