Nadine Nasir RSTP Trainer Nov. 6, 2015 © UNHCR Refugee SSP – Victoria Training Catholic Crosscultural Services

Agenda Part 1: Sponsoring Groups Part 2: Recent Changes Part 3: Eligibility & Admissibility Part 4: Application Forms Part 5: Application Processing Part 6: Tips & Resources

Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) Group of Five Community Sponsor An incorporated organization that has signed an agreement to sponsor refugees with the Government of Canada Five Canadian citizens or permanent residents Any organization, association or corporation Sponsoring Groups A person or group that has been authorized by a SAH to sponsor refugees under its agreement Constituent Groups (CGs) Co-sponsors Part 1 – Sponsoring Groups

Group of Five Eligibility 5 Canadian citizens and/or Permanent Residents 18 years of age or older Live in same residential community Financial capacity – individual and combined Settlement capacity Make commitment to provide support for 12 months Not ineligible under subsection 156(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) Self-assessment test: g5assessment/

Since September 19, 2015: 1)Syrians recognized on a prima facie basis  The burden of proof required to demonstrate that a Syrian’s individual personal circumstances meet the definition of a convention refugee is reduced.  Standard application forms and supporting documents still required, but information regarding the specific basis of claim may be less detailed and less comprehensive in the responses.  Background information on the individual’s personal history and family information should be provided where available. Recent Changes to Private Sponsorship Part 2 – Recent Changes

2) Temporary exemption of refugee status recognition document regulation for Syrians and Iraqis. (all sponsoring groups can sponsor eligible and admissible Syrians and Iraqis) 3) Blended VOR (BVOR) program can now be accessed by all sponsoring groups for Syrians. Other refugee populations can be accessed by SAHs as BVOR cases, and Groups of Five and Community Sponsors as VOR cases. 4) Faster processing for Syrians. More visa officers, and doubling staff at Centralized Processing Office in Winnipeg (CPOW). Recent Changes to Private Sponsorship

Since October 23, 2015: CIC temporarily modified administrative procedures for all sponsoring groups for SYRIAN AND IRAQI REFUGEE APPLICATIONS ONLY: Greater leniency at the Centralized Processing Office in Winnipeg (CPO-W) in regards to: - Versions of Forms - Photographs of refugee applicants - Signatures - Missing or inadequate information

Eligibility Criteria Be outside of their country of origin or country of habitual residence Be outside of Canada Have no other durable solution:  Voluntary repatriation  Local integration in country of asylum  Resettlement in a country other than Canada Fall under one of the following refugee classes:  Convention Refugee Abroad Class: Well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.  Country of Asylum Class: Seriously and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict, or suffered massive violations of human rights. Refugee applicants must: Have a sponsoring group in Canada Able to establish themselves in Canada (exception: refugees who meet regulatory definitions of “urgent protection” or “vulnerable”) Part 3 – Eligibility & Admissibility

More on Durable Solutions… Voluntary repatriation:  “occurs when refugees voluntarily return to their country of nationality or habitual residence.”  “The situation in the country must have changed in a lasting and meaningful way that enables the refugees to return safely.” Local integration:  “rights similar to those of citizens such as: they can move around the country freely; they are allowed to earn a living; their children are allowed to attend school; there is no threat of refoulement, etc.” (CIC, OP 5 Overseas Selection and Processing of Convention Refugees Abroad Class and Members of the Humanitarian-protected Persons Abroad Classes, Aug. 13, 2009) “allows the refugee to live permanently in safety and dignity in the country of refuge and partake of its enduring legal, economic and social benefits.” “Legal status as a long-term resident is a key indicator of local integration, but the absence of this status does not preclude the possibility of de facto local integration.” Resettlement Offer of resettlement to another country “there may be situations where an applicant’s specific ties to a country such as the presence of close family there, or the refugee’s employment or education history will influence the decision to accept a refugee for resettlement to either Canada or elsewhere.”

Frequently Asked Questions Sponsoring Palestinians who fled the war in Syria Sponsoring Iraqi refugees from inside of Syria Sponsoring from Europe Sponsoring from Gulf countries

Admissibility Criteria The following admissibility checks will be conducted: Medical check Security check Criminality check

Application Forms Instruction Guides! Part 4 – Application Forms

Who can be included in a sponsorship application? Principal Refugee Applicant (PA) Strongest refugee claim Spouse or Common-law Partner Dependent Children Under 19 and not married 19 or over but dependent due to physical or mental medical condition (since before age 19) Must meet eligibility criteria and admissibility criteria Must meet admissibility criteria

