According to Immigration Minister Marc Miller, the recent halt in most private refugee sponsorships is due to an excess of applications and the desire to avoid giving false hope to individuals fleeing war zones.
The government made the decision to pause privately sponsored refugee applications from community organizations and groups of five or more individuals on Nov. 29. This pause is in effect immediately and will continue until Dec. 31, 2025.
Immigration officials have stated that there are currently over 90,000 private refugee applications awaiting processing. The government’s plan over the next three years is to admit 66,000 privately sponsored refugees.
Some refugee aid organizations were taken by surprise by this pause and have advocated for an increase in the number of refugees admitted to expedite the application backlog more effectively.
Over the past year, the government has been reducing the number of newcomers being admitted to Canada, including students, temporary workers, and permanent residents.
Miller noted that many aid organizations had been anticipating changes since the government’s broader immigration plan was announced in October. The pause in refugee sponsorships is attributed to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada’s inability to keep up with the high volume of applications.
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