As Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program marks 40 years, Canadians are being celebrated for their immense contributions and dedication to provide a safe haven for vulnerable refugees around the world.

“Thank you to all Canadians for opening both their hearts and homes to welcome more than 327,000 refugees over the last four decades from coast to coast to coast. We can all take pride in the example Canadians set for the world. It is truly emblematic of the character of Canadians and the fabric of our great country”.

– The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

• The Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program officially began in 1978 and marked the first time Canadians were able to get involved in the resettlement of vulnerable refugees.

• Between 1979 and 1980, more than 60,000 people found refuge in Canada after the Vietnam War. Of those, over half were supported by private sponsorship groups.

• Since 1980, more than 160 communities have welcomed privately sponsored refugees from more than 175 countries.

• Since 2015, more than half of the 62,000 Syrian refugees who have been resettled to Canada were privately sponsored.

• Launched in 2016, the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative - a partnership between Canada, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the Open Society Foundations, the Giustra Foundation and the University of Ottawa - aims to increase global refugee resettlement spaces, strengthen host communities, and improve the narrative about refugees by engaging governments and private citizens in refugee sponsorship.

Associated links

• Backgrounder: By the numbers – 40 years of Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program
• Thank You Canada
• Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative

Contacts for media only

Mathieu Genest
Minister’s Office
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
613-954-1064

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
613-952-1650
IRCC.COMMMediaRelations-RelationsmediasCOMM.IRCC@cic.gc.ca