Immigration Minister Marc Miller says people in the Gaza Strip who have Canadian relatives will now be able to apply for temporary visas to Canada, but the federal government cannot guarantee them safe passage out of the besieged Palestinian territory.
He expects the program to be up and running by Jan. 9.
Until now, the government has focused on getting 660 Canadians, permanent residents, and their spouses and children out of the Gaza Strip.
Miller says the government will start accepting applications for people with extended family connections to Canada, including parents, grandparents, siblings and grandchildren.
He says people will be offered three-year visas if they meet eligibility and admissibility criteria.
Miller says he's not sure how many people will be able to come to Canada under the program, but he expects the number will be in the hundreds.
