Palestinians who fled Gaza and resettled in Montreal say they are grateful to be safe in Canada, but are struggling to integrate, find work and access support as asylum seekers.
Khaled Alshobaki, a software engineer, is approaching the first anniversary of his arrival in Montreal with his mother and brother. While physically removed from the conflict, he says the trauma of war continues to follow him.
“We’re holding with us the pain we had from the war — the anxiety, the lack of sleep at night,” Alshobaki told Global News.
The family arrived in January after fleeing Gaza 10 months earlier. Alshobaki says they lost everything they had and were forced to start over from scratch.
Coming to Montreal to join relatives brought relief, he said, but that sense of security faded once initial assistance ended. After receiving help to obtain a work permit and three months of free health care, Alshobaki says support stalled.
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Now, he says, his family feels abandoned.
As asylum seekers, Alshobaki says they are not eligible for Quebec’s employment assistance programs, which he says makes rebuilding their lives difficult.
“We’re not eligible to benefit from it,” he said. “We’re not protected people or permanent residents.”
Another refugee claimant family from Gaza says they are facing similar challenges. Fearing reprisals, they asked to remain anonymous. While neighbours and community organizations have offered support, the family says they are struggling and uncertain about what comes next.
“We have a work permit but we can’t find work,” a family member said. “We can’t sit like this waiting for other people to help us.”
Both families are taking French classes in an effort to integrate.
In December 2023, the federal government announced it would accept up to 7,500 Palestinians from Gaza with relatives in Canada following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
Advocates who work with asylum seekers say those arriving from Gaza need more sustained support, particularly when it comes to health care coverage.
They note that many refugee claimants are eligible for the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) for the duration of their asylum process, while Palestinians arriving under the Gaza measures receive only three months of coverage.
“For other asylum seekers and refugee claimants … they are able to get IFHP for the duration of their determination process, so there’s a huge discrepancy there,” one advocate said.
Alshobaki says concerns about his family’s future in Canada remain constant, adding that safety does not mean suffering has ended.
“People see us here and they think we’re safe,” he said. “But from the inside, the war followed us here. We’re still suffering from a lot of the trauma.”
Both families say they are asking for additional help so they can work, support themselves and rebuild their lives in Montreal.
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