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Home > Media Centre > News Releases – 2009
The Department News Release
About Us
The Minister Government of Canada creates special immigration measures
Media Centre to recognize contribution of Afghan staff in Kandahar
Come to Canada
Visit Ottawa, September 15, 2009 — The Government of Canada will offer special measures
to facilitate immigration to Canada for certain local staff who face exceptional risk or who
Work Temporarily
have suffered serious injury as a result of their work for the Canadian government in
Study Kandahar province, Afghanistan.
Immigrate
Refugees “There are Afghans who face extraordinary personal risk as a result of their work in
support of Canada’s mission in Kandahar,” said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship,
Live in Canada Immigration and Multiculturalism. “We commend their bravery to help build a better
Before You Arrive Afghanistan while recognizing the price that they have paid. Their lives and those of their
After You Arrive families may be threatened by insurgents, and some have suffered serious injury and can
no longer work. To recognize their contribution, we will offer them special consideration if
Citizenship
they wish to relocate to Canada.”
Apply for Citizenship
Celebrate The government plans to implement these measures in October 2009. In general,
Citizenship applicants must demonstrate that they face individualized and extraordinary risk or have
Citizenship Judges suffered serious injury as a result of their work with the Canadian government. In
addition, the applicant must have worked at least 12 cumulative months in Kandahar in
Canadian
support of the Canadian mission.
Residents
Sponsor Your Family Spouses of Afghan nationals killed because of their work with the Canadian government
Adopt a Child will be eligible. All will have to meet standard immigration requirements, including criminal,
medical and security screening. The accompanying dependent children of those who
Hire a Foreign
qualify would also be eligible.
Worker
Partner with Us
Canada’s approach is consistent with the objectives of similar programs offered by the
Multiculturalism United States in Afghanistan and the United Kingdom, Australia and Denmark in Iraq.
Educational
Institutions Successful applicants will receive health-care coverage under the Interim Federal Health
Service Providers Program as well as resettlement services similar to what is currently offered to
government-assisted refugees, including up to 12 months of income support upon arrival 
Volunteers
in Canada. Applicants may apply under this program until the end of the Canadian combat
Resources mission in Kandahar in 2011.
Publications
Application Forms For further information (media only), please contact:
and Guides
Audits and Alykhan Velshi
Evaluations Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Research and Alykhan.Velshi@cic.gc.ca
Statistics
Media Relations Unit
Proactive Disclosure Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca

Backgrounders

l Special immigration measures for local staff in Kandahar who support Canada’s
mission in Afghanistan
l Frequently asked questions: Special immigration measures for certain Afghan
nationals

Date Modified: 2009-10-30 Important Notices

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Home > Media Centre > Backgrounders – 2009
The Department Backgrounder
About Us
The Minister Special immigration measures for local staff in Kandahar who
Media Centre support Canada’s mission in Afghanistan
Come to Canada
Visit The Government of Canada will offer special immigration measures for certain Afghan
nationals who have served as local staff in Kandahar province.
Work Temporarily
Study To be eligible, the individual must provide evidence of:
Immigrate
Refugees l Extraordinary and individualized risk as a result of employment and contracts in
direct support of the Canadian government in Kandahar; OR
Live in Canada
l A non-accidental or non-natural injury, resulting in risk to life or inability to work,
Before You Arrive
due to employment and contracts in direct support of the Canadian government in
After You Arrive Kandahar; OR
Citizenship l Being the spouse of a local staff member who has suffered a non-accidental or
Apply for Citizenship non-natural death due to employment and contracts in direct support of the
Celebrate Canadian government in Kandahar. The accompanying dependent children of those
Citizenship who qualify would also be eligible.

Citizenship Judges
In addition, the local staff member must have at least 12 months of cumulative service
Canadian with the Canadian government in Kandahar.
Residents
Sponsor Your Family A committee of senior Canadian officials from departments active in Kandahar, such as
the Department of National Defence/Canadian Forces, Public Safety Canada and the
Adopt a Child
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, will be put in place to recommend
Hire a Foreign whether the individual meets the selection criteria for participating in this program. If the
Worker committee determines that the individual meets the program requirements, the individual
Partner with Us will be referred to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for processing and a final
Multiculturalism immigration decision.

