Members of groups who are sponsoring two Syrian refugee families hold up signs as they wait for the families to arrive at Toronto's Pearson Airport, in December, 2015.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
The private sponsorship of refugees is a proud Canadian innovation that has helped hundreds of thousands of people in danger build new lives here over the last 46 years. Despite those decades of success, Ottawa has frozen applications for a pivotal part of the program.
First created to resettle refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in 1979, the program allows groups of five or more regular Canadians and permanent residents, as well as organizations to sponsor people abroad who have refugee status, allowing them to permanently settle in Canada.
The sponsors agree to provide financial support and settlement assistance for the first year. They set up housing, provide furniture, food and other essentials, and connect the newcomers with job search and language programs.
During the Syrian refugee crisis, individuals across Canada banded together to help Syrians settle using this pathway. Countries around the world have taken inspiration from Canada’s program.
In 2020, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada boasted that 327,000 refugees had been welcomed by private sponsors since 1979. “Private sponsors play a significant role in thousands upon thousands of new Canadian success stories,” the department wrote. “It is thanks to the efforts of private sponsors and the support of thousands of volunteers that Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program continues to be a success.”
However, last November, IRCC temporarily stopped accepting new private refugee sponsorship applications from the groups of five and community sponsors categories. Established organizations with agreements to settle a certain number of refugees can still put in new applications, but grassroots groups and relatives trying to sponsor extended family through the groups of five category can’t.
Applicants in the queue are being processed, but no new applications are being accepted. The pause is set to lift on Dec. 31, although documents obtained by the Canadian Press suggest the immigration department has discussed extending the freeze to 2028 to clear the backlog.
First Person: I sponsored a refugee family because it was done for my family years ago
Refugee advocates are extremely upset about the pause, saying that volunteers who have been working to bring in refugees facing immediate danger can’t even get them in the queue. Advocates also worry that the many groups who have generously sponsored refugees over the years will lose momentum, skills and interest if the pause continues.
The government has framed the move as a practical measure, and there is a narrow logic to it. The 100,000 applications for privately sponsored refugees far exceeded the slots available, contributing to years-long processing times. Under the current immigration levels plan, the government is only planning to let in 23,000 privately sponsored refugees this year, a drop from 27,505 in 2023. Numbers are set to keep dropping in future years, in line with the government’s plan to lower overall immigration numbers.
The backdrop, of course, is Canadians’ souring mood on immigration, which has been partially fuelled by Liberal government missteps. Some communities have also been strained by asylum seekers showing up at the border and at airports in recent years, and Canada has an obligation under international law to consider their claims. It’s easy to look at optional measures like the privately sponsored refugee program as a place to cut.
However, the sidelining of this remarkable program is unfortunate, as privately sponsored refugees have better outcomes than those assisted by the government. Not only is it initially cheaper for the government, but a study tracking the outcomes of Syrian refugees showed that privately sponsored ones were more likely to be employed and less likely to be on government assistance. Privately sponsored refugees also have higher incomes. A 2024 Senate report recommended boosting the program.
Yes, Canada needs to get better control of its immigration system, but let’s not lose track of our rich tradition of helping refugees. Their entry doesn’t always need to be directly managed by government – grassroots groups can help, and their strong interest shows these refugees have support to integrate here.
While it’s true that Canada can’t help all people in need during this time of increased global displacement, surely we can maintain our commitments to help refugees. The privately sponsored program remains one of the best ways to do it.