Can I sponsor a refugee?

In Quebec, you apply through the Government of Quebec

“If you want to sponsor a refugee to resettle in Quebec ... You must apply through the Government of Quebec.”

Yes: sponsoring as an existing sponsorship agreement holder is open

“SAHs support refugees on their own or with help from other groups and individuals.”

“Sponsor as an existing SAH ... Open”

IRCC: the list of sponsorship agreement holders

Not in 2026: IRCC is not taking applications to become a SAH

“Apply to become a SAH ... Closed ... There won’t be a 2026 application intake.”

“We’ll post updates about future intakes when available.”

“Contact an existing SAH if you want to help sponsor refugees .”

IRCC: the list of sponsorship agreement holders

No, not on your own: you sponsor as part of a group

“You can’t sponsor a refugee on your own. You must be part of 1 of the following groups in Canada.”

“Contact a SAH in your area to find out how to partner with them”

“Contact the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) to find out how to form your own sponsorship group”

IRCC: the list of sponsorship agreement holders

Not as a group of five, on what you answered

Every member must meet these rules. A sponsorship agreement holder may still let you help with a sponsorship.

“To be eligible, each member of the group must: ... be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident ... be at least 18 years old ... live in the same community where the refugee is expected to settle, and ... agree to give settlement support for the length of the sponsorship (usually 1 year)”

“Your group must ... provide a settlement plan ... prove the group has the money to sponsor a refugee for 1 year”

IRCC: the list of sponsorship agreement holders

Not right now: new group-of-five applications for a refugee you choose are paused

Until then, these groups can sponsor only a refugee matched with them through the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) program, or work with a sponsorship agreement holder.

“IRCC is now extending the pause on new applications from groups of five and community sponsors until December 31, 2026.”

“Applications already submitted will continue to be processed”

IRCC: how to sponsor a refugee through the BVOR program

Yes, through the BVOR program: IRCC matches you with a refugee

“Groups of five can only apply to sponsor refugees through the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program at this time.”

“To be eligible, each member of the group must: ... be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident ... be at least 18 years old ... live in the same community where the refugee is expected to settle, and ... agree to give settlement support for the length of the sponsorship (usually 1 year)”

“Your group must ... provide a settlement plan ... prove the group has the money to sponsor a refugee for 1 year”

IRCC: how to sponsor a refugee through the BVOR program

Yes: an application you already submitted is still processed

“Applications already submitted will continue to be processed”

“IRCC is now extending the pause on new applications from groups of five and community sponsors until December 31, 2026.”

Not right now: new community-sponsor applications for a refugee you choose are paused

Until then, these groups can sponsor only a refugee matched with them through the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) program, or work with a sponsorship agreement holder.

“IRCC is now extending the pause on new applications from groups of five and community sponsors until December 31, 2026.”

“Applications already submitted will continue to be processed”

IRCC: how to sponsor a refugee through the BVOR program

Yes, through the BVOR program: IRCC matches you with a refugee

“Community sponsors can only apply to sponsor refugees through the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program at this time.”

“Other organizations and individuals can also partner with you as co–sponsors .”

IRCC: how to sponsor a refugee through the BVOR program

Refugee profiles for BVOR are shared through the RSTP, which can help match you

“The list of BVOR refugee profiles available for sponsorship is shared with the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) .”

“The RSTP can help match you with a refugee or refugee family.”

“Once you identify a refugee profile that fits your group’s capacity, place a hold on it through the RSTP website.”

“You have 7 calendar days to submit your sponsorship application after you choose a profile.”

IRCC Help Centre: what if I can't find refugees to sponsor through BVOR?

No: people already in Canada can't be privately sponsored

“The following persons do not qualify for private sponsorship: ... People already in Canada. Such persons seeking Canada's protection as refugees should contact a local IRCC Centre for information on how to make a refugee claim.”

Possibly: they may qualify, and an IRCC officer abroad decides

Groups of five and community sponsors can sponsor only BVOR refugees until December 31, 2026, so a refugee you already know is sponsored today through a sponsorship agreement holder.

“An officer at an overseas IRCC office makes the final decision on whether someone meets 1 of these definitions and is, therefore, eligible for resettlement.”

“persons who may qualify as refugees for Canada’s refugee and humanitarian resettlement program are grouped into 2 categories, or “classes”: Convention Refugees Abroad and Country of Asylum.”

“To be sponsored as a refugee by a Group of Five or a Community Sponsor, the Principal Applicant must already have a Refugee Status Determination (RSD) .”

IRCC Help Centre: who is eligible for private sponsorship?

Only a sponsorship agreement holder can sponsor them

“Principal Applicants without refugee status recognized by the UNHCR or a foreign state can only be sponsored by a SAH.”

“Being registered with the UNHCR does not mean that refugee status has been determined.”

IRCC Help Centre: are there different rules to sponsor a refugee from Turkey?

No, if they can now settle where they live or return home safely

“People who fled persecution or civil war some time ago but can now integrate into the country where they are residing or can return home safely.”

Only if something has changed since the refusal

“People who were the subject of a previous sponsorship application and were refused, unless: ... their circumstances have changed, ... new information, which was not presented in the previous application, has come to light, or ... Canadian laws affecting the case have changed.”

Yes: name every family member, even those not coming with them

“The Sponsorship Undertaking must name all family members listed on the Application for Permanent Residence, whether they are accompanying the Principal Applicant to Canada or not.”

“It is not possible to sponsor only 1 member of a family unit.”

“In some cases, family members may follow later under the provisions of the One Year Window program”

“Failing to disclose family members on the undertaking or IMM 0008 is misrepresentation and will result in the refusal of the application.”

IRCC Help Centre: family members who aren't coming at the same time

Within 1 year of arrival, if they were declared before the refugee left

“A OYW application must be submitted to ROC-O within 1 year of the Principal Applicant’s arrival in Canada and the OYW applicant must meet the definition of a family member .”

“In order to qualify, the family member must have been identified on the Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008) ... of the Principal Applicant before he/she departed for Canada.”

“If a family member is located after the 1-year period has elapsed, the family member may still be eligible for processing in a family reunification category.”