Private Sponsorship in Refugee Resettlement. February 2017

Transcription

1 Private Sponsorship in Refugee Resettlement February 2017

2 Canada s Refugee Programs Canada accepts Conven8on refugees and those in refugee-like situa8ons for humanitarian reasons, according to the following principles: Ø Fulfilling Canada s interna@onal obliga@ons and commitments to protect refugees and those in need; Ø Suppor@ng successful se0lement and integra@on in Canada; and, Ø Reuni@ng refugee families. Two refugee program streams are the expression of this commitment: 1. Rese0lement from overseas 2. In-Canada Asylum System Both programs offer a path to permanent residence and ci8zenship Ø Se0lement and integra@on programs are key Canada s refugee intake represents at least 10% of total global rese0lement 2

3 Refugee Resettlement: Three Program Streams Government- Assisted Refugees Privately Sponsored Refugees Blended Sponsorship Refugees Refugees referred by the UNHCR or another referral Refugees referred by private sponsors in Canada Refugees referred by the UNHCR or another referral Government provides income support, se0lement services and support Private sponsors provide income support, se0lement services and support Private sponsors and the government jointly provide income support, se0lement services and support See Appendix 1 for more on Rese0lement Program Streams 3

4 Canada s Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program Private sponsors are groups of Canadian ci@zens and permanent residents, and may include family members of the refugee who are already in Canada. Canada has a strong and unique tradi@on of private sponsorship, beginning with the Indo-Chinese movement in the late 1970s. The private sponsorship program officially began in 1978 and allowed Canadians to get involved in the rese0lement of vulnerable refugees. Of the more than 60,000 people that found refuge in Canada in ayer the Vietnam War, over half were supported by private sponsorship groups. Since the program s crea@on, Canada has welcomed more than 288,000 privately sponsored refugees. See Appendices 2 and 3 for more on Canada s Historical Admissions of Refugees 4

5 Private Sponsorship: Program Overview Refugee cases are by the sponsoring groups themselves, oyen through a family or community connec@on. Cases are assessed by a Canadian visa officer and must meet the defini@on of a refugee as defined in Canada s legisla@on. The Canadian government covers the cost of processing sponsorship and refugee applica@ons, sponsors cover immediate se0lement costs, and refugees generally receive a loan to pay for their travel costs. Upon arrival, refugees immediately receive direct support from their sponsors and like other newcomers, can also immediately access government-funded se0lement services (e.g. language training, employment readiness). Upon arrival in Canada, refugees receive permanent resident status, and a pathway to ci@zenship 5

6 Private Sponsorship: Who is Eligible Who Can Be Sponsored? People who have a well-founded fear of persecu@on based on race, religion, na@onality, membership in a par@cular social group or poli@cal opinion OR People who are seriously and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict, or suffered massive viola@ons of human rights AND Are outside of country of origin; Are outside of Canada; and Have no other durable solu@on (e.g. voluntary repatria@on, local integra@on). 6

7 Private Sponsorship: Processing A single applica@on package containing (1) the applica@on to sponsor and (2) the refugee s applica@on is submi0ed to IRCC in-canada. 1) Assessment of the sponsorship applica@on is conducted in-canada. Sponsors must demonstrate they: Are Canadian ci@zens and permanent residents who have no criminal backgrounds and live in the community of se0lement; Have adequate and realis@c se0lement supports in place for the refugee(s) (e.g. do they have a se0lement plan demonstra@ng how needs will be met?); and Have adequate financial resources for one year of support. 2) Assessment of the refugee s case is conducted overseas. Canadian visa officers assess if the applicant: Meets Canada s refugee defini@on; Has no other durable solu@on (i.e. local integra@on or return); Meets medical, criminality and security admissibility requirements. See Appendices 4, 5 and 6 for more on Sponsors and Sponsorship Requirements and Appendix 7 for more on Admissibility 7

8 Settlement Challenges Many rese0led refugees face barriers to Low official language skills, limited formal - more than 65% speak neither English nor French, 70% have less than 10 years of formal Difficulty accessing affordable housing Range of health issues as a result of migra@on experience (e.g., trauma, mental illness) Economic integra@on can be challenging Limited work experience and social/professional networks can lead to low employment earnings, especially shortly ayer arrival, but economic outcomes improve Yet social integra@on outcomes have generally been strong Very high rate (88%) of eligible refugees become ci@zens The rese0lement program not only provides protec@on to those in need, but contributes to a strong and diverse Canada 8

