Canada meets commitment of welcoming 40,000+ Afghans; rolls out new TR and PR pathways for people from Ukraine, Sudan
Photo courtesy: IRCC
Going strong in welcoming and resettling individuals and families who are fleeing internal strife in their home countries globally, Canada recently met its commitment of welcoming at least 40,000 vulnerable Afghans since August 2021, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.
Canada’s response to the situation in Afghanistan
Under one of the largest Afghan resettlement programs in the world, Canada created 18,000 spaces for the Special Immigration Measures Program for Afghan nationals and their families who helped the Canadian government. And a further 5,000 for extended family members of former Afghan interpreters who came to the country under previous programs. A program has also been developed for the extended families of former language and cultural advisors.
“While welcoming over 40,000 Afghans to Canada is a significant achievement, Canada will continue to bring Afghans to safety,” said Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. “Canadians, resettlement organizations and their front-line staff have gone above and beyond to welcome Afghans, and we are thankful for their ongoing support.”
New settlement pathways for Sudanese nationals and family members in Canada
Meanwhile, Sudanese nationals in Canada who wish to extend their temporary resident status in the country can do so for free until October 27, 2024. They can also apply for another temporary resident document during this period, or change their status (for example, from visitor to worker or student). Find out more here.
Temporary measures are available for family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who left Sudan before the conflict began and entered Canada before July 15, 2023. They can apply for an open work permit, a study permit, or permanent residence as a sponsored spouse, partner, or child, and can forgo the usual application fees.
“We’re prioritizing the processing of complete temporary and permanent residence applications from those living in Sudan. If you have an application in progress, you don’t need to apply again,” states Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Additional PR pathway launched for Ukrainians in Canada
On October 23, 2023, Canada launched a new permanent residence pathway for Ukrainians who are in Canada and are family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
The measure is a follow-up to the Canada Ukrainian Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET), for which applications were stopped on July 15, 2023. CUAET allowed Ukrainian nationals and their family members to stay in Canada for up to three years, and apply for an open work permit, free of charge.
The new PR pathway for Ukrainian nationals also extends to their family members, who can be either inside or outside Canada at the time of submitting their application. If you are a Ukrainian national who wishes to apply for permanent residence, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria.
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