Defenders of refugee rights have raised concerns that Afghan refugees granted asylum in Canada are burdened by increasing costs resulting from the government's delay in processing their applications.

Before boarding their flight to Canada, all refugees must sign a loan agreement to repay the cost of transportation and pre-arrival expenses which may include hotel stays.

Some Afghans identified by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as eligible for resettlement are waiting months to obtain exit permits while residing in government-arranged hotels. Hotel bills can add thousands of dollars to their debt.

The Canadian Council for Refugees said Afghans are forced to pay for inefficient bureaucracy.

Janet Dench, Executive Director of the Canadian Council for Refugees, also said: "It seems the Canadian government is exploiting people's vulnerability. Hotel bills can add thousands of dollars to their government debt."

Dench added that refugees have no choice but to accept a "legally questionable" contract that does not specify a fixed loan amount.

Since Canada does not recognize the Taliban government, Afghans must reach a third country with consular support to complete their asylum applications, with many fleeing to neighboring Pakistan where Canada has a High Commission in the capital Islamabad.

Also, nearly all Afghan refugees considered eligible for resettlement are placed under the care of the International Organization for Migration while abroad.

Of the 25,400 Afghans who arrived in Canada since August 2021, International Organization for Migration spokesperson Paul Dillon said organizations arranged travel for more than 22,000 of these refugees.