Quebec to temporarily suspend all new private refugee sponsorship applications

The Couillard government will temporarily suspend new private refugee sponsorship applications as of Jan. 27,due to the high number of cases currently bring processed.

More than 10,000 applications have been accepted by the province and are awaiting approval fromthe federal government. Three-quarters of themare for Syrian refugees.

Minister forImmigration, Diversity and Inclusion Kathleen Weilannounced the news on Monday.

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"All applications that we receive before Jan. 26, 2017 will be processed," saidWeilin a statement.

Last month, the federalgovernment said it would limit the filing of new refugee applications sponsored bythe private sector for 2017, as it has become increasingly difficult for the government to process files within a reasonable time frame.

As of December 31, Quebec had welcomed 7,431 Syrian refugees, just overthe target of 7,300 set for 2015-2016.