Refugees: Afghanistan

(asked on 17th July 2023) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, whether journalists facing persecution in (a) Afghanistan and (b) neighbouring countries will be eligible for immigration status under the third pathway of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.


Answered by
Robert Jenrick Portrait
Robert Jenrick
This question was answered on 20th July 2023

The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help relocate at-risk people in Afghanistan. To date, nearly 24,600 people have been brought to safety, this includes at-risk journalists and the first individuals to be relocated under Pathway 3 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).

Under the first stage of Pathway 3, 1,500 places were made available to at risk people from three groups, who directly supported the UK and international community’s efforts in Afghanistan: British Council contractors, GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni. Our immediate focus is on ensuring their resettlement.

In the second stage of Pathway 3, our commitment to work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans at risk still stands. We are not able to open for referrals at this present time, but further information will be published in due course.

We recognise there are many vulnerable individuals who remain in Afghanistan and the region. Unfortunately, the capacity of the UK to resettle people is not unlimited and difficult decisions about who will be prioritised have to be made.

Reticulating Splines