Canada's federal government has put a temporary hold on the private sponsorship of refugees by groups comprising five or more persons and community organizations, a move aimed at addressing the ongoing backlog of applications.
The news was posted today on the official website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The immediate implementation of this cessation will continue until the end of 2025.
The government highlighted that the volume of applications received annually significantly overshadows the number of private refugee sponsorships available.
In the immigration roadmap for the years 2025 through 2027, the government has set a target to welcome 23,000 privately sponsored refugees. In contrast, the total refugee intake target for the upcoming year is marginally over 58,000 persons.
As of October's end, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada reports that there are more than 85,000 refugee claims yet to be resolved.
