Syrian refugees arrive at the Pearson Toronto International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, December 18, 2015. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

(Reuters) - Canada will bring in more than 6,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2015, missing its already delayed target of accepting 10,000 by year-end, the Canadian government said on Thursday.

Immigration Minister John McCallum said he expects Canada to reach that goal by mid-January, and meet its larger target of accepting 25,000 refugees by the end of February.

Canada’s recently elected Liberal government campaigned on a promise to accept 25,000 refugees by the end of 2015. But it pushed the target date back after the deadly November attacks in Paris, saying it would bring in 10,000 by year-end and the remaining 15,000 by the end of February.