Private refugee sponsorship is a resettlement process with defined sponsor responsibilities and applicant requirements. It differs from sponsoring a spouse or parent and from an asylum claim made in Canada. The current pause affects new sponsor-referred Group of Five and Community Sponsor applications, while other arrangements follow their own rules. Start by identifying the actual sponsorship category, whether it is accepting applications and the recognized organization or group responsible for support.
What to plan
- Explain the difference between sponsorship and an in-Canada protection claim.
- Check the current intake for the proposed sponsor category.
- Identify settlement and financial responsibilities for a genuine group.
- Direct specific protection or sponsorship questions to qualified support.
The process, step by step.
This is the typical sequence to discuss when agreeing your service. The exact requirements depend on your circumstances and current instructions.
Identify the sponsorship category
Distinguish sponsor-referred, Sponsorship Agreement Holder and any relevant BVOR arrangements from family-class sponsorship or a protection claim within Canada.
Check whether intake is available
Review the current pause, category-specific exceptions and organization’s actual authority or allocation before preparing any new sponsorship submission.
Assess genuine support responsibilities
The eligible group or organization reviews applicant requirements, settlement planning and financial commitments through the appropriate official process.
Follow the accepted file or referral route
Proceed only through an available process or existing application instructions, with no promise of a sponsor match or purchased place.
What to prepare
These are starting points for a discussion. The official checklist and your circumstances determine the documents required for an application.
- Existing sponsorship correspondence, if any
- Applicant identity and protection-status documents where required
- Proposed group or organization details
- Settlement and financial support information for the applicable route
Your questions, answered.
IRCC continues processing existing applications. Follow the instructions for the actual file rather than submitting a replacement under a paused intake.
No sponsor match is promised. Refugee sponsorship must follow a genuine eligible arrangement; it must not be presented as a purchased immigration place.
Check the official guidance
Research checked 13 October 2026. Program rules, intake, fees, and processing times can change. Use the current official instructions before making a decision.