Sponsored refugees are convention refugees who have been allowed to immigrate to
Canada. A convention refugee is a person who is outside his or her country of
nationality and has a well-founded fear of persecution for reason of race,
religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political
opinion, and is unable or unwilling, because of that fear, to obtain protection
from that country. Or, if the person does not have a nationality, the person is
outside of the country where he or she normally lives and because of that fear,
is unable or willing to return there.
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Who can be sponsored as a refugee?
Canadian immigration law allows the sponsorship of refugees as follows:
- Convention refugees abroad: a person who meets the definition of Convention
refugee, who is living outside Canada and is seeking admission to Canada for
resettlement purposes.
- Country of asylum class: a person is outside of his or her country of
nationality but continues having problems as a result of civil war, armed
conflict or violation of human rights
- Source country class: a person is living in his or her country of citizenship
but is seriously affected by civil war or armed conflict in that country, and
suffers a deprivation of his or her right of freedom of expression, dissent or
belonging to a trade union and because of that has been detained or imprisoned.
In all cases, refugees do not have the possibility of a solution to their
problems if they continue living in their country of nationality or country of
residence, and view Canada as a durable solution to their situation. They must
have valid travel documents.
Private groups and organizations can also sponsor refugees or persons who are
living in refugee-like situations. Private sponsors commit themselves to working
with refugees for their successful settlement in Canada during the first twelve
months after their arrival. They provide them with basic financial, emotional
support and settlement assistance.
Who can sponsor a refugee?
Among these private groups who can sponsor refugees or persons living in
refugee-like situations is the “Group of Five” or “G5”. This means that a group
of five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents can submit an
application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada to sponsor refugees or persons
who are in a refugee-like situation to resettle in Canada and begin a new life.
A Group of Five is usually a onetime group that is formed to respond to a
specific situation regarding the sponsored refugees.
How does a G5 start?
A G5 usually starts when one of its members is concerned about the circumstances
of a person or persons living in a foreign country, and who meet the definition
of a convention refugee, country of asylum class, or source country class. This
member then looks for other members within the community (family, friends,
co-workers, etc) to form a group. All members of the group are equally
responsible for the terms and obligations of the sponsorship, which includes
financial, emotional, and settlement support toward the refugee or refugees
being sponsored. At least three members of the group are expected to contribute
financially. If there is a shortage of funds among the members, they may wish to
raise that amount, or add more members to the G5 sponsorship.
How does G5 sponsorship work?
All members of the group must complete a Financial Profile where each indicates
their annual income, the amount each is committing to the sponsorship, what each
one will be responsible for (furniture, household effects, school registration,
etc). These fields are quantified as in-kind donations, and the total amount of
donations is deducted from the total amount committed to the sponsorship.
A settlement plan must be prepared. This plan details how the group will work
with the refugees, who will do what, when, how, with what resources and where
those resources will come from. A sponsorship application must be completed
showing the names and information of the refugees who will be sponsored by the
G5. The sponsored refugees must also complete an application for permanent
residence in Canada which is processed by the Canadian visa office who has
responsibility for the country where the sponsored refugee or refugees are
living. All members of the Group of Five must be over 18 years of age and must
live in the community where the refugee is expected to settle. The group must
have the financial resources, expertise, and commitment to support the sponsored
refugees for 12 months from the date they arrive in Canada. All members of the
group must not be in default of a previous sponsorship. G5’s cannot sponsor
persons who have already been refused under a previous application unless there
is a change in their circumstances, persons who have been accepted as refugees
by another country, and persons who feared persecution in the past but can find
a durable solution in their country.
What does the G5 is provide the sponsored refugees with?
The G5 is expected to provide the sponsored refugees with the following:
- Furnished housing and household essentials
- Food, clothing, transportation, basic needs
- Help in finding a job
- Help in completing forms to apply for a social insurance number, health
insurance, child tax benefits, etc.
- Help in registering them for language training
- Help in registering children in school
- Help in locating a physician
- Help from an interpreter (if necessary)
Essentially, the G5 must help with the sponsored refugees' reception, care,
lodging and settlement into the community.
Members of the G5 must meet certain requirements when submitting an application
to sponsor refugees. At least three members of the group must prove that they
can provide financial assistance to the refugees they are sponsoring. The amount
of funds required will depend on the size of the family unit or number of
persons being sponsored. Funds that the group has set aside to meet the
sponsorship requirements should be in a bank. G5 members must also provide a
plan for the settlement of the refugees they are sponsoring, The other members
of the group can commit themselves to contributing in time and settlement
assistance. G5 members commit themselves to ensuring that their sponsored
refugees become self-supporting during the first year after their arrival in
Canada.
Government assistance for refugees
These loans include airline tickets for travel to Canada provided the refugees
have valid travel documents and medical examination for immigration purposes.
These loans are signed by the sponsored refugees at the time their application
for permanent residence in Canada is being processed by the Canada visa office.
When they arrive in Canada, they may also apply for an Assistance Loan from
Citizenship and Immigration Canada to cover any other expenses that may not be
covered by the G5 sponsorship. Loans should be paid back as soon as possible,
and the amount and time of payments can be negotiated with the Canadian
government.
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