Are you AWARE? Emergency Campaign for Israeli Newcomers

Once again, JIAS needs your help to welcome and support Jews in need—
this time from Israel, our homeland experiencing the longest war in its history that began after the worst attack since its establishment. 

Together, we can reach our goal.

Are you AWARE?

By August 31, 2024, we will raise $575,000 funds for:

1. First and last month’s rent to ensure 100 families secure housing.

2. Provide financial support to cover basic essentials for 150 Israeli newcomer families waiting for the opportunity to work legally in Canada, register their children for school and access health care.

All funds raised in this campaign go directly to client support. 

We sleep well at night because there is an Israel.

As Israelis arrive in our community, they deserve the same peace of mind and to know they are not alone.

• We encourage you to become AWARE of the special measures Israeli newcomers must follow to come to Canada–the potential of an open work permit and the impact of its limitations.

• We encourage you to become AWARE of the need which is growing and urgent.

• We encourage you to become AWARE of how to make a difference.

Supporting newcomers in need is the Jewish way. It is the JIAS way.

Are you AWARE?

Our work with Israeli newcomers is another milestone in JIAS's century-long legacy of supporting diverse Jewish immigrants from around the world. No other agency can provide the holistic settlement support that JIAS offers – in Hebrew and together with Jewish community partner agencies. From urgent housing to mental health support, JIAS helps newcomers address the full scope of their needs while providing a warm embrace from our community.

When you are AWARE of the facts, you will understand why this fundraising campaign is both needed and urgent.

Please read the questions and answers below to learn more and to use in discussions with friends and family. The more people who are aware, the more help will be provided, where it is needed. Thank you for your interest, commitment, and support.  
What is an Open Work Permit?
An open work permit allows foreign nationals to work for any Canadian employer for a specified period. In December 2023, Canada introduced special temporary immigration measures allowing Israeli and Palestinian passport holders with valid temporary resident status in Canada to apply for fee-exempt study or open work permits that can be valid for up to three years. The initial deadline to apply was June 12, 2024. The deadline has now been extended to July 31, 2025.
Who is entitled to the special measures Open Work Permit?
  • Israeli nationals and Palestinian passport holders in Canada.
  • Those who came to Canada through the special measures for extended family in Gaza.
  • Family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who left Israel or the Palestinian Territories on or after October 7, 2023.
When Does OHIP kick in for people with an Open Work Permit?

A person is NOT eligible for OHIP as they wait for their open work permit.

A person is NOT eligible for OHIP when they get their open work permit.

Open Work Permit holders in Ontario are eligible for OHIP when the following criteria are met, which takes several months to secure:

  • Employed full-time for 6 months.
  • Physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days immediately after establishing residency within the province.
  • Physically present in Ontario for a minimum of 153 days within any 12-month period.
How does someone apply for an open work permit?

You must be in Canada to apply for an open work permit, and then it can take 3-4 months for the work permit to be approved.

Can someone legally work while they are waiting for an open work permit?

No. It is not legal for a foreign national to work until their work permit is approved.

Are JIAS’s Israeli newcomer clients intending to stay in Canada or are they here just temporarily?

There is no definitive answer to this question. Israeli newcomers to Canada have varied experiences living in Israel prior to and after October 7 and varied reasons for coming to Canada. At this time the most accurate answer is that some will stay for a short-term, others will stay for the long-term, and many are still undecided.

How much is JIAS aiming to raise in its Are you Aware? Emergency campaign for Israeli Newcomers?

By August 31, 2024, we aim to raise $575,000 funds for:

  • First and last month’s rent to ensure 100 families secure housing.
  • Provide financial support to cover basic essentials for 150 Israeli newcomer families waiting for the opportunity to work legally in Canada.
Are the Israeli newcomers people who were evacuated from their homes in Israel?
They are from all over Israel. Their experiences living there prior to and after October 7 are wide-ranging, as are their reasons for coming to Canada. Of the 849 Israeli newcomer clients who have arrived in Canada since October 2023, the vast majority are young families with parents who are highly educated professionals with significant work experience.
What are the demographics of JIAS Israelis newcomer clients since October 7?
These numbers are growing weekly but as of July 2024 the following can be shared using JIAS client data:
  • 32% are kids between the ages of 0-10 and an additional 10% are under 18.
  • 27% are between 19 and 30 years of age,
  • 24% are between 30 and 50 years
  • Fewer than 7% are over 60.
What are the immediate and urgent needs of these clients?

Israelis applying for the special measures must do so from within Canada, which means that they are arriving as visitors and then waiting up to 4 months to receive their open work permit, which allows them to work legally here.  Until they receive the open work permit, they are visitors, a status that presents several challenges:

  • They cannot legally work and earn money in Canada, which means that they must rely on their savings to cover all living expenses. Once they receive the work permit (typically 3-4 months later), it can take additional months to secure full-time, gainful employment.
  • Their visitor status and inability to work are barriers to securing long-term housing, and newcomers are often asked to pay several months up front as a guarantee to the landlord.
  • The cost of short-term housing can be astronomical, depleting newcomers’ savings.
  • They are not eligible for OHIP for many months after they arrive.
  • Prior to June 2024, Israeli newcomers could register their kids for public school with proof of their open work permit application. As of June 2024, this changed. Now, they can only register once their open work permit is accepted, which takes months. This means Israeli newcomers must incur the added expense of being international students in the public school system. As a result, Israelis newcomers to the GTA have the following needs:
  • Accurate information about life in Canada, including their rights as visitors and work permit holders.
  • Access to community resources/organizations/people.
  • Affordable short-term housing and access to long-term housing.
  • Financial supplementation during the waiting period for the open work permit is issued and they find a job.
How can I help Israeli newcomers?

You can make a significant difference to the lives of Israeli newcomers in the following ways:

  • JIAS works closely with JVS, which runs EMETemployment, a Jewish community resource that connects employers and job seekers. We are looking for employers willing to hire Israelis and all Israelis seeking work to register with EMETemployment.
  • Landlords of residential properties to offer short-term accommodations to Israelis through our Airbnb.org partnership or to provide access to long-term housing opportunities. To learn more or discuss further, contact housingsupport@jiastoronto.org
  • Volunteers willing to be professional mentors to help Israelis rebuild their networks and better understand the Canadian job market. Contact volunteer@jiastoronto.org
  • If you have items to donate, you can do so through the Facebook group Clothes & Household Items for Israeli Newcomer Families.
Can Israeli children access public education in Ontario?
Prior to June 2024, Israeli newcomers could register their kids for public school with proof of their open work permit application. As of June 2024, this changed. Now, they can only register once their open work permit is accepted, which takes months. This means Israeli newcomers must incur the added expense of being international students in the public school system.
Are Israelis newcomers refugees in Canada?

Israeli newcomers are not refugees in Canada. A refugee is defined as a person forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution or natural disaster who cannot get protection in their own country and who cannot safely return home. While Israelis have and continue to experience war and terror, they choose to leave Israel and can return if they so choose.

Thank you for choosing to become AWARE.

Together, we can reach our goal.

By August 31, 2024, we will raise $575,000 funds for:
1.  First and last month’s rent to ensure 100 families secure housing.
2.  Provide financial support to cover basic essentials for 150 Israeli newcomer families waiting for the opportunity to work legally in Canada, register their children for school and access health care.

All funds raised in this campaign go directly to client support.