Earlier this year, Airbnb committed to provide temporary housing to 20,000 Afghan refugees worldwide. As thousands of Afghans continue to resettle in communities around the world, Airbnb announced it is partnering with Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) to support efforts across a national network of 34 resettlement agencies.
Airbnb will provide funds to help support some of the 40,000 Afghan refugees the Canadian government has committed to welcome over the coming months, by offering free housing to resettlement agencies across the country through its partnership with CCIS. Founded in 1981, CCIS is one of the leading organizations providing settlement and integration services to immigrants and refugees in Canada.
It is always heartwarming to see companies step up and contribute to our national Afghan refugee settlement efforts. Thanks to Airbnb’s generous initiative, Afghan refugees arriving in Canada in the next few months will benefit from free temporary housing as they adjust to their new lives and integrate into their communities in Canada
Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
Over the coming weeks and months, Airbnb.org will work with CCIS and Hosts on Airbnb to connect arriving Afghan newcomers across the country to temporary housing. Since August, Airbnb has worked with partners to place more than 2,000 Afghan refugees into temporary housing in communities where they will resettle.
Canadians have a long history of welcoming refugees from around the world. Airbnb is proud to build on this tradition by partnering with Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, civil society actors across the country, and generous hosts to help welcome Afghan refugees
Jennifer Bond, Airbnb Board Member
In the past four years, Airbnb have connected approximately 25,000 refugees around the world to temporary housing. Airbnb have been working with Hosts across Canada to open their doors to refugees since 2017. Earlier this year, Airbnb announced the creation of the $25 million Refugee Fund, to further expand Airbnb’s support of refugees and asylum seekers worldwide.