Refugees Abroad (IMM 6000): How Refugee Resettlement to Canada Works from Outside Canada

Refugee resettlement to Canada from abroad operates through a separate system from inland refugee claims. This resource explains the IMM 6000 pathway, who initiates it, what overseas processing involves, and what Afghans outside Canada need to know.

This resource explains the overseas refugee resettlement pathway to Canada, which uses Form IMM 6000 and is processed by IRCC visa offices abroad. Unlike inland refugee claims (where the person is already in Canada), resettlement is for refugees recognized abroad by UNHCR or through private sponsorship. It covers the two main streams — Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs) and Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs) — the processing steps, security and medical requirements, and the specific context for Afghan refugees.

Many Afghans who want to come to Canada will never enter Canada illegally or make an inland claim — they are in Pakistan, Iran, or another country of refuge and need to understand how overseas resettlement works. This pathway is slow, selective, and cannot be initiated by the applicant — but for those who qualify, it is a legitimate and fully government-funded pathway to permanent residence in Canada. Understanding how it works helps refugees make informed decisions about UNHCR registration and avoid fraud.

• Overseas refugee resettlement is divided into two main categories: Convention Refugees Abroad (who need protection and have no durable solution available in their country of refuge) and Country of Asylum Class (persons in a refugee-like situation not formally recognized by UNHCR)
• Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs): referred by UNHCR to Canada, fully funded by the Government of Canada for their first year through the Resettlement Assistance Program
• Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs): identified by a Canadian SAH or sponsorship group, funded by the sponsoring organization for at least one year
• Applicants do not initiate IMM 6000 themselves — the process begins with a UNHCR referral or a SAH submitting a sponsorship undertaking to IRCC
• Processing steps include a review of the UNHCR referral or SAH submission, an IRCC interview (often at a Canadian visa office abroad or conducted remotely), security screening, and a medical examination