Edmonton agencies getting ready to resettle Afghan refugees

Local social agencies are preparing to welcome dozens of Afghan refugees to Edmonton over the next few weeks.

Plans are in flux, but national settlement co-chair Fariborz Birjandian, who is also CEO of the Calgary Catholic Immigrant Society, told CBC News on Tuesday night that 40 refugees from Afghanistan are expected to arrive in Edmonton over the next 10 days.

Canada's federal government has said it would accept up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghans threatened by the Taliban.

Edmonton organizations that resettle refugees are getting ready to help the new arrivals find housing, employment and language training if needed.

Catholic Social Services (CSS) is lining up staff who speak Dari and Pashto, the two main languages spoken in Afghanistan, and the agency plans to meet with schools and employment groups next week.

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