Eligibility Requirements for Community Sponsors and G5s Community Sponsors A community sponsor can be: An organization; An association; or A corporation. The organization, association, or corporation does not have to be incorporated under federal or provincial law. 1 In order to be eligible to privately sponsor, the community group must demonstrate that: (1) The group has or will have sufficient funds to cover the refugee(s) expenses for up to 12 months following their arrival to Canada; o See section on financial eligibility below; (2) The group has made adequate an adequate settlement plan for the refugees for up to 12 months following their arrival in Canada. 2 For more on Community Sponsorship, see the RSTP s Webinar, Becoming a Community Sponsor Groups of Five General In order to be eligible as a G5, the sponsorship group must demonstrate that: (3) The group has five eligible members or more; o Each member must satisfy eligibility criteria set out in the IRCCSponsorship Assessment Form (IMM 5492) and set out in further detail in this document below; (4) The group has or will have sufficient funds to cover the refugee(s) expenses for up to 12 months following their arrival to Canada; o See section on financial eligibility below; (5) The group has made adequate an adequate settlement plan for the refugees for up to 12 months following their arrival in Canada. 3 For the purposes of the SSP s operations, the group must also be outside of Quebec, as Quebec has its own process for accepting refugees. 1 Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Determine your eligibility Community sponsors 2 Or until the refugees become self- sufficient (whichever comes first): Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Guide 6000 Convention Refugees Abroad and Humanitarian- Protected Persons Abroad online: <http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/e16000toc.asp>. 3 Or until the refugees become self- sufficient (whichever comes first): Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Guide 6000 Convention Refugees Abroad and Humanitarian- Protected Persons Abroad online: <http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/e16000toc.asp>.
Individual Eligibility Requirement for Eligibility 4 At least 5 people 5 ALL Canadian citizens, Registered Indians, or permanent residents ALL 18 years of age or older ALL must reside in the same community the refugee will settle in Fulfills financial requirements Y/N Criteria that may render group members ineligible Currently on parental leave, disability, or sick leave 6 Receiving CPP and or/old Age Security (OAS) 7 Not employed or self- employed 8 On social assistance or welfare 9 Y/N Criteria that will render group members ineligible 10 Convictions for serious criminal offences 11 Default of any court ordered support payments 12 Subject to a removal order Subject to revocation proceedings under the Citizenship Act Detained in a penitentiary, jail, reformatory or prison Y/N Residing in the same community of settlement IRCCofficers should use discretion in defining the expected community of settlement, and the paramount consideration should be the sponsor s ability to provide adequate, in- person support to the refugee, taking into account the distance between the sponsor and the refugee. 13 4 Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Determine your eligibility Groups of five online: < http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/sponsor/groups- who.asp>. 5 More people can join the group, but only five of the group members sign the applicable sponsorship forms: Refugee Sponsorship Training program, Groups of Five online: http://www.rstp.ca/en/refugee- sponsorship/groups- of- five/. 6 This does not automatically preclude a person from sponsoring a refugee as a member of a G5; The person will have to, however, submit a statement of benefits and date of return to work as proof of income documentation: Refugee Sponsorship Training Program, Self- Assessment Tool for Groups of Five: Step 9 online: <http://www.rstp.ca/en/g5assessment/step9/>. 7 This does not automatically preclude a person from sponsoring a refugee as a member of a G5; The person will have to, however, submit a statement of income from OAS, Canada/Quebec Pension Plan, other pensions, superannuation and annuity payments from Canadian sources as proof of income documentation. Guaranteed Income Supplements (GIS) may not be included: Refugee Sponsorship Training Program, Self- Assessment Tool for Groups of Five: Step 10 online: <http://www.rstp.ca/en/g5assessment/step10/>. 8 The person may still be able to sponsor a refugee as a member of a G5 if he/she has funds or savings to contribute to the sponsorship in accordance with IRCC guidelines on Trust Accounts: See Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Guide to Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program 2. Private sponsorship of refugees online: <http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/ref- sponsor/section- 2.asp#a2.19>. 9 Will not be able to be a financially contributing member of the G5, but may be able to participate as a member with settlement responsibilities: Refugee Sponsorship Training Program, Self- Assessment Tool for Groups of Five: Step 8 online: < http://www.rstp.ca/en/g5assessment/step8/>. 10 Ibid 11 As set out in Schedule I or II of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, if a period of five years has not elapsed since completion of the sentence: Ibid. 12 E.g. child support or a previous sponsorship: Ibid