“Linking” Applications

For each Principal Applicant (PA) Forms to be filled out by PA:  Document checklist (Appendix A)  Generic Application Form for Canada  Additional Dependants (only if no space for all dependants on Generic Application Form)  Schedule A  Schedule 2  (Optional) Use of Representative Forms to be filled out by Sponsors:  Document Checklist  Undertaking  Sponsor Assessment  Settlement Plan  Financial Profile (Groups of Five)  (Optional) Use of Representative Forms to be filled out by PA’s spouse and children 18+:  Schedule A  Schedule 2  (Optional) Use of Represent- ative

Signatures (All Forms) Applications for SYRIAN OR IRAQI refugees Applications for refugees who are NOT Syrian or Iraqi Scanned signatures accepted on all forms, from all sponsoring groups. Applications submitted by SAHs may contain scanned signatures Applications submitted by Groups of Five or Community Sponsors MUST CONTAIN ORIGINAL SIGNATURES.

Undertaking/Application to Sponsor Accompanying: coming with Principal Applicant (PA) Non-accompanying: PA applies for dependents through One Year Window of Opportunity Provisions INCLUDE ALL FAMILY MEMBERS! (Spouse/Common-law partner, children under 19) Forms (Sponsors)

What are the financial costs of sponsorship? Sponsors must financially support the refugees for one year, or until they become self-supporting, whichever comes first.

Sponsorship Cost Table Family Size 12 Months of Income Support Start-up Costs Estimated Total Annual Settlement Cost ($) 19,8002,80012, ,8004,40021, ,7005,30023, ,0007,00027, ,5007,20029, ,5008,00032,500 Additional member 1,5501,0002,500

In-Kind Deduction Table Family Size ShelterClothingFurniture Start-up Costs ( Household Needs ) School Start-up Costs Food Staples 16, , ,1001,0002, ,8001,3752, ,4001,7503, ,6002,1253, ,6002,5004, For additional member, add /per child between ages

Proof of Funds – Groups of Five For Groups of Five who are PLEDGING THEIR INCOME

The account must: -be in the name of the sponsoring group with a note that the money is in trust for the principal refugee applicant (this is not a “trust account” in the formal sense of the term). -The account should require the signature of at least 2 of the group members to make withdrawals. Note: You will need to provide an original letter from the financial institution confirming the existence of the account or documents outlining the terms and conditions of the account. The following information must be included: -identity of the beneficiary (for example, the refugees) -when and how funds will be dispersed -the outcome of the funds should the beneficiary not arrive in Canada -the details of the two members of the sponsoring group with signing authority (i.e., full name, date of birth and addresses). Proof of Funds – Groups of Five For Groups of Five who are depositing their money into a BANK ACCOUNT

Group of Five Settlement Plan and Financial Assessment

Group of Five Settlement Plan and Financial Assessment (Page 3)

Group of Five Financial Profile Financial Profile form to be filled out by all Group members pledging their income

Group of Five Financial Profile

Generic Application Form Forms (Refugee Applicants)

Generic Application Form INCLUDE ALL FAMILY MEMBERS! (Spouse/Common-law partner, children under 19) If not listed, likely cannot come through One Year Window of Opportunity Provisions

Schedule A & 2

Appendix A - Discrepancy

Application Process 1.Centralized Processing Office in Winnipeg (CPO-W)  Checks for completeness of application  Assesses sponsors  Uploads/inputs information on GCMS  Sends application package electronically to visa office. 2.Visa Office  Reviews application package  Interviews refugee applicants (usually)  Initiates admissibility checks  Issues visas  Arranges for travel with International Organization for Migration (IOM). Part 5 – Application Processing

Average Processing Times - Overseas es/perm/ref-private.asp Average processing times can be found here: Syrian refugee applications are being expedited Africa and Middle East Visa OfficeProcessing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package) (based on a complete application package) Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates 51 Accra – Ghana51 Amman – Jordan19 Ankara – Turkey45 Beirut – Lebanon11 Cairo – Egypt52 Dakar – Senegal– Nairobi – Kenya59 Pretoria – South Africa61 Rabat – Morocco– Tel Aviv – Israel36 Last quarterly update: July 10, 2015

Additional Information  Explain any inconsistencies (i.e. date of birth, spelling of name, etc.)  Look at versions of application forms, on the bottom left-hand side of each form (for refugee applicants who are not Syrian or Iraqi)  Consider adding research on country conditions or supporting documents (especially for refugee applicants who are not Syrian or Iraqi) Part 6 – Tips and Resources

Essential Resources Application forms: vate.asp OR sponsorship-application-forms/ Processing Times: private.asp Visa Offices: where.asp Syrians expedited

For more information... Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP)