Canada’s sponsorship and resettlement programs for refugees and protected persons make up approximately 13% of permanent resident admissions.

1. Privately Sponsored Refugee (PSR) Program

This program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor qualified refugees from abroad to come and live in Canada permanently. Private sponsors must:

• support the refugee financially to cover things like housing, food, clothing and furniture, and
• help them find work, sign up for school and get around their community

This type of sponsorship typically lasts 1 year. However, individuals cannot sponsor a refugee on their own but must be part of one of the following groups that want to sponsor a refugee to resettle in their community:

• Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAH): established organizations that have applied to be a sponsorship agreement holder (SAH).
• Group of Five: a group of 5 or more Canadians or permanent residents.
• Community Sponsor: an organization, corporation or association.

For more information on Private Sponsorship and these programs, visit the Government of Canada’s How to sponsor a refugee website.

2. Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) Program

In this program, refugees are referred for resettlement by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) or another referral organization. Government-assisted refugees are supported by the Government of Canada or the province of Quebec, through non-governmental agencies called service provider organizations that they fund. Support is provided for up-to one year or until the refugee can support themselves, whichever comes first.

The GAR program Includes dedicated streams for human rights defenders and LGBTQI+ individuals.

Visit “Government-Assisted Refugees (GAR) program” for more information.

3. Blended Visa Office-Referred Program (BVOR)

BVOR is a program that partners the Government of Canada with private sponsors. Through this program, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can become private sponsors and get matched with refugees identified by a referral organization, such as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The Government of Canada provides 6 months of financial support, and private sponsors commit to providing

• another 6 months of financial support and
• 12 months of social, emotional and settlement support

Refer to the Government of Canda for more information on the Blended Visa Office-Referred Program.

4. Protected Persons in Canada and Dependants Abroad

This is a category of refugees applying for permanent residence that includes:

• Those refugees within Canada who have already been recognized as a Protected Person (Convention Refugee or Person in Need of Protection) or Protected Temporary Resident by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada or through IRCC’s pre-removal risk assessment, and
• Dependants abroad of a Protected Person in Canada: family members of a protected person in Canada who are living in another country at the time of application, can be added to the Protected Persons application (Note that family members living abroad who are listed in the application but whose whereabouts are unknown, will have one year from the day the Protected Person is granted permanent residence to apply for permanent residence at a visa office. They will be processed as part of the original application).

More information on these types of refugees can be found here. Refer to IRCC for information on how these groups can apply for permanent residence.

Quebec

Quebec has its own refugee sponsorship program. Visit Quebec Immigration for more information.

A criminal record will delay, and can even prevent you from getting your immigration status. To erase your criminal record, call toll-free 1-888-808-3628 or learn more at Pardon Partners. It’s easier than you think.

Get legal help

For guidance on your Canadian immigration options, contact our preferred immigration lawyer, Sobirovs Law Firm at 1-416-895-3926 or wecare@sobirovs.com. The Sobirovs team supports entrepreneurs, investors, and skilled professionals who want to build their future in Canada through clear, structured, and strategic pathways.

								
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