Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has welcomed the 30,000th Afghan refugee and is now three-quarters of the way to its goal of bringing 40,000 of these foreign nationals from under the clutches of the Taliban and to the safety of Canada.
“Today, Canada marks a milestone in its long-standing humanitarian tradition by welcoming over 30,000 vulnerable Afghans to their new home,” tweeted Immigration Minister Sean Fraser recently.
“This is an ambitious achievement as we work towards our goal of resettling 40,000 Afghans by 2023.”
The latest newcomers landed in Toronto on a charter flight from Pakistan and included Afghans who supported Canada’s mission in Afghanistan, family members of former Afghan interpreters, and privately-sponsored refugees arriving through the humanitarian stream.
Under Canada’s humanitarian resettlement program, those deemed to be the most vulnerable among the Afghans, including women leaders, human rights defenders, persecuted and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals and journalists, are given priority.
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“Although the Afghanistan resettlement effort is one of the largest and most difficult in Canada’s history, we remain committed to maximizing every opportunity to support these vulnerable Afghans in their transition to a better life in Canada,” said Fraser.
“This milestone is a testament to the incredible work of governments, stakeholders and non-governmental organizations and underscores our belief that welcoming refugees is an integral part of who we are.”
The IRCC has developed several special programs and measures to bring Afghan to Canada out of recognition for the help they provided during Canada’s combat role and, later, its peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan from 2001 through to 2021.
During those missions, 158 Canadian Armed Forces members died in the cause of peace and freedom in Afghanistan.
After the Taliban fundamentalist Islamic group finally seized control of the country in mid-August, 2021, many Afghans sought to escape out of fear of retribution for their help of Canada’s missions and support for western democratic freedoms.
International Organization For Migration Working With Canada To Resettle Afghan Refugees
The IRCC has made it easier to sponsor Afghan refugees through the humanitarian program, allowing groups of five and community sponsors to sponsor Afghan refugees without having to submit a refugee status determination document if this document isn’t available.
“The safe and dignified resettlement of refugees globally has been a central part of International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) work for more than 70 years and we are proud to be part of Canada’s efforts to provide a new home for tens of thousands of vulnerable Afghans,” said IOM director general António Vitorino.
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“We continue to work closely with the government of Canada and other partners to ensure Afghan refugees are given the opportunity to restart their lives in safety.”
As they have arrived in Canada, the Afghan refugees have been welcomed in more than 170 communities across the country. More than half of those who are being accepted as refugees were those who helped Canada, including 18,000 spaces for the Special Immigration Measures (SIMs) program for Afghan nationals and their families who assisted the government of Canada.
Family Members Of Afghan Interpreters Welcomed
Canada, one of the first countries to launch a special humanitarian resettlement program for vulnerable Afghans, is also welcoming up to 5,000 extended family members of Afghan interpreters who came to Canada as part of earlier programs.
Upon their arrival in Canada, the Afghan refugees get a minimum of 12 months of income support under the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) and also have access to settlement services, including language training and the Interim Federal Health Program for medical coverage.
A reported 35 million Afghans have been displaced, an estimated 80 per cent of whom are women and children. Roughly one million children are thought to be at risk of starving to death.
“The message delivered by Afghans, aid groups and witnesses before Parliament is clear,” Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has reportedly said. “The situation in Afghanistan is dire.”
