CIMM - Refugee Resettlement - December 4, 2025

Key Messages

• The Government of Canada is matching immigration levels with Canada's economic needs and capacity so that the system does better—for newcomers and everyone.
• While that means that we are resettling fewer refugees through this year’s Levels Plan, Canada will continue to uphold its longstanding tradition of offering protection to the displaced and persecuted by welcoming 29,300 refugees in 2026.
• We will continue to work with our partners, including sponsors across the country, to implement these changes.

Resettlement Immigration Levels 2026–2028

• The 2026–2028 Levels Plan includes an overall reduction to admissions targets for resettled refugees (compared to the 2025–2027 Levels Plan), which reflects the broader downward trend of reduced overall targets and aligns with the objective of matching immigration levels with Canada’s economic needs.

Resettlement Program Performance

• Canada’s Refugee Resettlement Program consistently meets its performance benchmarks. The program has two performance indicators: 1) Number of resettled refugees admitted to Canada (where the target is the annual Levels Plan range), and 2) Percentage of resettled refugees in the world that Canada resettles (where the target is ≥20%).

If pressed on program results:

• Canada expects to meet both of its performance benchmarks in 2026.
• While the total number of refugee admissions to Canada will decrease compared to 2025, Canada will retain its position in the top three resettlement countries globally.

Impacts of the Levels Plan on the Resettlement Program

• The current processing time for Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) applications is 19 months. The processing time for Privately Sponsored Refugee (PSR) applications is 42 months. These processing times are historical and reflect averages for applications that have been processed in the past six months.
• Application intake in the GAR Program is managed through Agreements with referral partners, so we do not expect the lower admissions targets to have a significant impact on processing times.
• As the number of existing applications in the PSR Program remains much higher than the admissions targets, processing times are expected to increase.

If pressed on processing times:

• Historically, the Refugee Resettlement Program has not had service standards for processing times, recognizing the complexity of refugee cases and variable conditions in refugees’ countries of residence.
• However, the Department agreed with a recommendation by the Office of the Auditor General to establish service standards in all lines of business, including in refugee resettlement. As such, the Department is working towards establishing a service standard for the Refugee Resettlement Program.

If pressed on commitments:

• With the targets set out in this Immigration Levels Plan, Canada is on track to meet its existing 2024–2026 multi-year resettlement commitments to resettle 12,000 persons each from Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific regions, and 4,000 persons from the Americas by 2028 through the GAR Program.
• With regard to other resettlement initiatives, the government is assessing how best to support specific vulnerable populations through the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

Intake Control for PSR Program

• Due to ongoing high demand for the PSR Program, applications from private sponsors exceed the spaces available under the Immigration Levels Plan, resulting in a large volume of applications and lengthy wait times.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stopped accepting new applications from Groups of Five and Community Sponsors under the PSR Program in November 2024 and will continue this pause until December 31, 2026.
• This measure continues IRCC’s efforts to address the large volume of applications in the PSR Program and to move to more predictable wait times for applicants and for sponsors.
• IRCC will continue to process PSR applications already received and to resettle sponsored refugees to Canada, in line with the PSR Program targets established in the Immigration Levels Plan. For 2026, Canada is aiming to welcome 16,000 PSRs.

Resettlement of Uyghurs and Other Turkic Muslims (Motion 62)

• The Government of Canada is deeply concerned about the serious human rights violations in Xinjiang affecting Uyghurs and Turkic Muslims. Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims who have fled their country may still face threats, including the risk of forced return, or refoulement. Canada’s immigration system offers protection pathways for Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims who are living in third countries and are in need of protection.
• The government has not announced implementation details about this population due to safety and security risks to applicants, our program delivery partners, and Canadian staff.
• What we can share is that as of September 20, 2025, the Department has received applications for more than 740 Uyghurs, of which 140 people have arrived in Canada.

If pressed on what risks the Uyghur population is facing:

• Our first priority is the safety of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims abroad. This is why we will not be providing any details concerning the work underway to provide protection for these individuals, as it could put them at further risk.

