Private Refugee Sponsorship Applications:

Assisting Groups of Five

May 12 2010Spring 2010 OCASI Professional

Development Conference

Durable Solutions

Voluntary Repatriation

Local Integration

Resettlement

Resettlement

• “In 2008, less than 1 per cent of the world’s refugees directly benefited from resettlement.”

• There were some 42 million forcibly displaced people worldwide at the end of 2008

• Worldwide, about 70,000-100,000 refugees are resettled each year

• In 2008 16 countries resettled 88,800 refugees

*

*UNHCR 2008 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced and Stateless Persons

What is Canada’s response to Refugees?

Canada’s Refugee Targets for 2010

– GAR-7,300- 8,000

– PSR-3,300 -6,000

Number of places available for refugees referred by the UNHCR

2008

Country No. persons

USA 56,750

Australia 6,500

Canada 6,140Sweden 1,900

Norway 1,200

Canadian Permanent Residents by Category for 2008

60.4%

26.5%

4.3%

3.0%

1.4%

4.4%

8.8%

Economic Family

Other GAR

PSR Refugees landed in Canada

Based on 2008 CIC Statistics

How do refugees come to Canada?

Inland processing

Person arrives in Canada, and makes a refugee claim

Overseas processing

Refugees processed overseas (sponsored refugees) have their interviews, medical, security and criminality checks conducted before arriving in Canada.

How do Refugees processed overseas come to Canada?

Privately Sponsored

Funded by thesponsoring group

Sponsors may be:• SAHs or their constituent

groups• Groups of Five• Community GroupsMay be either:• Sponsor-referred

sponsorship• Visa office-referred

sponsorship (VOR) (cost-sharing may be available)

Full Responsibility by Private Groups… to Full Responsibility by Government

Government-Assisted

Funded by thegovernment

Settlement agencies contracted to provide reception and integration under the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP)

Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS)

Funded by thegovernment

Private sponsoring group (SAH) provides:

• logistical and moral support

For refugees identified by visa office as

having special needs

Private Sponsorship is…

• A commitment to working alongside refugees while they integrate into life in Canada

• A commitment to provide basic financial support and care

• A three-way partnership between sponsoring groups, the Government of Canada, and the refugees themselves.

Who can be sponsored?

•EligibilityDo they meet Canada‘s refugee

definiton?

•AdmissibilityAre they permitted to enter

Canada?

Can Sam be sponsored?

• Scenario 1

• Scenario 2

• Scenario 3

QUESTIONS???

Who can sponsor?

Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs)

Community Sponsors

Groups of Five

Sponsorship Agreement HolderAn organization that has signed a Sponsorship Agreement

with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration which allows them to participate in the resettlement of refugees

through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program.

Community SponsorsAny organization, association or corporation, does not have to be

incorporated, can sponsor up to two refugee families per year (finances permitting).

Group of FiveAny group of five Canadian citizens or

permanent residents can sponsor refugees.

Members of the group of five must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident,

• be at least 18 years of age, • live in the community where the

refugee will live, and • make and provide proof of, a financial

commitment to provide settlement assistance and support for the length of the sponsorship (usually one year)

Who cannot sponsor?

Some people are ineligible to sponsor:

• persons convicted of serious criminal acts

• persons in default of court-ordered support payments

• removable and incarcerated persons • persons subject to citizenship

revocation proceedings

What is the sponsor responsible for?

To provide the refugee during the sponsorship period with:

• reception• care• lodging and• settlement assistance for the sponsored

refugees in the expected community of settlement

*the sponsored refugee cannot access social assistance during the sponsorship period*

For how long?

• 12 months from date of arrival of refugee

or

• until the refugee becomes self-supporting and no longer requires settlement assistance

Group of Five Guide – IMM5414

Before you complete your

application forms to sponsor a

refugee, please read the Refugee

Sponsorship Application

Guide - Group of Five IMM5414.

What information is in this guide?

Contact information

Overview

How to complete the forms

Submitting your application

What happens next?

Citizenship and Immigration Canada centers

Financial guidelines

What forms are needed to complete a Group of Five

application?•Instruction Guide [IMM 5414]

•Undertaking/Application to Sponsor — Group of 5 [IMM 5373]  

•Sponsor Assessment [IMM 5492] 

•Settlement Plan — Group of 5 [IMM 5373A]  

•Financial Profile — Member of Group of 5 [IMM 5373B] 

•Document Checklist — Group of 5 [IMM 5437] 

•Use of a Representative [IMM 5476] 

Forms required to be filled out by each member:

• Financial Profile Form (IMM5373) (if individual is making a financial commitment)

• Sponsor Assessment (IMM5492)

Completing the Undertaking to sponsor (IMM5373)

Make sure that you use the current form.

