Sponsors of sponsorship contracts can co-sponsor with an individual or other organization and contribute to supporting the refugee settlement plan. By signing the sponsorship contract, an SAH is legally liable, but not limited to the following: Quebec has its own sponsorship process for refugees. For sponsors in Quebec, visit refugee sponsorship in Quebec. The sponsorship agreement allows SAHs to sponsor a number of refugees each year for resettlement in Canada through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program. All refugee sponsorship application forms are available on the IRCC website at: www.cic.gc.ca. Foreign nationals may be sponsored from outside Canada if they are supported by the federal government or through private sources or sponsorship contract holders who support the person supporting them. These groups, which support a person outside of Canada, are made up of one or more people and are generally humanitarian organizations, religious organizations, ethnic groups in the community and can operate at the local, regional or national level. These groups choose to assist refugees who immigrate to Canada from other countries, in connection with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Organizations that help refugees can file multiple applications with the IRCC. The SAH is legally responsible for all sponsorships submitted as part of its agreement. The CGs are the facilitators of the sponsorships themselves.

Some SAHs have CGs and others do not. You can also work with other community groups to help refugees as part of your agreement. You remain responsible for emotional and financial assistance to refugees. These groups are called “constituent groups.” Canada is the first country in the world to have a refugee assistance program in which individuals and communities are directly involved in the resettlement of foreign refugees. It has become a model for other countries around the world. How does the “mixed” model work? Refugees resettled under the Blended VOR initiative receive income assistance within the first six months of arrival through the federal resettlement assistance program (HBP). In addition to provincial health care, they will be fully covered by the Interim Federal Health Program (HPFI) for 12 months. Sponsors are responsible for the remaining 6 months of financial assistance. THE SAH and its sponsorship group also have a responsibility to be concerned and emotionally supporting refugees during the 12-month sponsorship period.