IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2023: Afghanistan

Context

• In response to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Government of Canada made a public commitment to resettle at least 40,000 Afghans by the end [Redacted]
• The three primary Afghan Resettlement Initiative pathways include: (1) Special Immigration Measures (SIMs) for Afghan nationals who closely supported the Government of Canada; (2) family reunification for extended family members of former Afghan interpreters previously resettled in Canada; and (3) humanitarian programs to resettle vulnerable individuals from priority groups as government-assisted and privately sponsored refugees.
• The initiative is one of the most complex resettlement efforts undertaken by IRCC. Unlike most other refugee situations, a large number of individuals captured under Canada’s commitment – particularly those who closely supported Canada during its time in Afghanistan – were still in Afghanistan at the beginning of the crisis. In addition, Taliban exit requirements, terrorism financing restrictions, entry and exit requirements in third countries (e.g., Pakistan), and limited Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and partner capacity on the ground in Afghanistan have posed significant challenges.

Impacts

• In the days leading up to and following the fall of Kabul, the Government of Canada received over a million requests to be resettled under the SIM program. Based on space in the program, IRCC has been working to resettle individuals referred by the Department of National Defence (DND) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC). However, demand far exceeds available spaces and the program is now fully subscribed.
• In June 2022, the Special Committee on Afghanistan presented its Report to the House of Commons containing 37 recommendations across four key themes: lessons learned and approach to crisis response; support for safe passage out of Afghanistan and Criminal Code limitations; immigration pathways and eligibility requirements; and processing of Afghan applications and responsiveness to client enquiries. The Government agreed with the vast majority of the Committee’s recommendations and has prioritized implementation. Key milestones to date include the Department’s work to waive the Refugee Status Determination requirement for up to 3,000 Afghan refugees to facilitate sponsorship, approval of legislation to enable government officials and implementing partners to carry out key safe passage activities without risk of criminal liability for terrorist financing, and exploration of a permanent crisis response function within IRCC linked to its Strategic Immigration Review.
• Approximately 7,627 clients still remain in Afghanistan, adding complexity to processing and requiring sustained diplomatic and international engagement to enable safe passage. Given the absence of Canadian diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, IRCC cannot conduct key processing steps relating to identity verification and security reviews, notably biometrics collection. To address this, IRCC and security partners created a multi-stage security screening process utilizing additional biographic information for vetting clients in Afghanistan, followed by complete biometric screening and security reviews in third countries before travel to Canada. IRCC continues to explore options for in-country biometrics [Redacted], however, the volatile security situation is ongoing.
• To advance implementation of the Afghan Resettlement Initiative, Canada has leveraged diplomatic cooperation with partners in the region and like-minded countries, as well as partnerships with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, provinces and territories, and a vast network of resettlement and settlement partners in Canada.
• For example, IRCC and GAC are working with the Government of Pakistan to expedite movement of Afghan refugees to Canada from Pakistan where many thousands of Afghan clients are currently located. This includes streamlining exit procedures and increasing the frequency of charters coming to Canada.
• [Redacted]
• Similar to previous waves of refugee resettlement, integration of new arrivals is an important part of IRCC’s work, noting that challenges around prior COVID-19 restrictions and subsequent housing availability impacted Canadians and newcomers alike. Working with provinces and territories and service providers, efforts are in place to settle Afghan families not only in larger centres but also in smaller communities where newcomers have better access to settlement services, including more affordable housing.

Current Program

• The Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021 resulted in significant and immediate risks to Afghan nationals, particularly those who supported Canada and its allies over two decades of engagement in Afghanistan.
• In August 2021, the Government announced a commitment to resettle 20,000 Afghans to Canada. This [Redacted] commitment was doubled to at least 40,000 in September 2021.
• In April 2022, the Minister of IRCC articulated the way forward on the Afghan Resettlement Initiative, including the allocation of spaces as follows:
  • 18,000 spaces for those with a significant and/or enduring relationship with Canada. Individuals must be referred by GAC or DND, who are responsible for confirming the relationship.
  • 5,000 spaces for extended families of interpreters resettled in Canada under 2009 and 2012 public policies. Individuals must have an eligible anchor relative in Canada (i.e. former interpreters) in order to apply;
  • [Redacted]
  • [Redacted]

Recent Developments

• Current efforts are focused on facilitating travel for clients remaining in Afghanistan and Pakistan. [Redacted]
• Bill C-41 received Royal Assent on June 20, 2023. The amendments provide for the Public Safety (PS) Minister to issue authorizations enabling government officials and implementing partners to carry out key safe passage activities without the risk of criminal liability for terrorist financing. IRCC and GAC are working with PS to implement the PS-led authorization regime.
• [Redacted]
• [Redacted]
• Any changes to the current objectives of the Afghan Resettlement Initiative, as outlined in the 2023-2025 MYLP, would need to be reflected in the 2024-2026 MYLP to seek additional levels space and/or funding.

Upcoming Milestones

• Canada’s Afghan Resettlement Initiative continues to be one of the most complex resettlement efforts Canada has undertaken, requiring a whole-of-government approach including extensive interdepartmental collaboration and new approaches with stakeholders and international and domestic partners.
• Canada is currently on track to resettle at least 40,000 Afghans by the end of 2023, [Redacted]. As of July 14, 2023, nearly 35,000 Afghan individuals have arrived under all pathways. [Redacted]
• IRCC recognizes the need to remain nimble and adapt to a constantly shifting environment to enable arrivals all current clients under the Afghan Resettlement Initiative. Critical areas of are: enabling safe passage of clients out of Afghanistan; facilitating exit from Pakistan; re-establishing in-country biometric collection; ensuring inadmissibility reviews are concluded as efficiently as possible while safe-guarding Canada and mitigating impacts on bilateral and multilateral relations; and, ensuring seamless delivery of settlement supports and services.
• The crisis in Afghanistan was a unique learning opportunity for IRCC and the Government of Canada. IRCC is working to apply its experiences and lessons learned in key areas such as policy, processing and operations, communications and stakeholder relations to inform future immigration responses to international humanitarian crises.