Humanitarian Program for Afghan Nationals in Need of Resettlement

As part of the special measures for Afghan refugees, the Government of Canada has announced a special humanitarian program to resettle vulnerable Afghan nationals outside of Afghanistan.

Am I eligible for this program?

To be eligible for this program you must meet all these requirements:

• you’re an Afghan national
• you’re outside of Afghanistan
• you don’t have a durable solution in a third country and
• you’re part of one of the following groups:
• women leaders
• human rights advocates
• persecuted religious or ethnic minorities
• LGBTI individuals
• journalists and those who helped Canadian journalists.

I think I’m eligible, what do I need to do?

You should register for refugee status with either the

• United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), or
• government of the country in which you now live.

To resettle in Canada as either a government-assisted refugee or a privately sponsored refugee, you need to be:

• referred by one of the following
• the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
• the government of the country in which you now live
• one of the other organizations we’re working with for this program
• identified by a private sponsor

We’re also prioritizing applications of eligible immediate family members joining Afghans currently in Canada.

A special immigration program for Afghan nationals, and their families, who assisted the Government of Canada is also in place.

Is there any other way to apply?

The Government of Canada is working with international and Canadian partners to implement this new humanitarian program. You cannot apply to this program directly.

These special measures enable Afghan refugees to be settled on two ways.

Government assisted refugees

Under the government-assisted refugees program, the government will resettle Afghan nationals to Canada and provide support for up to one year after arrival.

To meet this requirement, you must be referred by one of the following referral partners:

• United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
• Find out about the UNHCR’s process to resettle refugees.
• Front Line Defenders (human rights defenders only)
• ProtectDefenders.eu (human rights defenders only)

Privately sponsored refugees

You can also resettle to Canada if a group sponsors you as a refugee. Sponsors could be either

• a sponsorship agreement holder (an organization that helps support refugees when they resettle in Canada), or
• an organization, or group of 5 or more people, in Canada, that has volunteered to sponsor referred refugees.

Sponsor groups would support you for the sponsorship period, which is usually up to 1 year. Their support includes

• start-up costs, like furniture and clothing,
• ongoing monthly costs for necessities like housing, food, and public transportation,
• social and emotional support.

To know more about the special programs and measures put in place by the government of Canada for Afghan nationals and refugees, visit our blog.

Need help with your application? We’re here for you.