CIMM – Overall Narrative on Canada’s Commitment on Afghanistan – February 8, 2023

In August 2021, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Canada acted quickly and compassionately. Despite having no military or diplomatic presence on the ground, Canada played a key role in a coalition that saw more than 100,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan to various countries.

The Government of Canada and our allies were able to get more than 3,700 evacuees out of Kabul and to Canada thanks to the collective efforts of the Canadian Armed Forces, Global Affairs Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and our allies, as well as the bravery of Afghan nationals.

Our sense of obligation was driven by a deep connection to Afghanistan, as well as our humanitarian and international commitments, rooted in serving the Afghan people and a growing Afghan diaspora that has helped to strengthen Canada.

Arrivals continue as we work toward our goal of bringing at least 40,000 vulnerable Afghans to Canada by the end of 2023, one of the largest Afghan resettlement programs around the world. More than 27,000 Afghans can now call Canada home.

Over half of this commitment focuses on people who assisted Canada, including 18,000 spaces through the Special Immigration Measures Program for Afghan nationals and their families who closely assisted the Government of Canada, as well as 5,000 spaces for the extended family members of Afghan interpreters who came to Canada under earlier programs.

Canada was among the first countries to launch a special humanitarian resettlement program for vulnerable Afghans (including woman leaders, human rights defenders, persecuted and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, and journalists). Canadians also stepped forward to privately sponsor thousands of Afghans.

The Government of Canada, with the support of settlement service providers, domestic partners, as well as provinces and territories, is working to support Afghan newcomers as they build their new lives in over 158 communities in Canada, offering help finding employment, housing and schools for their children. Canadians also continue to donate their time and goods, and to help newcomers settle into their communities.

Unfortunately, a crisis of this magnitude means that there will always be more demand for resettlement to Canada than we are able to provide, and there are many challenges that remain. The key persistent challenge is that many Afghans in need of protection are still in Afghanistan, and movement out of the country both by air and by land continues to be very difficult and dangerous. As well, each country sets its own entry and exit requirements, and determines if these requirements are changed.

We continue to explore all avenues to support safe passage for our clients out of Afghanistan to a third country and to maximize every opportunity to help Afghans leave Afghanistan and travel onwards to Canada. This includes working with like-minded partners and countries in the region. We’ve also added more employees and resources in our missions abroad to process applications as quickly as possible.

We are also considering other measures, including legislative options, to address the need for exemptions for some Canadian organizations seeking to conduct humanitarian and other essential activities in regions controlled by a terrorist group while avoiding the legal risk of committing a terrorist financing offence.

As we continue to make progress on our commitment, we are also working with other government departments to review lessons learned, including the recommendations made by the Special Committee on Afghanistan in their report. We will identify the gaps and the way we can improve our policies, programs and processes, both in the context of Afghanistan and in response to other current and future crises.

We are on track and committed to overcoming the challenges ahead of us. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, and along with our partners at home and abroad – and the generosity of Canadians – we will continue to bring Afghans to safety in Canada.

Page details

Date modified: