Canada pauses private refugee sponsorship applications until 2026

Canada is pausing private refugee sponsorships from groups of five or more people and community organizations to help clear a backlog of applications.

The notice was published on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website on Friday.

The pause is effective immediately and runs until Dec. 31, 2025.

“To provide more certainty to refugees abroad and sponsors in Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has temporarily stopped accepting new applications from groups of five and community sponsors under the PSR Program as of November 29, 2024,” the notice reads.

The government says applications received annually far outpace the number of spaces for private refugee sponsorships.

The government has set a target of admitting 23,000 privately sponsored refugees in its 2025-27 immigration plan, while the total refugee target for next year is just over 58,000 people.

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada says there are over 85,000 pending refugee claims as of the end of October.

The IRCC said it recognizes the measure “will have an impact on the refugee sponsorship community, delivery partners and others.”

“We will work closely with partners and stakeholders as they adjust to these changes, while also continuing to engage with them on longer-term improvements to the program, including future intake measures,” the notice reads.