"IOM assisted in the safe and orderly resettlement of 10,000 Syrian refugees from Lebanon and Jordan to Canada between December 11th and January 12th – some 40 per cent of the 25,000 refugees Canada committed to resettle by early 2016," IOM spokesperson Joel Millman was quoted as saying in a statement published on the agency's website.
The international migration watchdog has been working with the Canadian authorities, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) as well as with Beirut and Amman since late November 2015 to register the refugees for further resettlement, Millman noted.
"I am delighted we have passed such an important milestone in the resettlement process. This is largely due to the excellent coordination between the governments of Canada, Jordan and Lebanon, as well as our partner agencies," IOM Jordan Chief of Mission Enrico Ponziani stated in the statement.
The pledge to accept 25,000 refugees was voiced by the Canadian prime minister during his election campaign.
Upon immigrating to Canada, Syrian nationals fleeing war and violence in their country will contribute to the sustainable growth of the Canadian economy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in mid-November, 2015.
