published on 16 December 2025 @ 4:25 pm · COMMENT

Pause Extended For Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program

Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program enables Canadians, permanent residents, and community organizations to sponsor refugees, offering them a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

Due to high demand and a growing backlog of applications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) temporarily paused intake for two streams—the Group of Five and Community Sponsor Streams—on November 29, 2024. We are sad to announce that IRCC has now extended this pause until December 31, 2026. Applications already submitted will continue to be processed.

The extended pause underscores the significant strain on the PSR Program caused by growing demand and operational backlogs. For prospective sponsors, this means that new applications will face delays, highlighting the need for careful planning and early engagement with the program once intake resumes. For refugees, the continued processing of existing applications ensures that those already in the system will still benefit from resettlement opportunities, though new applicants may face longer wait times.

filed under: IMMIGRATIONPERMANENT RESIDENCE