Expedite Afghan refugee processing

AI summary

Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to urgently expedite refugee and humanitarian applications and grant temporary protection to at‑risk Afghans in Pakistan. The government responds that IRCC is processing cases but cannot prevent Pakistani deportations.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghanistan has experienced a severe erosion of human rights, particularly for women and girls; Afghans who supported education, women’s rights, civil society and community development now face heightened risk of persecution because of their lawful and peaceful activities; Many of these individuals and their families fled to Pakistan and are awaiting resettlement to Canada through humanitarian and refugee pathways; Afghan refugees in Pakistan increasingly face detention, loss of legal status and forced return to Afghanistan, where they may face retaliation or imprisonment; and Canada has committed to protecting vulnerable Afghans, including human rights defenders and those who advanced equality and education. We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Urgently expedite refugee and humanitarian applications for at-risk Afghans in Pakistan; 1. Urgently expedite refugee and humanitarian applications for at-risk Afghans in Pakistan; 2. Implement temporary protection measures to prevent deportation while applications are under review; 3. Increase processing capacity for Afghan cases in Pakistan to reduce dangerous delays; and 4. Work with Pakistan and international partners to protect Afghan refugees awaiting Canadian decisions.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Signed by PETER FRAGISKATOS, M.P. Canada has welcomed over 60 000 Afghans since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, and work continues to process eligible applications received under the various Afghan special measures, as well as applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Resettlement Program. The Government of Canada remains deeply concerned about the situation in Afghanistan and the risk of deportation of Afghan refugees. IRCC works with trusted partners to support Afghan applicants in third countries, including Pakistan, where we are able to complete biometrics, medical and security screening, and finalize the processing of applications. IRCC continues to cooperate with the Government of Pakistan in efforts to bring resettlement and humanitarian clients to Canada, in line with admissions targets set out in the Government of Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan. States, including Pakistan, retain authority over their domestic immigration and exit policies, and the capacity for IRCC to intervene in or influence individual instances of detention and deportation remains limited. Clients who need to demonstrate to the Government of Pakistan that they have an ongoing application for permanent residence with the Government of Canada can use any IRCC communication related to their application for this purpose, and are asked to keep their application information, including location and contact information, up-to-date so the Department can communicate with them and support their travel to Canada when their application is ready to move forward. Applications remain subject to admissibility screening requirements, which can also affect processing times. Applicants who have questions about their application can contact IRCC through the IRCC Web form. Applicants in Canada can also use IRCC’s Client Support Centre (1-888-242-2100), and most applicants can check the status of their application online. Migration officers at Canadian offices abroad monitor local conditions and are best placed to assess risk and protection needs. While they may exercise discretion to prioritize applications in cases involving urgent protection concerns or a higher degree of risk, such prioritization is limited. Given the circumstances and vulnerability facing the majority of applicants in Pakistan, when assessing whether a case should be prioritized, migration officers consider risk and vulnerability in relative terms, including whether an applicant faces a greater or more imminent threat than others in similar circumstances