Canada is still a leader in the world when it comes to resettling and integrating refugees. Tens of thousands of refugees are given shelter and a secure, permanent home every year.
Almost 130 companies, referred to as sponsorship agreement holders (SAHs), who support refugees on an annual basis are essential to the program’s success.
The number of these neighborhood groups that seek to help refugees has increased along with the programme. The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, stated today that the maximum number of refugees that SAHs may sponsor would rise to 13,500 in 2023 in response to this surge. There are now 12,150 more spots accessible to SAHs than there were when the cap was first enacted in 2012.
New SAHs will be able to launch their operations thanks to the extra cap places, while seasoned enterprises will be assisted in expanding. These organizations oversee every step of the sponsorship procedure, from selecting refugees and submitting applications to giving sponsored immigrants vital support.
The Government-Assisted Refugee Program (GAR) and the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program, Canada’s other two resettlement initiatives, are strengthened by the PSR Program. They are one of the numerous ways Canada is aiming to meet its target of accepting more than 83,500 privately sponsored refugees by 2025. Collectively, they assist Canada in receiving more refugees each year than the Government of Canada could settle alone.
The PSR and BVOR programmes in Canada serve as role models for other nations. Canada promotes and supports the implementation and growth of community sponsorship programmes designed to meet local needs through its involvement in the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GRSI). Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, and most recently, the United States have all benefited from GRSI funding for the creation of programmes.
As per Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship ” Our government is increasing the number of refugees that can be sponsored by sponsorship agreement holders to 13,500, a 10-fold increase from when the cap was first introduced in 2012. Today’s announcement will support the vital work of these community organizations so they can continue helping refugees from around the world settle in Canada. I want to thank these partners, who make this program possible year after year. Your work is a testament to the compassion of Canadians, and we’re grateful for all that you do.”
As per Lena Awwad, SAH Council Vice Chair, and Research and Programs Director at Islamic Family and Social Services Association ” Sponsorship agreement holders and their community partners contribute roughly $135 million annually in sponsorship funds, in addition to their own operating costs and service delivery costs. The sponsorship community is pleased with the increase in sponsorship spaces for 2023 and commends the important work IRCC is undertaking to address the significant processing backlogs. We hope to see high numbers of landings in 2023 for all PSR Program resettled newcomers.”
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