IRCCsuggests examining access to public transit or time required to travel between the sponsor s and refugee s residence as factors in determining acceptable distances, giving the example of Toronto and Etobicoke as an acceptable distance. 14 In another example, IRCCnotes that rural towns, although they are neighbouring, may be quite a far distance apart, and suggests that the time required to travel 60 km, for example, from one town to the next may pose a barrier for the sponsor to provide adequate, in- person support. 15 Financial Eligibility The sponsoring group must demonstrate that it has sufficient financial resources to support the refugee(s) for 12 months from the date of their arrival in Canada, in accordance with CIC s Sponsorship Cost Table and In- kind Deduction Table 16 : Family Size Sponsorship Cost Table 12 Months of Income Support Start- up Costs Estimated Total Annual Settlement 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 8,800 32,500 Additional member 1,550 1,000 2,5000 Sponsoring groups can reduce the amount of required costs by demonstrating that they can donate various necessities for resettlement such as shelter (see next page): In- Kind Deduction Table Family Size Shelter Clothing Furniture Start- up Costs (Household needs) School Start- up costs Food Staples 1 6,000 500 1,500 325 175 2 7,100 1,000 2,000 350 250 3 7,800 1,375 2,500 375 325 4 8,400 1,750 3,000 400 400 5 9,600 2,500 4,000 450 550 Each additional 900 375 500 25 150 per child between ages 75 13 Citizenship and Immigration Canada, In Canada Processing of Convention Refugees Abroad and Members of the Humanitarian Protected Persons Abroad Classes (IP 3, Part 3 [Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program]) at 7-8 online: <http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/ip/ip03- part3- eng.pdf>. 14 Ibid. 15 Ibid. 16 Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Settlement Plan and Financial Assessment: Group of Five Form IMM 5373A online: < http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm5373ae.pdf>. See CIC s Operational Manual IP3 at 10.7 for more details on how to use these tables: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/ip/ip03- part3- eng.pdf.
member, 4-21 add In addition, it is helpful to review the following documents for a better assessment of whether a sponsorship group will be able to meet the required financial commitments: Sample budget for a family of four 17 (See Appendix A); Information about how much a family of a similar size would receive in provincial assistance; o For Ontario, please refer to the Ontario Works Rate Tables (Appendix B) and The Canada Revenue Agency s tools to calculate child tax benefits, found here. As set out in CIC s Operational Manual IP3 at 10.6-10.8, IRCCwill make a number of considerations to determine whether a G5 is financially eligible to sponsor refugees to come to Canada: The G5 can demonstrate that it has a combination of financial resources (e.g. personal income, trust funds, in- kind donations, etc.) that it can put towards the sponsorship; IRCCwill consider regional assistance rates to adjust the required amount of financial commitment; The G5 as a whole must meet the financial eligibility criteria, not each individual member; IRCCwill take into consideration whether or not individual G5 members have made financial commitments to other sponsorships; G5s cannot include an offer for employment for the sponsored refugee in the calculation of whether they meet the financial criteria; Sponsored refugees are under no legal obligation to repay the financial assistance they receive from the G5, but are expected to contribute their own funds to their resettlement if they have that capacity (see 10.7 for more details); and Additional considerations regarding the use of personal income at 10.8 of IP3. The IRCC Immigration Loans Program (ILP) provides loans to refugees to cover costs of medical examinations abroad, travel documents, and transportation to Canada. Interest is charged on ILP loans and refugees are expected to repay them when they arrive in Canada. Sponsorship groups are encouraged, but not required, to include repayment of ILP loans in the sponsored refugee(s) budget for assisting in resettlement. Note: IRCC will temporarily cover costs associated with ILP loans for Syrian refugees. Therefore, Syrian refugees do not need to apply for ILP loans to cover the costs of their medical examinations and travel to Canada. For more information see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/outside/resettleassist.asp 17 Provided by the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, a Sponsorship Agreement Holder.
