CIMM – Funding And Expenditures - Afghanistan Resettlement Commitment – February 8, 2023

Key Messages

• The Government of Canada provided $2.37B over 11 years (from 2021-2022 to 2031-2032) for the Afghanistan resettlement commitment.
• From this amount, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will receive $2.20B over 11 years (from 2021-2022 to 2031-2032) for the Afghanistan resettlement commitment.
• In August 2021, funding in the amount of $428.4M over 10 years (from 2021-2022 to 2030-2031) was provided to IRCC for the initial commitment to re-settle 20,000 Afghan nationals. Funds were approved as part of 2021-2022 Supplementary Estimates B and 2022-2023 Main Estimates.
• In addition, Budget 2022 provided $1.72B to IRCC over 10 years (from 2022-2023 to 2031-2032) to increase resettlement efforts to welcome at least 40,000 Afghan refugees. Funds were approved in the 2022-2023 Supplementary Estimates B while future year funds will be sought as part of the 2023-2024 Main Estimates.
• Funding requested by my Department is necessary to implement plans that include key areas such as direct processing and program support functions, the delivery of settlement services, the coverage for interim health services, the plan for overseas staging, accommodation and sustenance costs and corporate functions.
• In 2021-2022, IRCC received $169.3M and spent $49.6M for a surplus of $119.6M as a result of changes in the pace of arrivals and unspent contingencies. Unspent funding in the amount of $91.2M in Grants and Contributions (Vote 10) was re-profiled to 2022-2023 as part of Supplementary Estimates A to align with plans.
• In 2022-2023, IRCC received $844.3M including $588.6M for re-settlement and settlement services (Vote 10), $197.7M for direct processing, service delivery, program support and corporate functions, accommodation and sustenance costs (Vote 1&5), $40.7M for the coverage of Interim Federal Health services (Vote 1), and $17.3M in Statutory authorities to cover employee benefits costs. Actual spending continues to be impacted by the implementation of plans and will be reported this fall as part of the 2022-2023 Public Accounts.

Supporting Facts And Figures

• [Redacted]

*Figures may not add up due to rounding.

• Funding from 2023-2024 and onwards will be accessed via Main Estimates
• Year End results for 2021-2022 reported a total lapse of $119.6M of which $91.2M was in Grants & Contributions (Vote 10) and $28.5M was in Operating (Vote 1). Unspent funding is mainly related to changes in the pace of arrivals as well as unspent contingencies. 
• Initial costing assumptions anticipated a surge of Afghans arrivals over and above funding available from the multi-year levels plan in 2021-2022. Assumptions also foresaw substantial expenditures in processing capacity abroad, a sizeable cost for overseas staging, accommodation and sustenance costs of clients.
• [Redacted]
• [Redacted]
• From this amount, $91.2M (76% of lapse) was re-profiled from 2021-2022 to 2022-2023 in Supplementary Estimates A to put in place contribution agreements to provide re-settlement assistance services (Vote 10).
• Arrivals remain unpredictable and operating plans continue to adapt and may lead to the need to re-align potential unused funds to future fiscal years.
• The Department continues to make progress on this commitment. As of January 31, 2023, Canada has welcomed 27,803 Afghan refugees and vulnerable persons and is on pace to achieve its target of 40,000 by the end of 2023. This includes all arrivals under the Special Immigration Measures, Humanitarian stream, Pathway for Extended Family Members of Former Interpreters and additional refugees resettled under the Resettlement Program.

Background

• On August 13, 2021, the Government of Canada announced that it would resettle 20,000 Afghan nationals, including 5,000 identified through special immigration measures for those who worked for or had a significant/enduring relationship with Canada, as well as a broader humanitarian effort with a focus on resettling women leaders and human rights advocates, persecuted religious minorities, LGBTI individuals, journalists and people who assisted Canadian journalists, and extended family members of previously resettled interpreters who assisted the Government of Canada.The broader humanitarian effort includes resettling an additional 8,000 Government-Assisted Refugees (above the Immigration Levels Plan) and 7,000 Privately Sponsored Refugees (within the existing Immigration Levels Plan).
• Funding for special immigration measures to resettle at-risk individuals from Afghanistan announced in August 2021 a total of $446.7M for IRCC and partners. This amount addresses requirements not already funded through the Immigration Levels Plan. A significant proportion of the funding being sought is for all regular and exceptional costs to resettle 8,000 additional Afghan Government-Assisted Refugees. Additional funding is also being sought for exceptional costs related to groups arriving within approved volumes of the existing Immigration Levels Plan, specifically, the priority processing of 7,000 Afghan Privately Sponsored Refugees, those resettled under the Special Immigration Measures, and, costs associated with Operation Canada Safe Haven.
• The 2022-2024 Levels Plan reflects the Speech from the Throne’s commitment to continue increasing immigration levels, as part of the plan for post COVID-19 economic growth. It also reflects Canada’s commitment to resettle at least 40,000 Afghans, given its longstanding diplomatic, humanitarian and military relationship with the country and its people. Funding for IRCC and federal partners totals $2.70B over five years, $1.50B from year six to 10 and $261.4M ongoing starting in 2032-2033 to support the 2022-2022 to 2024 Immigration Levels Plan and an ongoing baseline of annual permanent resident admissions. This plan includes $1.72B over five years with $198.1M in future years to increase Canada’s resettlement commitment of at least 40,000 Afghan refugees.

Contact:
Name of Lead Director: Martin Mulligan
A/Director General: Yvonne Morkos