TEHRAN- After Operation al-Aqsa Storm on October 7 and the ongoing war on Gaza, Canada granted Israelis a “humanitarian visa”. According to estimates, thousands of Israelis seized the opportunity and migrated back to the West.

The Israeli website Walla has been the latest to report that thousands of Israelis have migrated to Canada since October 7 last year. But the number is believed to be on the rise. 

According to the report, Canada has been offering Israelis the humanitarian visa, an initiative that has prompted many to seize the opportunity and relocate.

Tel Aviv was already suffering from brain drain before October 7 as a result of Israelis growing increasingly delusional with the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That trend is also on the rise. 

Michal Harel, who moved to Canada approximately five years ago and now manages a site assisting Israelis in their migration process, highlighted Canada’s appeal. 

Harrel underlined how Canada offers a more comfortable lifestyle, a diverse and inclusive society, a better public health system, educational opportunities, and promising economic prospects for future generations. 
All the factors are said to be worse off in Israel. 

The website also detailed a specialized Canadian program designed to facilitate the integration of Israeli immigrants. 

Initially announced earlier in the year, the program was recently extended for an additional year, most likely influenced by escalating tensions in the region. 

Moreover, a specific project has been launched that grants Israeli nationals a three-year work visa in Canada, during which they can pursue applications for permanent residency or full citizenship. 

When questioned about the issue of “national allegiance to Israel”, Harrel responded that while there have been isolated instances of less enthusiastic reactions on social media platforms, overall, the initiative has been positively received. 

She emphasized that the project aims to assist Israelis seeking a respite or new opportunities abroad. 

The website highlighted Canada’s historical appeal as a favored destination for Jewish migration worldwide, offering a peaceful and anti-Semitism-free environment where Jewish communities can thrive. 

Recent estimates from the 2021 census indicate that approximately 400,000 Israelis currently reside in Canada, with the majority concentrated in the city of Toronto. 

An additional 2,000 to 3,000 Israelis reportedly immigrate on an annual basis, though this figure has likely risen notably since the onset of the war on Gaza and wider regional tensions. 

Since the outbreak of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, Hebrew media has reported a significant exodus of Israelis from the occupied Palestinian territories, underscoring a notable trend of reverse migration among Jewish communities seeking tranquility and security. 

Many Israelis have also been internally displaced from their homes since October 7. 

Tens of thousands have evacuated the settlements that surround the blockaded Gaza Strip. 

Near the border with Lebanon, Tel Aviv acknowledges that tens of thousands have also fled or have been ordered to evacuate from the north since October. 

But many argue the number of displaced Israelis in the north is much higher, suggesting that a quarter of a million settlers have fled to Tel Aviv and elsewhere as a result of Hezbollah’s daily military operations in solidarity with Gaza. 

Many are living in hotels, angry at the lack of any genuine government plan to return them to the north after eight months amid no end in sight to the Hezbollah operations on northern settlements that have been turned into military zones.