It took three attempts, but a Syrian refugee family in Lebanon finally arrived in Saskatoon on April 12. The family is now in quarantine for two weeks. 

Mohamad, his wife Rasha and their four children were contacted in January by the International Office of Migration (IOM) and told they would travel to Canada in February. They were overjoyed. It was news they had waited years to hear!

They gave away their possessions, cleaned out their apartment and packed their bags. But just a few days before their departure, the pandemic thwarted their plans. Their flights were postponed.

New flights were booked for March, but once again their trip was cancelled due the pandemic.

The family wondered if they would ever get to Canada. But their third attempt worked! The family arrived in Toronto on April 9 and three days later (after the mandatory quarantine) landed in Saskatoon.  

Once their quarantine is over, they will reunite with Mohamad’s sister Khadijah and their relatives in the city.

Mohamad’s family is the first ‘Nest arrival” in 14 months. More than 10 other Nest families are either waiting for news about their travel, or for their interviews with Canadian embassy officials.