OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Lena Diab is extending until 2027 the pause on new applications through the Private Sponsorship for Refugees Program as the department works to clear its backlog.

New ministerial instructions were published in the Canada Gazette today along with a notice on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website.

This pause applies to refugee sponsorships submitted by community organizations or groups of five or more individuals.

Applications that were submitted before the pause took effect on Nov. 29, 2024 will still be processed, according to the notice.

When the pause was announced last year, immigration officials said there were approximately 90,000 private refugee sponsorships awaiting processing.

The government plans to resettle 16,000 privately sp

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