• Canada moved on Saturday to simplify immigration for Turkish and Syrian citizens.
• On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed over 45,000 people in Turkey.
• Thousands more were killed in neighboring Syria.

A month after an earthquake in both nations killed more than 50,000 people, Canada moved on Saturday to simplify immigration for Turkish and Syrian citizens already in the country.

On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed over 45,000 people in Turkey and thousands more in neighboring Syria, destroying hundreds of thousands of structures.

“Canada is committed to providing relief to those impacted by the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria,” said Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship.

People from certain nations, for example, would be able to apply for work permits, which would allow them to work for any business for a set length of time.

“Today we are introducing new measures that make it easier for Turkish and Syrian nationals to extend their stay in Canada and be with their families while continuing to work and study in a safe environment,” Fraser added.

The announcement comes ten days after the UN urged the international community to expedite the relocation of Syrian refugees from earthquake-affected areas in Turkey.

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