Demonstrating Financial Eligibility Community Sponsors Proof of Funds Community Sponsors can show proof of income to meet the financial requirements by providing IRCC with: Last year s audited financial statement from the sponsoring organization; An original letter from a Canadian financial institution attesting to bank account details; An original letter from the organization guaranteeing a cash donation; or Proofs of alternate sources of income. 18 G5s Proof of Funds IRCC recommends that at least three members of the G5 provide financial support to the refugees. Members of G5s can show proof of income to meet the financial requirements by providing IRCC with: A copy of their most recent T4; A copy of their most recent Notice of Assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency; An original letter of proof of annotated cheque stubs from their employer confirming financial details for the past 12 months; If self- employed, an original letter from an accountant confirming their annual income for the past 12 months; Proof of other sources of income (pension statement, investments, etc.) or; Employment Insurance pay stubs. 19 Community Sponsors and G5s Proof of Funds Held in Trust Community Sponsors and G5s can show proof of funds held in trust by providing IRCC with: An original letter from a Canadian financial institution attesting to account details: identity of the beneficiary (e.g. the refugees), when and how the funds will be dispersed, the outcome of the funds should the beneficiary not arrive in Canada and the details of the two members of the sponsoring group with signing authority (for example, full name, date of birth and addresses). 20 Settlement Plan The group s ability to demonstrate that they will provide adequate settlement support is an important criteria to satisfy for IRCC to determine that the group is eligible to sponsor refugees. The group must demonstrate that they have made an adequate settlement plan for the refugees for up to 12 months following their arrival in Canada, 21 including: 18 IRCC, Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Application Guide (IMM 5413), online: <http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5413etoc.asp#5413e4>. 19 Ibid 20 Ibid 21 Or until the refugees become self- sufficient (whichever comes first): Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Guide 6000 Convention Refugees Abroad and Humanitarian- Protected Persons Abroad online: <http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/e16000toc.asp>.
Meeting the refugees upon arrival and providing transportation to their shelter; Arranging transportation for the refugees to and from appointments and activities; Arranging for interpreter services (if applicable); Providing orientation (public transportation, banking services, etc.); Enrolling adult refugees in language training (if applicable); Providing assistance in finding employment; Providing assistance in linking the refugees to community activities; Planning for refugees to see a health care worker shortly after their arrival; Assisting refugees in selecting a family physician, dentist, etc.; Assisting refugees in applying for provincial and Interim Health plans; Enrolling children in school (if applicable); Making child care arrangements (if applicable); Applying for child tax benefits (if applicable). 22 NOTE**: SSP Pro Bono Lawyers are not trained nor equipped to provide sponsorship groups with the detailed information and resources that they need to facilitate settlement. For this part of the sponsorship process, the SSP relies on the true experts the settlement agencies that have been doing this work for decades. Nevertheless, SSP Pro Bono Lawyers should have a general knowledge of what settlement entails so that sponsorship groups can be initially assessed as to whether they are able or willing to provide capacity for settlement. It is the sponsorship group s responsibility to engage local settlement agencies in order to learn about refugee resettlement and prepare a settlement plan. The Pro Bono Lawyer will provide some support after the sponsorship group has sought out this advice and returned with a comprehensive plan by reviewing the necessary IRCC form for completion. For general information, please consult Section 2.6 of CIC s Guide to Private Sponsorship and RSTP s resources: (a) Settlement Planning ; and (b) Settlement Services. More detailed information about settlement responsibilities can be found in CIC s Operational Manual IP3 at 10.3-10.4. Co- Sponsors Co- sponsors can work with SAHs, Community Sponsors, or Groups of 5. Co- sponsors must agree to help deliver settlement assistance and share the responsibility for supporting the sponsored refugee. 23 Under the SSP, co- sponsors will generally be working with SAHs. Be sure that the group is familiar with their roles and responsibilities vis- à- vis the SAH they are working with. 22 Settlement Plan and Financial Assessment, IMM 5373A. 23 Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Determine your eligibility Community Sponsors online: < http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/sponsor/community- who.asp>.
Appendix A Budget and Finance Family of Mother, Father, 1 Child Under 6, 1 Child Over 6 Income Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) or Sponsor s payment ~$1400 Child Tax Benefit ~$825 Universal Child Care Benefit ~$220 Total Monthly Income ~$2445 Expenses Start up o Last month s rent ~$1000 o Purchase cell phone ~$150 o Hydro deposit ~$50 o Homeowners insurance ~$200 o Presto cards and initial load ~$50 o Food, supplies, etc ~$550 o Total Start up ~$2000 Normal monthly o Rent ~$1000 o Hydro ~$100 o Cell phone pay as you go (no data) ~$40 o Internet ~$60 o Monthly Presto (2) ~$200 o Food and sundries ~$1000 o Average monthly cost ~$2400 Comments o o o o IRCC RAP payment is from 2 nd to 7 th month after arrival, therefore sponsor has large expenditure in the first 1 ½ months (start up, RAP equivalent, CTB/UCCB) CCTB and UCCB only start on first complete month Family will receive retroactive CCTB/UCCB 2 or 3 months after arrival Sponsor advances CCTB/UCCB for 2 or 3 months but family must reimburse sponsor for advances
Appendix B