e-4270 (Citizenship and immigration)

The Government of Canada takes the protection and promotion of human rights seriously and is deeply concerned with the discrimination and violence that has affected Hazaras and other religious and ethnic minority communities in Afghanistan. We strongly condemn the attacks against these communities and offer our condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.

We remain firmly committed to resettling at least 40,000 Afghan refugees by the end of 2023. Our commitment to resettle vulnerable Afghan nationals to Canada is being fulfilled through several pathways, including a humanitarian program focused on resettling women, LGBTQ2 people, human rights defenders, journalists and members of religious and ethnic minorities. As of June 12, 2023, we have welcomed 32,745 vulnerable Afghans to Canada.

Through the commitment, the Government of Canada has created public policies to resettle persecuted Hazaras including: the public policy for the resettlement of certain Afghan nationals selected by the minister of IRCC under Operation Afghan Safety on November 22, 2021, and the public policy for the resettlement of certain Afghan nationals selected by the Minister of IRCC – Hazara Afghan nationals on December 23, 2021.

There are operational challenges due to the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan that compromise our ability to ensure the safety and security of our clients and our staff. Protection and promotion of human rights both at home and abroad remain a priority for the Government of Canada, and we will continue to facilitate refugee resettlement and honour our international humanitarian commitments.

All key statistics, updated regularly, may be found on the Departmental website at #WelcomeAfghans: Key figures - Canada.ca.

The Department’s public policies may be consulted on the Departmental website at Public policies - Canada.ca.

More information about other potential pathways for Afghan nationals to explore can be found on the Departmental website at Immigrate to Canada - Canada.ca.

Respect for human rights is fundamental to the development of more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous societies. Consequently, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and bilateral engagement.

Canada believes that ethnic and religious groups must be represented at all levels of Afghan government and society in order to help address the underlying problems facing the country, the root causes of discrimination, and the enduring legacy left by decades of conflict. Canada has consistently expressed deep concern about the situation of ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan, and continues to call for the full inclusion of all Afghans into every aspect of society, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or gender. Alongside our international allies, Canada continues to call on the de facto Taliban authorities to respect Afghanistan’s international obligations, including protecting the fundamental rights of all Afghans.

Ethnic and religious groups in Afghanistan have suffered significantly during the past four decades of conflict. Canada closely monitors human rights abuses against ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan. Canada has publicly condemned attacks against the Hazara community in Afghanistan, including the attack on April 19, 2022, against Hazara students in Kabul, and on September 30, 2022, at the Kaaj education center in Kabul that killed more than 50 people, mostly Hazara girls studying for exams. Attacks such as these are reprehensible, and underscore the threats that ethnic and religious minorities, in particular the Hazara community, face in Afghanistan.

Moving forward, Canada will continue to work closely with trusted Afghan and international partners to bring attention to the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan, and to advocate for the meaningful inclusion of marginalized groups, including the Hazara community, in every sphere of Afghan society. To this end, Canada welcomes the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and his efforts to document human rights violations in Afghanistan, including those targeting the Hazara community. Canada will also continue to support a strong human rights mandate for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to enable UNAMA to monitor, report and advocate for the protection of human rights of all Afghans. Canada has no intention of recognizing the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.

Canada is also committed to supporting the needs of the most vulnerable Afghans. In 2022, Canada provided over $143 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to the needs of Afghans in Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries. Canada supports a multi-sectoral humanitarian response across Afghanistan, with a particular emphasis on the provision of life-saving food and nutrition assistance. With Canadian support, humanitarian partners provided life-saving food assistance to 22.3 million people and nutrition assistance to 6.2 million children and pregnant and lactating women in Afghanistan in 2022.

Moreover, Canada has committed to resettling at least 40,000 Afghan nationals and their families, by the end of 2023. Canada’s commitment remains one of the largest in the world. To date, more than 33,000 Afghans have been welcomed to Canada. As part of our Afghan resettlement programs, Afghan Hazaras may be privately sponsored by groups in Canada or, as a persecuted religious or ethnic minority, may be among those referred for resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees through the humanitarian program for Afghans. The resettlement of vulnerable Afghans is an integral part of Canada’s humanitarian tradition. It reflects Canada’s commitment to share responsibility for the world’s displaced and persecuted.