November 31, 2024 – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has decided to put a freeze on accepting further sponsorship applications from these two groups – “group of five” and “community sponsors”. This policy will be in effect from December 1, 2024. Any application submitted before this date will still be reviewed, but these two categories of applications have been suspended already.

Group of Five

• Definition and Requirements:
  A Group of Five comprises an aggregate of five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents responsible for sponsoring one or more refugees. All volunteers shall demonstrate economic capability and be ready to give support for at least one year in the form of accommodation, food, education and other basic needs.

Community Sponsors

• Definition and Role:
  Community Sponsorship means having individuals living in Canada or organizations that undertake a commitment to assist refugees. Sponsorship involves nonprofit organizations, religious communities, ethnic communities, and non-institutionalized spirited individuals.

Currently, the application process for Refugee and Asylum Protection in Canada is still open.

While applications under these two particular categories have been temporarily paused, general refugee sponsorship programs are still open in Canada. 

According to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program, a qualified sponsor should:

• Provide both financial assistance and core settlement services to enable refugees to settle in Canada.
• Ensure family reunification by including all immediate family members of the sponsored refugee.

For more details, please visit https://twaimmigration.com/services/refugee-and-asylum-proection-canada/

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