Cape Town - First Australia's home affairs minister wanted to save white South African farmers from the "horrific circumstances" in their home country, now an Armenian man living in Canada wants his native country to offer them asylum.

Hazen Odinian has started an online petition calling for Armenia's head of immigration to offer asylum and permanent residency to white South Africans who, according to him, are victims of genocide.

Odinian's petition comes after Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton earlier this week instructed his department to consider fast-tracking the visa applications of white South African farmers who want to escape the "horrific circumstances" they are forced to endure in their home country.

South Africa's international relations department sternly rebuked Dutton, saying that "there is no reason for any government in the world to suspect that a section of South Africans is under danger from their own democratically elected government."

Hazen Odinian's petition to Armenia's head of immigration: