AFGH – Processing of Applications – April 25, 2022

Key messages

• We are implementing multiple programs to achieve our goal of welcoming at least 40,000 Afghans to Canada.
• The process for identifying at-risk Afghans differs slightly for each case and each pathway can pose unique challenges for processing.
• For example, the majority of our Special Immigration Measures clients are located inside of Afghanistan, where we are unable to complete security screening.
• For our Humanitarian Program, we are working with a number of new referral partners which takes time to explore and orient to IRCC’s referral process. Though we are already seeing positive results.
• In every scenario, we are identifying and implementing creative solutions including: providing dedicated communication channels; delivering new e-application intake tools; utilizing temporary resident visas where necessary; undertaking biometrics collection trips; introducing multi-stage security screening; and mobilizing significant resources.
• So far we have welcomed over 11,500 Afghan clients, with hundreds more arriving every week.

Supplementary messages

Persistent Barriers and Creative Solutions to Processing

• It can take several weeks for refugees to get their visas and exit permits, and each country has their own processes, which can impact this timeframe.
• We are navigating client processing in a country in which Canada has no military or diplomatic presence and the current government is a designated terrorist organization under Canadian law.
• These challenges include the lack of biometric collection capacity and the lack of safe secure routes out of the country; the unstable conditions and changing requirements for documents to exit and the regime’s volatile rules for exit coupled with the need for our clients to meet the legal entry requirements for neighboring countries makes for an extremely challenging and dangerous operating environment.
• Nonetheless, we continue to persevere, to work with neighbouring countries to solicit their continued support and assistance through dialogue and by working with like-minded partners. We cannot put clients at risk as we do not control Afghani exit controls nor the entry controls of other sovereign neighbouring nations.
• As a result, the key challenge we are facing is that many at-risk Afghans remain in Afghanistan and are unable to leave even by land. This significantly impacts applicants under both the Special Immigration Measures and Extended Family of Formerly Resettled Interpreters programs.
• To address this issue we are working on multiple fronts including the implementation of multi-stage security screening, work with regional partners to secure safe passage and establish third-country staging areas.
• As an example of creative solutions for processing, IRCC implemented telephone interviews in certain circumstances when the client is in Afghanistan to allow for continued processing of their applications.
• The Department also established a temporary Visa Application Centre (VAC) at a [Redacted], to provide specific administrative support services and biometric collection services to Afghan nationals who supported the [Redacted] in Afghanistan and are destined to Canada.
• Further, additional biometric collection capacity has been added to the network to ensure timely collection for Afghan nationals globally. In Fall 2021, [Redacted]. The Department monitors closely the capacity at the VAC and adjusted accordingly. At this time additional equipment has been deployed to [Redacted] to further increase biometric collection capacity.
• IRCC continues to actively monitor Panel Physician capacity in third countries where movements are identified. The Panel Physician (PP) clinic in [Redacted] increased their processing capacity and added new physicians to expedite large volumes of Immigration Medical Exams (IMEs). IOM Pakistan has also increased their processing capacity to facilitate pre-departure IMEs. PP capacity in all other implicated countries remains high and poised to continue supporting this movement.
• Under the Humanitarian Program, we are working with many new referral partners which takes time to explore and orient to our processes.
• As we work to increase the pace of arrivals, these new partners have contributed significantly to the arrival of 11,500 new Afghan nationals in Canada so far.
• In order to help expedite the processing of applications under the Humanitarian program, we are:
  • implementing new digital tools for Privately Sponsored Refugees to help them with form completion and prioritize their processing;
  • working with partners to identify priority cases; and
  • sending more officers to collect biometrics and conduct interviews in key third countries, including: Albania, Greece, Qatar and Tajikistan.
• In order to assist Afghan clients overall we have created a dedicated telephone line and web form to serve Afghan clients seeking information and assistance.
• The special web from is an innovative tool used to streamline the intake, triage and processing of over 30,000 email enquiries related to Afghanistan that have been received by the Department. This form has since been extended to collect enhanced biographic information for those applying to the Afghan programs.

Departmental Resourcing of networks for processing

• IRCC has mobilized its Global network to respond to both the crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine. We continue to have dedicated resources focused on the Afghanistan movement as demonstrated in our constant flow of arrivals. To this end, we have committed additional funding over the next two years to continue our focus on the Afghan initiative.
• Additional resources have been deployed to missions in the Middle East, including Ankara, Abu Dhabi and Islamabad to support processing as well as organizing travel to Canada.
• For locations where positions are pending creation, IRCC has been sending a regular rotation of Temporary Duty officers to support file processing and client movements.
• Additionally, remote processing assistance has been provided from Missions around the globe and from inside Canada.

Supporting facts and figures

Current Processing & Landing Inventories (as of April 20, 2022)

• There are currently 14,818 Afghans who have applied under the Special Immigration Measures for individuals with a significant or enduring relationship to Canada in the processing and landing inventory, with approximately 5,910 identified as currently in Afghanistan.
• Of that 14,818 persons over ten thousand (10,173) have been processed. Of that 10,173 persons over 5,644 are now in Canada and 4,548 are awaiting exit from Afghanistan and/or onward travel to Canada.
• There are currently 6,872 Afghans who have applied under the GAR Humanitarian Programs – 300 are currently in Afghanistan.
• There are currently 10,757 Afghans who have applied under the PSR Humanitarian Programs, in the processing inventory, with approximately 40 currently in Afghanistan.
• There are 3,385 Afghans who have applied under the priority processing streams in the processing and landing inventory, with 51% currently in Afghanistan.

Current Processing Timelines

• Armed with these new tools and approaches, we are processing applications for Afghan nationals as quickly as possible.
• IRCC cannot provide a precise estimate as to how long it will take to process applications that are currently in Special Immigration Measures, Humanitarian Program or Extended Family inventories.
• The time required to process these applications will depend on a variety of factors, including whether the client is still in Afghanistan.

Background

Additional Measures in place to enhance and/or expedite processing

• IRCC has put in place a number of facilitative measures for Afghan applicants, including expanding services to refugee clients under the current VAC contract and issuing Temporary Resident Permits to complete processing in-Canada, where medicals cannot be completed prior to travel to Canada.
• IRCC is also expediting the processing of applications by increasing communication and coordination resources to monitor progress, communicate updates and develop solutions to address existing and emerging processing challenges for this very complex movement.