New Permanent Residence Pathway for Extended Family of Afghan Interpreters

Policy effect

A new pathway to permanent residence was introduced for extended family members, including children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, and siblings, of Afghan interpreters previously relocated to Canada under special immigration measures.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… news.html) 4. [Notices](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices.html) # Application process for pathway to permanent residence for extended families of Afghan interpreters now open **Ottawa, December 9, 2021**— The Government of Canada remains committed to bringing as many vulnerable Afghans as possible to safety. As part of our continued work to support Afghan refugees, we are opening [a new pathway](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/afghanistan/permanent-residence-extended-family.html) for the extended family members of … Afghan interpreters who immigrated under previous measures. In 2009 and 2012, the Government of Canada introduced special measures for Afghan nationals who served as local staff, such as interpreters, in direct support of Canada’s combat mission in Kandahar. These measures provided individuals and their immediate family members with a pathway to permanent residence in Canada. They were put in place in recognition of the risk Afghans took to support Canada’s work in their country. While some of their extended family members may have come to Canada through existing programs over the years, othe … rs have not and may now be in a precarious position as a result of their relationship to the interpreters. To help ensure that these families can come to Canada, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has launched a new pathway to permanent residence for extended family members of those who previously came under the 2009 and 2012 policies. To be eligible, the extended family member must: - be an Afghan national - be outside Canada at the time of their application - have been in Afghanistan on or after July 22, 2021 - be an extended family member—defined as a child (regardless of … age), grandchild, parent, grandparent, or sibling—of an individual who was previously granted permanent residence as a principal applicant under the 2009 or 2012 public policies - provide a statutory declaration from a former interpreter who was previously granted permanent residence under one of the public policies in order to confirm their relationship - hold a travel or identity document or, if that cannot be obtained, provide a statutory declaration attesting to the applicant’s identity - submit their application using the forms that will be made available online for this program In additi … on to these new measures, we continue to prioritize applications of Afghan nationals who are in the process of sponsoring their immediate family members overseas, and dependents of protected persons abroad. ## Page details 2021-12-09 ## About this site ### Immigration and citizenship - [Help Centre](https://ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/index-featured-can.asp) - [Contact us](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc.html) - [Check your application status](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-status.html) …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other Canada changes operative in 2021

• 2021-01-05Parents and Grandparents Program 2020 Income Requirement Relief
• 2021-01-27Temporary public policy for former students in Canada with expired or expiring post-graduation work permits
• 2021-02-01Ministerial Instructions on Mandatory Online Applications
• 2021-02-22Enhanced COVID-19 Border Compliance and Quarantine Mandates
• 2021-04-01Temporary public policy to exempt certain visitors in Canada from immigration requirements during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
• 2021-05-17Expansion of Education Requirements for Hong Kong Open Work Permit Pathway
• 2021-06-17Rules Amending the Federal Courts Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection Rules (SOR/2021-149)
• 2021-06-21Expansion of Travel Exemptions for Approved Permanent Residents
• 2021-06-28Special PR Policy for Over-Cap International Graduate Applicants (TR to PR Pathway)
• 2021-06-28Temporary public policy exempting some foreign nationals in Canada from requiring an immigration medical exam
• 2021-06-29Express Entry Invitation to Apply (ITA) Submission Period Restored to 60 Days
• 2021-07-09Expansion of the Student Direct Stream (SDS) to Seven New Countries
• 2021-07-16Launch of a Dedicated Refugee Stream for Human Rights Defenders
• 2021-07-20Announcement and Criteria for 2021 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) Intake
• 2021-07-30Updated Temporary Public Policy for Out-of-Status Construction Workers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
• 2021-08-12Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Seizure Provisions) — SOR/2021-202
• 2021-08-13Establishment of the Special Afghan Resettlement Programs
• 2021-08-31Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) Eligibility Expansion to Quebec Economic Streams
• 2021-08-31Expiration of Broad COVID-19 Restoration Public Policy
• 2021-09-01Mandatory Electronic Filing for Temporary Resident Applications
• 2021-09-07Border Reopening and Quarantine Exemption for All Fully Vaccinated International Travelers
• 2021-09-09Re-issuance of Exemption Policy for Excluded Family Members (IRPR 117(9)(d) and 125(1)(d))
• 2021-09-19Temporary Public Policy for Resettlement of NATO's Afghan Locally Engaged Staff
• 2021-09-30Resettlement Pathway for Afghan Human Rights Defenders
• 2021-10-06Extension of In-Person Exemption for Inland Refugee Claimants
• 2021-10-18Changes to the pre-removal risk assessment for Afghanistan
• 2021-10-25Afghan Families Resettlement Program Status Update
• 2021-11-05Closure of Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident (TR to PR) Pathway
• 2021-11-30Mandatory ArriveCAN Vaccine Disclosure for Essential Services
• 2021-12-16Fee Exemptions and Status Extensions for Foreign Nationals Directly Affected by British Columbia Floods