IRCC Pauses Refugee Sponsorship Intake for Groups of Five

As of November 29, 2024, IRCC stopped accepting new private sponsorship applications from Groups of Five (G5) and Community Sponsors (CS) under the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program. This pause remains in effect as of today, June 16, 2026, and IRCC has confirmed it continues to govern how new applications are handled. If you submitted an application after that date, IRCC will return it with an explanation letter rather than process it.

This update matters to thousands of Canadians who sponsor refugees through community networks. The pause does not end the PSR program. It means two specific sponsorship types are closed to new intake while IRCC works through its existing inventory. Understanding exactly what is and is not affected will save you time and prevent a wasted application.

Why IRCC Paused G5 and Community Sponsor Intake

IRCC stated the reason plainly: to provide more timely protection to refugees abroad and more certainty to sponsors in Canada. In practice, this means the inventory of existing applications had grown large enough that accepting new ones was making wait times unpredictable for everyone involved. Sponsors who submitted applications years ago had no clear sense of when their sponsored refugee would receive a decision. Refugees waiting abroad faced similar uncertainty.

The pause is governed by a Ministerial Instruction (MI), which is a legal tool under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that allows the Minister to set temporary limits on application intake. The MI took effect on November 29, 2024, and remains in force. Under the MI, IRCC will not accept any new sponsorship applications from G5 or CS groups under the PSR program while the pause continues. This is not a change to program eligibility. The rules about who qualifies as a G5 or CS sponsor, and who qualifies as a sponsored refugee, have not changed. The pause only affects intake of new applications.

Processing of applications already in the inventory continues on a first-in basis. That means earlier submissions move through the queue ahead of later ones, which is standard IRCC practice during periods of high volume. IRCC officers are specifically instructed to pay close attention to procedures around changes to existing applications, because those situations are where the rules get more nuanced. Check the IRCC official website for any updates to the pause status.

What Happens to Applications Submitted After November 29, 2024

If you are a G5 or CS sponsor and you mailed or emailed an application after November 29, 2024, IRCC will not process it. Instead, the application will be administratively returned to you along with an explanation letter. This process is straightforward for applications submitted by email. For paper applications sent by mail, there is an important practical detail you need to know.

IRCC will not physically return your mailed application package. The explanation letter you receive will tell you why the application was not accepted, but the physical documents will not come back to you. This means you should keep a full copy of everything you submitted before sending any application by mail. If you did not retain copies, you may find yourself without the supporting documents you need for any future application attempts, should the pause ever be lifted. This is not a new IRCC requirement specific to the pause. Retaining copies of all immigration applications is standard practice, but the pause makes it especially relevant here because of the non-return policy on mailed packages.

If your application falls into this category, your next step is to wait for IRCC's explanation letter and then consult a qualified immigration professional about your options. Resubmitting the same application will not work while the pause remains in place. You would be spending money on postage to receive the same administrative return. Review the IRCC Help Centre for operational guidance if you have questions about your specific situation.

Changes to Existing Applications: What Is Still Allowed

If your G5 or CS application was received by IRCC before November 29, 2024, it is in the active inventory and continues to be processed. However, life does not stop while an application moves through the queue. Families grow. Relationships change. People die. IRCC has specific rules about which changes to your existing application are permitted and which require a new application that would be blocked by the pause.

The most common permitted change is a family composition update that adds eligible dependants. If a marriage, birth, or adoption took place after IRCC received your original application, you can add the new family member. Specifically, you can add a spouse, children, children of a spouse, adopted children, and de facto dependants who qualify under section R1(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. IRCC treats this as a change to an existing application rather than a new one. The Ministerial Instruction does not block these additions. You will need to follow the standard procedures for adding dependants and provide updated documentation to support the change.

Other family composition changes are also permissible on pre-pause applications. IRCC's internal guidance identifies three specific scenarios. First, if the principal applicant and their spouse divorce or separate, and the ex-spouse wants to continue being sponsored while the principal applicant does not, that change can be accommodated. Second, if the principal applicant dies and their family wants to continue the sponsorship, IRCC can consider that change to the existing application. Third, if a dependent child who is part of the application subsequently gets married and wants to continue the sponsorship with their new spouse, that scenario is also permissible. In any of these cases, IRCC may request revised application documents that reflect the updated family composition. Keep all your documentation organized and respond quickly to any IRCC request to avoid delays in your file.

One Year Window Applications Are Not Affected

The One Year Window of opportunity program operates separately from the G5 and CS intake pause. Applications under this program are submitted and processed as usual. The pause does not apply to them in any way. If you are eligible to sponsor someone under the One Year Window, you do not need to wait for the pause to end. You can submit your application through the normal process.

The One Year Window allows privately sponsored refugees who already have permanent residence in Canada to sponsor their immediate family members within one year of becoming a permanent resident. It is a distinct stream with its own eligibility rules and submission process. Sponsors using this pathway should confirm their eligibility directly through IRCC's processing times tool and the relevant program pages, since timelines can vary. The fact that G5 and CS intake is paused has no bearing on your One Year Window file, whether you are at the application stage or already in processing.

This distinction is worth noting clearly because G5 groups sometimes sponsor refugees who have family members already in Canada. If you are involved in both a G5 application and a One Year Window application for related individuals, only the G5 file is subject to the pause. The One Year Window file continues normally. Make sure you are tracking the two files separately and not confusing communications or document requests between them.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is the G5 and Community Sponsor pause still in effect in 2026?
Yes. As of June 16, 2026, the pause remains in effect. IRCC's internal guidance document (REF-OVS-3) was updated on this date confirming the pause continues. No end date has been announced.

What happens if I resubmit a returned application?
IRCC will return it again. The Ministerial Instruction blocks all new intake from G5 and CS sponsors while the pause is active. Resubmitting does not change that outcome. Wait for official guidance from IRCC on when intake reopens.

Can I add my newborn child to an application already in the queue?
Yes. Births, marriages, and adoptions that occur after IRCC received your pre-pause application are treated as changes to an existing file, not new applications. IRCC accepts these additions. You need to follow the standard dependant-addition procedures and provide supporting documents such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate.

Does this pause affect Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs)?
The IRCC guidance specifically names Groups of Five and Community Sponsors as the groups affected. SAHs are not named in the pause. If you are a SAH or working with one, confirm your status directly with IRCC, as the pause was designed to address the G5 and CS inventory specifically.

Sources: Government of Canada (canada.ca), IRCC Help Centre. Program Delivery Instruction REF-OVS-3, last modified June 16, 2026. Last verified: June 16, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Consult IRCC or a qualified legal aid service for guidance on your specific situation.