March 4, 2025
Canada Strengthens Support for Sudanese Refugees and Families
Canada is expanding its efforts to support people affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Immigration Minister Marc Miller has announced new measures that will help more refugees find safety in Canada and make it easier for families to reunite. Over the next two years, these initiatives could benefit more than 7,000 additional people.
As part of this commitment, Canada will resettle up to 4,000 Sudanese refugees through government assistance by the end of 2026. Another 700 refugees will be supported through private sponsorship, including 350 Sudanese nationals who will no longer need a formal refugee status determination to qualify. These changes aim to remove barriers and speed up the process for those in urgent need.
The government is also expanding its family-based permanent residence program by increasing the number of applications accepted from 3,250 to over 5,000. This adjustment means approximately 10,000 people will now have the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones in Canada. In addition, Canadian sponsors under this program will no longer need to reside outside of Quebec.
Since conflict erupted in Sudan in April 2023, Canada has taken an active role in responding to the crisis, from assisting in evacuations to implementing immigration measures that prioritize safety and family unity. These latest initiatives reinforce Canada’s dedication to providing refuge to those in need.
Applications for the expanded family-based permanent residence pathway opened on 25 February 2025.
Hannah Cho
Hannah graduated from the J.D. program at Western Law in 2023. While in law school, Hannah was the Vice-President of the Western Law Charter Society, where she organized and moderated panel discussions on pressing legal issues concerning the Canadian Constitution and Charter rights. She also volunteered as a Student Clinician at the Law Student Legal Advice Program in British Columbia, where she gained experience handling a wide range of legal matters, including residential tenancy, employment and human rights law Before law school, Hannah received her B.A. (Hons.) with distinction from the University of Toronto, St. George, in Criminology and Book and Media Studies.
Prior to joining Bellissimo Law Group PC, Hannah worked as a student-at-law at a private immigration law firm, where she gained experience in Canadian immigration law by working on a range of matters including temporary residency applications, work permit applications, applications for permanent residence based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, and she has also co-written several articles on immigration law for platforms such as Law360 and International Law News.