Temporary Pause Extended on Intake of Refugee Sponsorship Applications From Groups of Five and Community Sponsors

Ottawa, November 21, 2025—Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program allows Canadians, permanent residents and community organizations to provide refugees with a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

High demand for the PSR Program has resulted in a large volume of applications and lengthy wait times. On November 29, 2024, IRCC temporarily paused intake of new applications for two streams under the program—the group of five and community sponsor streams—in an effort to address this backlog.

IRCC is now extending the pause on new applications from groups of five and community sponsors until December 31, 2026.

Applications already submitted will continue to be processed, and Canada will continue to welcome refugees through the PSR Program during this temporary pause, in line with the admissions targets set out in the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

We recognize that this pause affects sponsors and partners. The department will continue to support the refugee sponsorship community and work closely with partners on ongoing improvements to the PSR Program.