New Immigration Program for Refugees Opens Urgently
New Immigration Program for Refugees Opens Urgently Canada has taken responsibility for protecting the brave people in Afghanistan.
Many Afghans have provided incredible assistance to the Canadian contingent during the war, putting themselves at great risk. More than 800 people have already been able to resettle in Canada over the past decade, but many of them are still in their homeland. Recently, the political situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating rapidly, so on July 23, Canadian immigration authorities announced the opening of a special program to resettle Afghans who have been helping Canadian soldiers.
"Canada has a responsibility to protect the brave people in Afghanistan who for more than 20 years have helped us carry out our mission to advance human rights, education, health and security in their country. As violence spreads, ensuring the safety of all our personnel, Canadian or Afghan, and the people who have helped and are helping us on the ground, is our top priority," said Marc Garneau, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is introducing special immigration measures for people who are at risk in Afghanistan because of their work. The Global Affairs Division (GAC) and the Department of National Defence (DND) are already in full swing to identify and assist those eligible for resettlement in Canada. Several operational teams from Canada have already arrived in Afghanistan to begin this work.
The following individuals may immigrate to Canada under this program: translators who have worked with the Canadian armed forces, cooks, drivers, cleaners, construction workers, security guards and local personnel working at the Canadian Embassy in Afghanistan as well as their family members.
Candidates for immigration must meet all the usual requirements, including security checks, criminal records, and must also pass a medical exam. But the time frame for processing their immigration applications will be greatly reduced.
Applicants will also be subject to existing public health measures and safety protocols in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To protect the privacy of immigrants from Afghanistan and their family members who remain in their home country, the Immigration Service has decided not to disclose the identities of these people or the dates they arrived in Canada.
