The Canadian government announced special and temporary measures to address the "Al Haouz earthquake" that struck Morocco on September 8th. Exclusive procedures have been put in place to facilitate the stay of Moroccan citizens on its territory for a longer period, especially those wishing to extend their stay due to the earthquake. Canadian Citizenship and Immigration (IRCC) staff have also been directed to facilitate the status of Moroccans and their benefit from this temporary measure.

According to what was published on the official website of the Canadian government, these special measures, which will continue until March 12, 2024, will waive some processing fees for Moroccan applicants to extend or change the conditions of their temporary residence and allow obtaining open work permits. To be eligible to benefit from this procedure, individuals must be present on Canadian soil on or before September 8, 2023, with a valid temporary residence permit.

These measures also provide "fee waivers for Canadian citizens or permanent residents in Morocco who were affected by the earthquake and need to replace their travel documents or nationality-related documents to return to Canada," the same site states, adding: "For Canadian citizens or permanent residents seeking to replace a passport, citizenship certificate, or permanent resident card, these procedures are retroactive to September 8, 2023, and remain in effect until March 12, 2024."

These measures take into account the situation of "some applicants for permanent residence in Canada who may have lost their passports in Morocco during the earthquake and may find it long or difficult to find alternatives because the country is currently managing the crisis. Therefore, these special measures also waive the requirement to obtain a passport or travel document for approval of a permanent residence visa to travel to Canada."

Morocco experienced a violent earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale on September 8, 2023, causing heavy material and human losses. Hundreds of villages in the Al Haouz, Chichaoua, Taroudant, and Ouarzazate regions were destroyed, resulting in the death of about 3,000 Moroccan men and women. This led Morocco to declare a "national mourning" and prompted the Canadian government to take these measures, which it had previously set for Turks and Syrians following the devastating earthquake that hit those countries last February.

Recent data from the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Department (IRCC) revealed that Canada received 6,390 new permanent residents from Morocco last year, and 4,185 others in the first eight months of this year. Canada also issued about 4,580 study permits for Moroccan students last year and 4,085 permits in the first eight months of the current year.

The same data, as reported by the Canadian Immigration website, stated that "under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), 860 Moroccans obtained work permits in Canada last year, and 2,240 others obtained work permits under the same program (TFWP) in the first eight months of this year. Additionally, 2,735 other work permits were issued to Moroccans in 2022 under the International Mobility Program (IMP), and 4,650 other work permits during this year under the same program."