What is the Canada Private Sponsorship Programme?
Canada has a long tradition of welcoming refugees and has different programmes to resettle refugees. In addition to Government-assisted programmes, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can also help refugees build a new life in Canada through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees programme.
For full and accurate information on Canada’s private sponsorship programme, please visit the relevant Canadian government website.
You may find a short description of the Canadian Sponsorship programme on UNHCR Israel website.
For the Group of Five and Community Sponsorship paths of private sponsorship, the sponsored refugee must have a document showing that he or she has been individually recognized as a refugee, either by a government official or by UNHCR.
I have a Group of 5 or Community Sponsor. How do I obtain a Refugee Letter?
In May 2021, UNHCR Israel opened a portal for requests for refugee letters for asylum seekers in Israel who have prospective sponsors in Canada. UNHCR received over 4,000 requests and has been processing these requests since 2021 and all requests were finalized by June 30th, 2025.
Due to insufficient capacity, new applications requests of the refugee’s letter for the Private Sponsorship Program in Canada will not be accepted or considered.
Should I pay for the sponsorship programme?
Do not trust or believe anyone who asks you to pay for a refugee sponsorship or to help you get your application approved. Under Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees Programme, sponsors are responsible for assisting refugees with financial and settlement assistance. You do not have to pay for private sponsorship. In addition, you do not have to prepay or repay your sponsors for care, lodging (housing) or settlement assistance.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of such fraud, please report it.
Is there any policy change for sponsorship programmes during 2025?
In Israel, by June 2025 UNHCR Israel completed interviewing all those who submitted an online request in 2021 and are on the list of applicants awaiting an interview with UNHCR for a UNHCR refugee letter, for the Canadian private sponsorship, and for those who have active sponsors. UNHCR had finalized the interviews and issued refugee letters to those found to be refugees before the end of June 2025.
