COW – Refugee Resettlement – June 9, 2025

Key Facts and Figures

• This year’s Levels Plan includes an overall reduction to admissions targets for resettled refugees. This reflects a reduction in the targets for the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) and Blended Visa Office Referred (BVOR) program streams. There is no reduction to the Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) target previously published for 2025.

Key Messages

• Canada is a global leader in refugee resettlement. With these targets, Canada will remain one of the top resettlement countries in the world.
• While there have been reductions to refugee targets, this is consistent with the broader downward trend in this year’s Levels Plan for all immigration categories.
• To demonstrate Canada’s continued commitment to helping the world’s most vulnerable, Canada’s targets for government-assisted refugees did not decrease compared to the targets previously set in last year’s plan. This admissions plan allows for ongoing work towards meeting regional commitments for resettlement from Africa (including for refugees impacted by the conflict in Sudan), the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas.
• Canada will also continue to welcome refugees sponsored by private groups and community-based partners, but at more sustainable levels that align with the capacity of communities across Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is working closely with all our partners and stakeholders as they adjust their operations to meet these targets.
• To further support the private sponsorship of LGBTQI+ refugees, we are committed to expanding the government’s longstanding Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership. Departmental officials are working with stakeholders on this expansion.

If pressed on Government-Assisted Refugee targets:

• The 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan included reductions in the resettled refugee targets beginning in 2025 to account for the wind-down of Canada’s Afghan Resettlement Initiative.

Supplementary Information

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 China may still face threats, including the risk of forced return, or refoulement.
• Canada is offering safe haven to Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims who are living in third countries and are in need of protection.
• Our first priority is the safety of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims. As such, we are unable to provide any further information about our resettlement operational efforts as it could put these vulnerable people at further risk.

If pressed on the government’s slow progress on Motion 62:

• This is a complex initiative, including because of the level of potential risk to applicants as well as our partners. Our focus is on the safety of those involved.
• The first families arrived in 2024 and more are arriving in 2025. Out of concern for the safety and security of these refugees, IRCC is not releasing information publicly about arrivals from this cohort.

Resettlement of Yazidis and Other Survivors of Daesh

• The government has committed to resettle family members and extended family members of Yazidi and other survivors of Daesh already in Canada. 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.
• Since 2017, the government has welcomed 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, will be welcomed under this initiative as government-assisted refugees.

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

• The Levels Plan has up to 500 resettlement spaces dedicated to human rights defenders each year.
• IRCC partners with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), ProtectDefenders.eu, and FrontLine Defenders to deliver this initiative.

LGBTQI+ Resettlement

• Canada has a partnership with Rainbow Railroad to identify at-risk LGBTQI+ refugees and their families and refer them through the Government-Assisted Refugee program. This partnership is helping more LGBTQI+ individuals and their families find safety in Canada. It is in addition to LGBTQI+ refugees referred by the UNHCR and other referral partners.
• Canada also works with the Rainbow Refugee Society to resettle LGBTQI+ refugees through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program. Under this partnership, the Government of Canada provides the start-up expenses and three months of income support for up to 50 privately sponsored refugee cases each year, while the remaining income and settlement support is provided by the sponsoring group.
• These important initiatives are a part of Canada’s ongoing and significant efforts to provide protection to LGBTQI+ individuals and other vulnerable populations around the world.

If pressed on Rainbow Railroad admissions:

• In spring 2024, the government finalized an arrangement with Rainbow Railroad, which was a necessary step before the organization could begin providing referrals under this program.
• IRCC also continues to resettle LGBTQI+ refugees referred by other partners, including the UNHCR.

Global Refugee Forum Commitments

• In December 2023, Canada participated in the second Global Refugee Forum to build on the progress since the 2019 Forum.
• Canada made pledges in the areas of refugee resettlement, education, meaningful refugee participation, asylum and protection capacity building, community sponsorship, support for LGBTQI+ refugees and refugee labour mobility.
• Canada is continuing to deliver on these pledges. In 2019, Canada made 14 pledges. In 2023, Canada made an additional 40 pledges. As of May 2025, Canada has fulfilled 20 of the 54 total pledges.

Processing Times

• Aligned with Canada’s commitments, in 2024 IRCC made significant progress in processing older applications to contribute to efforts to reduce regional disparities in processing times—particularly in Africa. We will continue to make efforts to address this issue moving forward.

If pressed on impacts on cases in Africa:

• Canada has focused additional capacity to support processing and movement of applicants in Sub-Saharan Africa, where a significant number of privately sponsored refugees reside.
• By leveraging available resources across the processing network, introducing surge capacity and organizing charter flights where feasible, the efforts have resulted in movement of thousands of additional applicants over the past two years.

In-Canada Supports for Refugees

• To support government-assisted refugees and other eligible clients upon arrival in Canada, IRCC funds service providers to deliver immediate and essential services under the Resettlement Assistance Program for the first four to six weeks.
• This includes the provision of port-of-entry services, temporary accommodation and assistance finding permanent housing, orientation to life in Canada, and registration and referrals to other government and community services.
• Eligible clients may also receive monthly income support, which includes a one-time household start-up allowance as well as direct financial support, generally for up to one year to cover basic needs and shelter costs.
• As permanent residents, all resettled refugees are also eligible to receive longer-term settlement services through IRCC’s Settlement Program.