Temporary pause on intake of refugee sponsorship applications from Groups of Five and Community Sponsors

News Release

Ottawa, November 29, 2024 – Canada has temporarily paused new refugee sponsorship applications from Groups of Five and Community Sponsors under the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that the pause, effective immediately and lasting until December 31, 2025, aims to manage a large backlog of applications and improve processing times.

The PSR Program, which has welcomed refugees for over 40 years, faces demand that exceeds the annual limits set by Canada’s immigration levels plan.

Applications already submitted will continue to be processed. Canada plans to resettle 23,000 privately sponsored refugees in 2025.

For more information, visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.