Egypt - IOM, in coordination with UNHCR and the Governments of Canada and Egypt, this week flew 39 Syrian refugees from Egypt to Toronto, Canada.

They are the first of 600 Syrian refugees – some 47 per cent of them children – whom IOM will help to resettle from Egypt in Canada this month, as part of Canada’s commitment to relocate 25,000 Syrian refugees from the region.

Over 10,000 Syrians have already been assisted by IOM to relocate to Canada from Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey under the same programme.

The resettled Syrians will be given permanent Canadian residence documents and social insurance numbers on arrival.

“I feel we have been granted a second chance in life. It is not about me or my husband, but rather our kids. We did not feel safe in Syria anymore. We could not see a future for them. We are delighted our prayers for a more prosperous future have been answered,” said one of the refugees.

Meanwhile, IOM is assisting the Government of Canada by providing transport, basic registration, medical screening, logistical support and a brief pre-departure orientation briefing about Canada.

In addition to the briefing, IOM’s Canadian Orientation Abroad (COA) programme is also distributing information packages to each of the departing families. 

The Government of Canada interviews the refugees, records their biometrics and is responsible for security screening.

IOM Egypt Head of Office Amr Taha said: “We are very happy that these people are getting a chance to restart their lives in a new country. I would like to thank the governments of Canada and Egypt for their generosity and for helping us to ensure that everything went smoothly.”

IOM Egypt’s resettlement program moved nearly 4,000 refugees in 2015 – 88 per cent more than the previous year. Syrians represented 32 per cent of the total.

For further information please contact Amr Taha at IOM Egypt, Tel: +20 2273 65140, Email: iomcairo@iom.int