CANADA THROWS LIFELINE TO IRANIAN WORKERS AS WAR RAGES

Canada is throwing a vital lifeline to Iranian temporary workers trapped by the war raging in their homeland.

Immigration officials quietly unveiled the policy shift yesterday. It grants automatic extensions to any Iranian worker whose permit expires in the next six months.

The move affects more than 5,000 skilled workers. Many are engineers, doctors and tech specialists who fled Tehran’s crackdown.

Crucially, the extensions require no costly applications. Workers get a two-year reprieve simply by proving their nationality.

But there’s a catch. The relief only applies to those already on Canadian soil. Iranians still waiting in visa queues are out of luck.

One software engineer, who asked not to be named, called it a ‘godsend’. He faced deportation next month despite death threats from Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard.

The 34-year-old from Isfahan said: ‘I can finally breathe. My children can stay in school.’

Immigration Minister Mark Miller’s office confirmed the policy. A senior aide said: ‘We won’t abandon these people while their country burns.’

The aide revealed Ottawa is monitoring the situation ‘hour by hour’ as Israeli airstrikes pound Iranian military sites.

Human rights groups praised the move but asked for more. They want permanent residency pathways opened.

Amnesty International’s Canada director called it ‘the least we can do’. She pointed to videos of workers being arrested at Tehran airport.

The timing matters. Western sanctions have crippled Iran’s economy. Remittances from Canada now feed thousands of families back home.

Each worker sends an average $1,200 monthly. That’s a lifeline for relatives facing 50% inflation and food shortages.

Yet the policy has its critics. Opposition MPs call it ‘hasty’ and warn of security risks.

Conservative immigration critic Tom Kmiec demanded: ‘Have these workers been properly vetted?’

Sources in his office claim some applicants have ‘opaque’ backgrounds. They want enhanced screening.

The government insists national security checks remain airtight. All workers were screened when they first arrived.

For now, families like the Ahmadi’s are celebrating. Fatemeh Ahmadi, a nurse in Vancouver, can stop looking over her shoulder.

Her husband, a construction manager, broke down when he heard the news. Their teenage daughter recorded his tears for grateful relatives in Shiraz.

It comes as Britain and Australia debate similar measures. Both have stalled amid political infighting.

Canada, by contrast, acted in just 72 hours. Ministers credit direct lobbying from Iranian-Canadian community leaders.

One organizer, Parisa Mahmoudi, said: ‘We flooded their phones. We weren’t taking no for an answer.’

Her group, Iranian-Canadians for Justice, delivered 40,000 emails to Parliament Hill in a single weekend.

The campaign went viral on Persian-language Instagram. Influencers with millions of followers urged action.

Now Mahmoudi wants the government to go further. She is pushing for a dedicated humanitarian corridor.

The ask? Direct evacuation flights for endangered activists and their families.

Ottawa remains non-committal. Officials say they are ‘exploring all options’ but cite diplomatic complexities.

Back in Tehran, the regime slammed Canada’s move as ‘interference’. State media accused Ottawa of harboring ‘criminals’.

Canadian officials laughed off the criticism. One diplomat noted Iran’s foreign ministry can’t even access its own bank accounts.

For workers on the ground, politics doesn’t matter. They just want stability.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications open Monday on the IRCC portal. Workers need only upload their passport and current permit.

Processing takes five business days. There are no fees.

Legal aid clinics across Canada are offering free help. Vancouver’s Mosaic Centre has 30 staffers on standby.

But immigration lawyers warn: don’t wait. The policy could be reversed if the war ends suddenly.

The war shows no sign of stopping. Israeli officials promise ‘weeks’ of continued operations.

That means Canada’s policy may be just the beginning. Sources say temporary protected status could be next.

For now, 5,000 families sleep easier. Their Canadian dream lives to fight another day.

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