Canada has decided to extend the pause on new applications under the Private Sponsorship for Refugees Program until 2027. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is actively addressing a significant processing backlog, as confirmed by new ministerial instructions published in the Canada Gazette.

The ongoing pause applies to all new sponsorship requests submitted by community organizations or Groups of Five. Only applications submitted before the original pause date of Nov. 29, 2024, will be processed further.

Upon the initial announcement of the pause, officials disclosed that approximately 90,000 private sponsorship applications were awaiting review. The government’s current immigration levels plan outlines the resettlement of 16,000 privately sponsored refugees annually over the next three years. IRCC emphasizes the need to prioritize the existing inventory before accepting new applications.