Educational
Applicants who qualify for the special measures will also be required to undergo
Institutions
immigration medical screening as well as criminality and security screening by our
Service Providers partners: the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Volunteers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Resources
Those who do not qualify may still apply under existing immigration measures, such as the
Publications
economic and family classes. Those who don’t meet immigration criteria can request
Application Forms humanitarian and compassionate consideration. Such applications will be considered on a
and Guides case-by-case basis.
Audits and
Evaluations There are an estimated 300 Afghans who are providing direct support to Canada’s mission
Research and in Kandahar and may be at risk. Canada expects that up to 50 principal applicants, plus
Statistics an average of two immediate family members, totalling 150 people, will be eligible each
year. There is no cap, however, on the number of people who may become permanent
residents under these measures. The annual cost of implementing the special measures is
Proactive Disclosure
estimated at $3 million a year and will be funded out of existing departmental budgets.
The program will conclude in 2011 to correspond with the scheduled end of Canada’s
combat mission in Kandahar.

Date Modified: 2009-09-15 Important Notices

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Home > Media Centre > Backgrounders – 2009
The Department Backgrounder
About Us
The Minister Frequently asked questions: Special immigration measures for
Media Centre certain Afghan nationals
Come to Canada
Visit Q1.  Why has the Government of Canada introduced special immigration measures
for local personnel in Kandahar who support Canada’s mission in Afghanistan?
Work Temporarily
Study There are Afghans who face extraordinary personal risk as a result of their work in
Immigrate support of Canada’s mission in Kandahar. Their lives and those of their families may be
Refugees threatened by insurgents, and some have suffered serious injury and can no longer work.

Live in Canada
To recognize their contribution, the Government of Canada is offering special
Before You Arrive consideration to certain local personnel if they wish to relocate to Canada.
After You Arrive
Citizenship Q2.  Who is eligible for this program?
Apply for Citizenship
To qualify, you must currently live in Afghanistan and:
Celebrate
Citizenship
l be a citizen of Afghanistan, and either
Citizenship Judges
l face extraordinary and individualized risk, or
Canadian
l have suffered a non-accidental or non-natural injury, resulting in risk to life or no
Residents longer being able to work, or
Sponsor Your Family l be the spouse or common-law partner of local personnel who have suffered a non-
Adopt a Child accidental or non-natural death ( dependent children coming with you would also
Hire a Foreign be eligible), and
Worker l the risk, injury or death above must have happened due to employment or a
Partner with Us contract in direct support of the Canadian government in Kandahar province.

Multiculturalism
Note: if you worked in direct support of the Canadian government in Kandahar province,
Educational you must have been employed or in a contract for at least 12 months in total since
Institutions October 9, 2007.
Service Providers
Volunteers Q3.  I am an Afghan national. How can I apply?
Top of Page
Resources
If you are eligible and interested in this program, you must complete a referral form. You
Publications
can get the referral form and a step-by-step guide about how to complete it from the
Application Forms International Organization for Migration (IOM) office in Kandahar. Contact information is
and Guides available at Kandahar Air Field and at the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team site.
Audits and
Evaluations When you hand in your referral form, you must provide all requested information and
Research and documents supporting your claim of risk to the IOM, and confirm your employment or
Statistics contract with the Government of Canada.

A committee of Government of Canada officials in Kandahar will assess if you are eligible
Proactive Disclosure
for the program. If you are found eligible, you can then apply to Citizenship and
Immigration Canada.

Q4.  Who do I contact if I have questions or need help completing the referral

form?

If you have questions about how to apply, need help filling in the referral form or want
information about this program, contact the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
office in Kandahar city by telephone. Contact information for the IOM is available at
Kandahar Air Field and at the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team site.

Q5.  How long will this process take?

It is expected that on average, it will take from six to 12 months to process applications.

Processing times may vary, as each case is different. It could take longer if, for example,
medical problems are found or more documents are needed.

Q6.  Can I apply again if I was refused the first time?

A second application will only be considered if your situation changes.

Q7.   I work for the Government of Canada outside Kandahar province. Am I
eligible?   

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 MILNEWS.ca - Military News for Canadians
No. The special measures are restricted to local personnel working for the Canadian
government in Kandahar province. This is because of clear risks in that region and the
enhanced role of the Canadian mission in Kandahar.

Q8.  I am an Afghan national working for a Canadian company in
Kandahar (such as a Canadian media outlet). Am I eligible? Top of Page

The program will only be available to local personnel supporting Canada’s mission in
Kandahar, and is limited to those employed or on a contract in direct support of the
Canadian government. This includes only those Canadian government departments active
in Kandahar province.

If you work for a private Canadian firm, non-governmental organization or the media, you
are not eligible.

Q9. I am an Afghan national living outside Afghanistan. Am I eligible to apply for

this program?

No, only Afghan nationals living in Afghanistan are eligible.

If you are outside Afghanistan, you may apply to immigrate to Canada through regular
immigration channels, such as the economic or family classes.

Date Modified: 2009-10-30 Important Notices

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