Refugees

We represent clients in the following Refugee sponsorship programs

1. Sponsorship Agreement Holders
A number of groups across the country have signed agreements with the Government of Canada to help support refugees from abroad when they resettle in Canada. They are known as sponsorship agreement holders.

2. Groups of five
A group of five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents over the age of 18 can sponsor one or more refugees to come to Canada and settle in their area.

3. Community sponsors
Some community groups can sponsor refugees to come to Canada.

• Refugee is a person who is forced to flee from persecution and is outside is home country
• Convention refugee is a person who has been granted protection under the refugee definition in the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees
• Refugee claimant or asylum seeker is a person who has fled his country and is asking for protection in another country. They receive a decision on whether they are refugees after they arrive in Canada
  • Refugee sponsorship: In 2018, that target is 18,000 privately sponsored refugees. Applications are generally processed on a first-in, first-out basis. There are applications for roughly 41,000 refugees waiting to be processed (as of December 2017)

Group of 5: Any group of five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents who must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Live in the community where the refugees are expected to settle.
• Not be in default on any other sponsorship undertaking.
• Have necessary resources to guarantee support for 12 months.
• Research and write settlement and financial plans

• Community sponsorship: Open to organizations, associations, and corporations
• Show financial capacity to fulfill the sponsorship (so they may have to raise funds)
• Show ability to provide necessary emotional and social supports
• Be based in the community where the refugee family is expected to live