Labour is preparing to let community groups, universities and employers sponsor thousands of asylum seekers and refugees to come to Britain under new legal routes, in a major shift that would widen safe pathways while keeping tighter control over the system. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government wants to 'open new legal routes for genuine refugees, while closing loopholes that have been too often abused,' as the Home Office set out the scheme.
The policy is being compared with Canada's private sponsorship model, and the Home Office said the plan was directly inspired by it. Canadian government guidance says approved sponsors support refugees with practical help after arrival, including settlement and accommodation support.