9 Private Sponsorship: Arrival Supports Refugees receive much of their se0lement support directly from their sponsoring group and oyen form that last beyond the required one-year support period. Sponsors are small groups of individuals, or community groups which are typically a faith-based, community, humanitarian, or ethno-cultural organiza@on. Sponsors provide: Emo@onal and social support for one year, including: Welcome at the airport and temporary accommoda@on; Orienta@on to their new community and life in Canada; Registra@on for essen@al services (e.g. obtaining a health card, enrolling children in school, accessing other se0lement services); Assistance finding permanent housing; and Assistance finding employment. Monthly income support (based on social assistance levels) for one year, or un@l the refugee becomes self-sufficient (if that occurs earlier). See Appendices 8 for more on Se0lement Supports 9

10 Other Supports Available to Refugees The Government of Canada funds a large Se0lement Program to assist all newcomers including refugees in overcoming barriers specific to the newcomer experience. Privately sponsored refugees have access to these services in addi@on to the support they receive from their sponsors. The Se0lement Program: Provides newcomers with informa@on required to make informed decisions, the language skills to achieve their se0lement and integra@on goals, assistance in finding and retaining employment, and the support they need to build networks within communi@es; Is accessible both pre- and post-arrival; and Supports the full par@cipa@on of refugees in the economic, social, cultural and civic life in Canada Rese0led refugees, like Canadian ci@zens and other permanent residents, have access to mainstream public services including educa@on, health care, etc. AYer the first year during which income support is provided by the sponsor privately sponsored refugees have access to social assistance (income support for low income families) if required. 10

11 Benefits of Private Sponsorship Program (1) The Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program maintains and advances Canada s humanitarian tradi@ons. Cost sharing between the government and sponsors allows protec8on to be extended to more refugees than would otherwise be admi0ed to Canada. Private sponsorship allows Canadian ci@zens and permanent residents to get involved in the rese0lement of vulnerable persons. This in turn: Ø Builds welcoming communi8es; Ø Creates strong support networks for current and future refugees; and Ø Helps maintain public and poli8cal support for refugee/immigra@on issues With refugees named by the private sponsors, the program: Ø Supports family reunifica8on; Ø Allows Canadians and Permanent Residents to play a direct role in determining the focal points of Canada s rese0lement policy; and, Ø Relieves pressure on UNHCR to iden@fy cases for rese0lement, provides alterna@ve cases that may have been missed by the UNHCR. 11

12 Benefits of Private Sponsorship Program (2) Sponsors frequently play a direct role in linking refugees with essen@al services and gaining a foothold in the labour market by: Providing a source of informa@on on Canadian workplace norms; and Assis@ng with networking, searching for jobs and comple@ng the applica@on process. With the dedicated and personalized support provided by sponsors, generally privately sponsored refugees (PSRs) have demonstrated stronger seolement outcomes overall than government-assisted refugees (GARs). PSRs perform be0er economically in the first five years of se0lement, with higher incidence of employment and higher incomes, and lower incidence of reliance on social assistance; and PSRs are more likely to develop social support networks in Canada than GARs. 12

13 Lessons Learned (1) Working with trusted partners well-established NGOs with a history of sponsorship and se0lement work increases program efficiency and ensures appropriate se0lement supports are in place. Ø The government signs formal agreements with select incorporated organiza@ons, Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs). SAHs must demonstrate they have the financial resources and se0lement knowledge to support refugees. SAHs generally submit many sponsorship applica@ons every year and are responsible for all sponsorships under their agreement. This allows the government to use a light touch approach to assessing their applica@ons. Ø NGOs that already provide se0lement or other services to newcomers and refugees, as well as faith-based or ethno-cultural organiza@ons, are likely candidates to become SAHs. Ø Other groups (e.g. five or more people working together or another organiza@on) may also sponsor refugees. Their applica@ons are assessed by the government with a higher level of scru@ny. See Appendix 4 for more on Types of Sponsors 13

14 Lessons Learned (2) High quality sponsorship applica8ons are key to ensuring efficient processing of cases. Ø The government funds an NGO the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program to address ongoing training and support needs of sponsors. Of note, RSTP develops and provides reference materials and workshops to sponsors. Ø For sponsorship submi0ed by groups other than SAHs, the sponsor must include a refugee status determina@on (UNHCR or other) in their applica@on. This has decreased the number of cases refused due to the applicant not mee@ng the defini@on of a refugee. Open channels of communica8on with private sponsors ensure cri@cal informa@on is shared and expecta@ons are managed. Ø Government officials meet regularly with elected representa@ves from the SAH community. 14

