Maple News reports that thousands of individuals who have been officially approved for permanent residency in Canada remain stranded outside the country due to complications stemming from expired documents and pandemic-related travel disruptions.
Fadi Ghaoui, a cybersecurity analyst from Lebanon, is one such case. He received his Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) on January 7, 2020, marking the final step in Canada’s immigration approval process. At the time, he and his family began preparing for their new life in Canada–he resigned from his job, and the family sold most of their belongings. But just months later, global lockdowns caused by COVID-19 grounded commercial flights, including the one the family had booked for May 2020. When their flight was cancelled and Ghaoui’s COPR expired shortly afterward, their immigration plans were abruptly derailed.
“I don’t have a job, we don’t have our own place to live, and our bags are packed,” Ghaoui told Maple News. “We’ve been stuck like this for months. I don’t know what to do.”
On August 4, 2020, the situation became even more dire when a massive explosion rocked the Port of Beirut, just three kilometers from where the Ghaoui family was temporarily staying. The blast caused extensive damage in the Bourj Hammoud neighborhood, leaving physical and psychological scars. “It was very traumatic for myself and my daughter,” he said. “We could see the shockwaves coming right at us.”
In response to the Beirut blast, the Canadian government introduced special immigration measures for those affected, including waiving certain fees. While these steps were intended to alleviate hardships, Ghaoui and many others like him have yet to receive revised travel authorization from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Before the pandemic, individuals with expired COPRs were not permitted to land in Canada. But recognizing the unique challenges posed by the crisis, IRCC introduced a new webform in July 2020. This allowed expired COPR holders to request an authorization letter to travel, with priority given to those who had confirmed travel plans. However, according to IRCC officials, the first of these letters weren’t issued until September—months after most documents had already expired.
Ghaoui says he has been contacting IRCC repeatedly since March 2020, hoping for guidance or assistance, but remains stuck in limbo with no authorization and no clear timeline for resolution.
This situation highlights a significant gap in Canada’s immigration response to the pandemic. While the country has introduced policies aimed at operational flexibility, thousands of approved immigrants are living in uncertainty, unable to finalize their move or plan for the future. Maple News will continue monitoring this developing story as the government works through the pandemic’s ongoing impact on immigration.