More Canadians ask for help to get out of Sudan: Joly

About 50 additional Canadians were evacuated out of Sudan in the last day, but even more have added their names to a list seeking help to flee, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Wednesday.

About 50 additional Canadians were evacuated out of Sudan in the last day, but even more have added their names to a list seeking help to flee, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Wednesday.

That means about 150 Canadians and permanent residents have now been helped to get out of the country after violence broke out last week between the East-African country's army and paramilitary force.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier this week Canada had a C-17 military plane in the region to help airlift Canadians out but so far has relied on other countries to find space on their planes or boats.

Joly says roughly 1,800 Canadian citizens or permanent residents have now registered their presence in Sudan and 700 of those have asked to be helped out of the country.

On Tuesday Joly told Parliament 1,700 people had registered and 550 had asked for help.

She says Canada is also considering a request from Sudanese diaspora groups for relatives to be able to come to Canada on a temporary basis until the violence abates.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said Wednesday the government called in some workers who were on strike with the Public Service Alliance of Canada, declaring them essential workers in order to help process immigration paperwork for people in Sudan.