15 Lessons Learned (3) While privately sponsored refugees receive assistance from sponsors to find employment, refugees may require more than one year to become self-sufficient and appropriate supports must be available. Ø For refugees who required sustained income support following their first year in Canada, this support is provided through social assistance. access to se0lement services, including and job training, is also to support the to self-reliance. Ø Sponsors need to be adequately informed of available services and how refugees are able to access them. Ø Government support has been necessary during the first year in a small number of cases where the sponsorship has broken down. Newcomers, including former rese0led refugees and asylum seekers, use the private sponsorship program to sponsor rela@ves abroad who are ineligible for Canada s family reunifica@on programs. This can lead to high demand and the need for intake management systems. Ø For example, echo effects have been observed where former Government-Assisted Refugees use the private sponsorship program to subsequently sponsor extended family members. Accordingly, many sponsorship applica@ons may be submi0ed for specific regions or countries. Knowledge of this trend can be used by the government for opera@onal forecas@ng and planning. Ø Corresponding family connec@ons ensure sponsored refugees will have exis@ng support networks in place upon arrival. 15

16 Blended Sponsorship: A Hybrid Approach With both government and private sponsorship programs, Canada also uses a hybrid approach to rese0lement with blended sponsorships. The Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program allows for private sponsorship of refugees referred to Canada by the UNHCR. The government and the sponsor each provide six months of income support, plus the sponsor provides one year of emo@onal and social support. Refugees in the BVOR Program are generally without family connec@ons in Canada. This program allows the government and sponsor to share se0lement costs while providing refugees with the full benefits of a sponsor s support. The Joint Assistance Sponsorship Program matches Government- Assisted Refugees with high needs (e.g. medical) with sponsors who provide significant se0lement support, while the government con@nues to pay income support for up to three years. See Appendix 10 for more on the BVOR Program Process 16

17 Private Sponsorship Resource Materials Immigra'on, Refugees and Ci'zenship Canada (IRCC) Publica'on: Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program: h0p:// Website to sponsor a refugee: h0p:// Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) Publica'ons: Handbook for sponsoring groups: h0p://rstp.ca/en/resources/handbook-for-sponsoring-groups/ Factsheets: Become a sponsor: h0p://rstp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/10factsheet2.1.pdf Who can be sponsored: h0p://rstp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/15factsheet3.1.pdf Joint Assistance Sponsorship of Refugees: h0p://rstp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/40factsheet9.pdf Blended Visa-Office Referred Refugees: h0p://rstp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/blendedpamphlet2013.pdf Brochures: How to become a Sponsorship Agreement Holder: h0p://rstp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/becomingsah2014.pdf Community Sponsors: h0p://rstp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/engagingcsmarch2014.pdf Groups of Five: h0p://rstp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/g5brochureapril2014.pdf Joint Assistance Sponsorship of Refugees: h0p://rstp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/jasfeb2012.pdf 17

18 List of Appendices 1) Rese0lement Program Streams 2) Historic Refugee Admission Levels 3) Admissions of Recent PSR 4) Types of Sponsors in the PSR Program 5) The Se0lement Plan 6) Required Financial Support 7) Admissibility 8) Supports Provided by Private Sponsors 9) Other Supports Available to Refugees 10) BVOR Program Process Map 18

19 Appendix 1: Resettlement Program Streams Government-Assisted Refugees Joint Assistance Sponsorship Refugees Blended Visa Office- Referred Refuges Referred by the UNHCR or other referral agencies based on vulnerability and established by IRCC. Receive Rese0lement Assistance Program from the Government of Canada. (or Quebec s equivalent program), which covers ini@al arrival services, startup costs and monthly income support. Cases are referred by UNHCR or other referral agencies; from the GAR caseload, visa officers or local IRCC staff iden@fy high-needs cases and refer them for matching with a sponsor. Matching can be done pre- or postarrival in Canada. Sharing of se0lement support between government (income support) and private sponsors (addi@onal se0lement support). Cases are referred by UNHCR or other referral agencies; from the GAR caseload, visa officers iden@fy cases for matching with a sponsor. Sharing of se0lement costs between private sponsors (se0lement support and six months income support) and government (six months income support). Privately Sponsored Refugees Cases referred by and se0lement support provided by private sponsors. Government of Canada completes processing of sponsorship applica@on and refugee applica@on. 19

20 Appendix 2: Historic Refugee Admission Levels 40,000 Admissions of Refuges by Program Stream, 1980 to ,000 30,000 Admissions 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 GAR PSR BVOR 5, Year * Refugees under the Joint Assistance Sponsorship Program are small in number and captured under the GAR totals. 20