Counter-check this with the form on

http://www.cic.gc.ca/francais/information/demandes/groupe-de-cinq.asp

Choose the IMM6000 distribution option

X

The most preferred is option 3: Local CIC submits completed IMM 0008 and approved Undertaking to visa office

Under Option 3 the sponsoring group sends the IMM 6000 to the refugee applicant. The refugee completes the forms and sends them back to the sponsoring group with all the required attachments and photos. The sponsoring group submits the refugee’s application to the local CIC along with their sponsorship Undertaking. The local CIC

then forwards the entire application and approved Undertaking to the visa office.

For more information: http://rstp.ca/images/fbfiles/files/group5aug2009.pdf (p.13)

Print the name of your Group of Five, e.g. The Refugee Group.

In Box 1, print the name of the person who has authorization to represent the group and act as the contact person, e.g. Maria X.

Print the address and other contacts such as phone, email etc.

Completing section A

Completing section B

Print the names of the other group members. If a box is not applicable, print "N/A.“

Check “Yes” and provide the following information on a separate page:

Member’s first and last name (at time of sponsorship)

Name of sponsoring group (where applicable)

Name, date of birth, and country of birth of all persons sponsored

The client identification numbers issued as a result of previous sponsorships

What if a member has submitted previous refugee sponsorships or sponsored or co-

signed family class sponsorships?

X

Completing section C

If you are sponsoring a "visa office-referred” sponsorship case: check the appropriate box and attach the Refugee Profile that you received.

Sponsoring groups are required to sponsor the principal refugee applicant and all family members at the same time.

Completing section D

You may link sponsorship cases together by providing the name and date of birth of the principal refugee applicant for each particular case. Filling out this section ensures that all linked sponsorships are processed at the same time by the visa office.

Completing section E

Print information on the refugee applicant's relatives living in Canada. Include primarily close relatives such as parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and adult children.

Completing section F Section F is not mandatory, CIC will not return or refuse the application if you do not provide the information requested.

Page 14-16 of the guide provides details regarding the refugee definitions, you are encouraged to consider these categories prior to

submitting an application.

Obligations of the sponsor(s)

Read and understand the obligations of the sponsor to the

sponsored persons

Completing section H

Each member of the group must sign the application.

Completing the Sponsor Assessment (IMM 5492)

This form must be completed by every member of the group.

Group members may wish to submit their Sponsor Assessment in a sealed envelope to ensure confidentiality.

Check Yes or No

Read section G carefully and complete it accordingly

Make sure you sign and date this form before submitting

Completing the Settlement Plan and Financial Assessment - G5 (IMM 5373A)

Completing section A of the settlement plan and financial

assessment

Give the name of the Principal Refugee Appliant as it was given in IMM 5373 section C.

Give your group a name and main contact person information as it was given in IMM 5373 section A

Completing section B - Settlement Needs Checklist

Sponsoring group can inform CIC where in-kind donations are available (e.g. used furniture), thereby reducing the total funds required to sponsor the refugee.

Settlement needs - details

Each question should be answered in a detailed yet concise manner.

Consider issues related to accomodation

Consider issues related to school and employment

Consider the groups finances and in-kind donations

Consider health related needs

This is especially important to take into account

Consider provincial and federal services

Consider orientation and social needs

What is wrong with this picture?

• Settlement plan

Financial Assessment

The total financial commitment should equal or exceed the final cost of sponsorship.

Sponsorship Cost Table

In-Kind Deduction Table

In order to subtract the dollar value of available in-kind donations from the cost of sponsorship, use the dollar figures provided on the In-Kind Deduction Table (above) that correspond to the appropriate settlement need (shelter, clothing, etc.) and the size of the refugee family.

Completing Financial Profile - G5 Member (IMM 5373B)

Group members who will use their income as a means of supporting the refugee applicants MUST complete the financial profile.

Group members may wish to submit their Financial Profile in a sealed envelope to ensure confidentiality.

Employment details

Sponsors must provide proof of income, i.e. T4 slips, pay stubs, a letter from the employer or other official documentation.

Other sources of income

In Box A enter the total income, in Box B the funds committed to the sponsorship.

Document Checklist

Ensure that you have all required documents and include the completed checklist in your sponsorship application.

Use of a representative

A representative is someone who has your permission to conduct business on your behalf with CIC.

This can be a paid or unpaid person, a friend or family member, an immigration consultant or a member of a Non-governmental organization.

Use of a representative

You can also cancel the appointment of a representative using this form.

Assisting the client

THANK YOU!

For further information, visit our website at www.rstp.ca or

contact us:416-290-1700info@rstp.ca