If pressed on whether the government will meet the 10,000 person commitment by the end of 2025:

• The government is assessing how best to support this population, as well as other vulnerable populations, through the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

Resettlement of Yazidis and Other Survivors of Daesh

• Since 2017, the government has welcomed more than 1,400 Yazidis and survivors of Daesh and their family members to Canada. Yazidi families in Canada are generally integrating well. However, many continue to struggle with being separated from members of their family.
• In December 2023, the government put a special initiative in place to reunite Yazidis and survivors of Daesh, who were already resettled to Canada, with family living in Iraq. These individuals, along with their family members, are being welcomed as GARs.
• This effort seeks to further support their integration and settlement in Canada and help them to continue to recover from the trauma they have faced.

If pressed on Yazidi admissions:

• We expect to resettle up to 400 principal applicants and their family/extended family members by the end of 2026.

Human Rights Defenders

• Under the GAR program, IRCC has a stream to resettle up to 500 human rights defender refugees and their families who are at risk due to their work.
• From January 1 to September 20, 2025, approximately 260 individuals were admitted as GARs within the Human Rights Defenders special program.
• The government works closely with referral partners and experts on international protection, including in civil society, to identify and reach the defenders most in need of Canada’s protection.

If pressed on whether the government will continue with this commitment:

• The government is assessing how best to support this population as well as other vulnerable populations, through the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

LGBTQI+ Resettlement

• Canada has a proud history of providing protection to and helping resettle those most in need. That includes those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse (LGBTQI+) community.
• In 2026, Canada will continue to resettle people who are persecuted because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics who have been referred to Canada by referral partners or identified by private sponsors.
• Since 2011 Canada has been working with the Rainbow Refugee Society to resettle LGBTQI+ refugees through the PSR Program. Under the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership, the Government of Canada provides the start-up expenses and three months of income support for up to 50 PSR cases each year, while the remaining income and settlement support is provided by the sponsoring group.
  • Recently, IRCC extended this partnership for another five years until December 31, 2029. As of June 30, 2025, approximately 335 refugees have arrived through this initiative.

If pressed on the government’s ongoing commitment to this work:

• The government is assessing how best to support this population as well as other vulnerable populations, through the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

Rohingya Refugees

• Since the Myanmar military’s crackdown on Rohingya people in 2017, Canada has stood ready to resettle Rohingya refugees. After overcoming earlier challenges in obtaining permission from refugee hosting countries, Canada was able to resettle over 1,200 Rohingya refugees in 2024 and has continued to resettle this population in 2025.
• The government is assessing how best to support this population as well as other vulnerable populations, through the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

In-Canada Supports for Refugees

• To support GARs and other eligible clients, IRCC funds immediate and essential services under the Resettlement Assistance Program. These services include supports such as temporary accommodation, assistance finding permanent accommodation, and providing basic orientation to Canada. GARs also receive income support, which includes a one-time start-up payment to help clients set up a new home, as well as monthly income support generally for one year for shelter and other basic needs.
• In the PSR program, resettled refugees receive financial and integration supports from their sponsors in Canada, typically for one year after arrival.
• As permanent residents, all resettled refugees are also eligible to receive longer-term settlement services through IRCC’s Settlement Program.

Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot

• Beyond refugee resettlement, Canada offers a labour mobility pathway which supports skilled refugees and other qualified displaced persons to arrive in Canada to fill labour market needs.
• The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) allows employers in Canada to fill vacancies in a wide range of sectors, including health care, construction, food service, and manufacturing.
• Since 2019, over 1,100 refugees and displaced persons have been admitted to Canada under the EMPP.

If pressed on the future of the program:

• Canada is committed to attracting skilled refugees and displaced persons from around the world to fill skills shortages and drive economic growth.
• The EMPP was developed as a time limited pilot and the recent increase in intake is a positive indication of its success and demonstrates the growing interest from applicants, employers and stakeholders.
• The Department continues to assess lessons learned from the pilot to improve the program design of complementary pathways for refugees, including labour mobility pathways.
• In the meantime, the Department is working on reducing the inventory of applications to ensure that the EMPP continues to be relevant and to meet its intended objectives.