21 Appendix 3: Admissions of Recent PSR Populations PSR Admissions Other Syria Republc of Somalia Ethiopia Eritrea Aghanistan Iraq Year 21

22 Appendix 4: Types of Sponsors in the PSR Program 1) Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs): Are incorporated with experience in refugee sponsorship and se0lement and who intend on regularly submitng numerous sponsorship Have signed a formal sponsorship agreement with IRCC, at IRCC assessed their financial resources and se0lement knowledge in order to ensure they can effec@vely take responsibility for all the sponsorships they undertake; and Are mostly faith-based, humanitarian or ethno-cultural groups who work with Cons@tuent Groups groups of individuals in the community of se0lement who will be the direct providers of the se0lement support. 2) Group of Five (G5): Are groups of five or more Canadians or permanent residents, 18 years of age or older with no criminal background; and Will provide the full financial and se0lement support. 3) Community Sponsors: Are organiza@ons, associa@ons or corpora@ons located in the community of se0lement; and Will provide the full financial and se0lement support 22

23 Appendix 5: The Settlement Plan Se0lement Plans outline how sponsors will provide the necessary support to the refugee(s) post-arrival. These plans are required and the government assesses them to ensure sufficient support will be in place for the refugee(s). A se0lement check list asks: How will basic need be met? Start-up costs (clothing, food, furniture), including in-kind deduc@ons Temporary and permanent accommoda@on Monthly expenditures (shelter, transporta@on, living expenses) Se0lement assistance (airport pick-up, interpreter arrangement, enrolling for provincial health care and other services) How are volunteer responsibili@es divided? To which se0lement agencies will the refugee be referred? What con@ngency plans are in place? 23

24 Appendix 6: Required Financial Support Sponsors are required to demonstrate the following minimum level of financial support: Family Size 12 Months of Income Support Start-up Costs Es8mated Total Annual SeOlement Cost 1 $9,800 $2,800 $12,600 2 $16,800 $4,400 $21,200 3 $17,700 $5,300 $23,000 4 $20,000 $7,000 $27,000 5 $22,500 $7,200 $29,700 6 $24,500 $8,000 $32,500 Addi@onal Member $1,550 $1,000 $2,500 Source: Appendix A Financial Guidelines, Refugee Sponsorship Applica:on Guide (IMM5413) 24

25 Appendix 7: Admissibility Rese0led refugees, like all immigrants and visitors to Canada, are subject to admissibility screening based on: Security and criminality; Biometric and Medical (i.e. threat to public health and public safety) However, rese0led refugees are exempt from select admissibility criteria, notably: Financial inadmissibility (i.e. ability to support oneself financially); and Excessive demand on health or social services, defined as: a) a demand on health services or social services for which the an@cipated costs would likely exceed average Canadian per capital health services and social services costs over a period of five consecu@ve years; or b) a demand on health services or social services that would add to exis@ng wai@ng lists and would increase the rate of mortality and morbidity in Canada. 25

26 Appendix 8: Supports provided by Private Sponsors Welcoming newcomers at the airport; Providing the cost of food, rent and household and other dayto-day living expenses; Providing clothing, furniture and other household goods; interpreters; a family physician and Assis@ng with applying for provincial health care coverage and the supplementary coverage under Canada s Interim Federal Health Program; Enrolling children in school and adults in language and/or training; Introducing newcomers to community networks and people with similar personal interests; Providing orienta@on with regard to banking services, transporta@on, etc.; and, Helping in the search for employment. 26

27 Appendix 10: BVOR Program Process Map Case Iden8fica8on: Canadian visa officers abroad cases from UNHCR referrals. Cases are generally ones where the refugee does not already have in Canada and is open to receiving support from a sponsor instead of the government. Matching: Cases, stripped of personal informa@on, are posted to a website visible only to refugee sponsors (posted for a maximum of 90 days). Sponsors select a case they wish to sponsor and submit a sponsorship applica@on for IRCC s assessment. Cases that were not sponsored are processed under the Government-Assisted Refugee Program; upon arrival in Canada, they receive support from the government. Travel: The des@na@on of refugees accepted under the BVOR program is determined by the sponsors loca@on in Canada. That informa@on is sent abroad for travel arrangements to be made by the Interna@onal Organiza@on for Migra@on and the sponsor is advised of refugee s date of arrival in Canada. Arrival and Support: Sponsored refugees arrive and are welcomed by the sponsoring group. 27