CIMM – Q-712 – IRCC Response – February 8, 2023

Inquiry of Ministry

Prepare in English and French marking "original text" or "translation"

Question No. : Q-712

By: Ms. Kwan (Vancouver East)

Date: June 20, 2022

Reply by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Print name of Signatory: Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.

Signature, Minister or Parliamentary Secretary

Question

With regard to the estimated 3,700 evacuees that Canada transported or facilitated the transport of from Afghanistan in August 2021: (a) how many evacuees were Afghan nationals who have been validated by the Department of National Defence as having an enduring relationship with the Canadian Armed Forces; (b) how many Afghan nationals who have been validated by the Department of National Defence as having an enduring relationship with the Canadian Armed Forces and were designated for those flights but did not make it on those flights; (c) how many Afghan evacuees were not on the lists provided by the Government of Canada prior to boarding the flight; (d) how many evacuees were Afghan women and girls; (e) how many evacuees were put on the list by other countries, broken down by nationality (Afghan or another nationality); (f) how many evacuees on those flights were related to referrals by (i) Global Affairs Canada, (ii) Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada; and (g) how many evacuees were Canadian citizens?

Reply

Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned: 

With regard to the estimated 3,700 evacuees that Canada transported or facilitated the transport of from Afghanistan in August 2021:

1. Approximately 892 evacuees who arrived in Canada were Afghan nationals validated by the Department of National Defence as having a significant relationship with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
2. IRCC cannot provide data on whether individuals mobilized themselves to make the flights or not.
3. This was an incredibly complex whole-of-government effort to evacuate Canadian citizens and permanent residents as well as their family members, citizens from allied nations, and Afghan nationals accepted for resettlement by Canada and by allied partners. Indeed, evacuation efforts required intensive cooperation between IRCC, Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and National Defence, as well as with other countries. During the course of the evacuation, to save as many lives as possible in urgent and unpredictable circumstances, the decision was made to include some Afghans outside of the SIMs program, on a case by case basis, if they had been recognized as part of a vulnerable community or if there was sufficient evidence to believe that there was a link with Canada.

As a result, approximately 2,650 Afghan nationals were evacuated in total, including 1,712 (892 +820) Afghan nationals referred by GAC or National Defence. 

4. Of the estimated 3,700 evacuees, approximately 1,524 identified as female.
5. Approximately 242 people from other nations were evacuated:
   • 7 foreign diplomats
   • 175 US Special Immigrant Visa holders
   • 60 interpreters who worked for the Italian government
6. Department of National Defense and Global Affairs Canada were tasked to identify individuals that have a significant and/or enduring relationship with the Government of Canada. IRCC sent invitations to apply after receiving the referrals from National Defence and GAC.
   1. Approximately 820 evacuees on those flights were related to referrals made by GAC.
   2. IRCC did not make referrals.
7. As of the last CAF flight on August 25, 2021, approximately 263 evacuees were Canadian citizens.