Joint assistance sponsorship (JAS): Exceptional needs identified after arrival in Canada

(REF-OVS-2-4-2)

A case may be suitable for the Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) Program if its need for settlement assistance is greater than for other government-assisted refugee (GAR) cases. If such a need is identified after the refugee has been resettled to Canada as a GAR, the following processing stages are followed.

Key messages: Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) service provider organizations (SPOs) can identify and refer GAR cases to the JAS Program. Cases must be identified within the first 8 months of the refugee’s arrival in Canada. If the case is not matched with a sponsor, it remains a GAR case and transitions from RAP support as originally planned without an extended period of support.

On this page

• Referring a case to the JAS Program
• Matching with sponsor
• Making a final decision
• Arranging for support

Referring a case to the JAS Program

An in-Canada conversion of a case from the GAR to the JAS Program can be considered when all of the following conditions apply:

• Information regarding high medical or settlement needs is identified after the refugee arrives in Canada and during the period of RAP support.
• The case meets JAS criteria, mainly because its need for settlement assistance is greater than for other GAR cases due to
  • a physical or mental health condition that could require treatment in Canada
  • a complex family configuration, such as a single-parent family with several young children, or a family consisting only of siblings, where one or more have assumed parental responsibilities
  • other special needs identified by the RAP SPO or a RAP officer
• Sponsor support is or may be available.
• The JAS Program would be in the best interests of the client.

Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) service provider organization (SPO) recommends case to JAS

RAP SPOs have significant expertise in the delivery of settlement services and are well placed to identify and recommend clients who might benefit from the additional support of a sponsoring group based on a detailed post-arrival RAP needs assessment.

RAP SPOs submit a completed “Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) In-Canada Recommendation Form” (IMM 5673) and any pertinent case details by email to the local IRCC office within 8 months of the client’s date of arrival in Canada. Forms submitted after this date will not be considered unless exceptional circumstances exist or a potential sponsor has already been identified.

Local IRCC review and recommendation

RAP officers review case details and information contained in the IMM 5673 form, and seek additional information from the RAP SPO or the Global Case Management System (GCMS) case notes, if needed.

RAP officers make a recommendation to the Resettlement and Asylum Strategic Operations (RASO) branch by sending an email with the subject line “Recommendation for in-Canada JAS conversion” and with the IMM 5673 form attached.

If a potential sponsor has already been identified by the local IRCC office or RAP SPO, this should be mentioned in the email. The local IRCC office recommendation should include supervisor or manager agreement.

Refugee Resettlement Division (RRD) decision and notification

RASO’s Refugee Resettlement Division (RRD) reviews the submitted information to make a determination on the JAS recommendation and emails the local IRCC office to advise them of the decision.

If the case is deemed suitable for conversion to the JAS Program, the RRD sends the approved IMM 5673 to the Resettlement Operations Centre in Ottawa (ROC-O) for tracking. ROC-O then sends the case details to the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) to help match the case with a sponsoring group.

Matching with a sponsor

ROC-O compiles case information for the RSTP to promote to sponsoring groups residing in any province other than Quebec.

RSTP promotes the case on their website for a maximum of 4 months. In some cases, a short-term extension may be given.

Interested sponsors submit the completed Sponsorship Undertaking form (IMM 1324), the Sponsor Assessment form (IMM 5492) and the Settlement Plan form (IMM 5494) (if required) to ROC-O for approval.

Making a final decision

ROC-O assesses the submitted information and the information on file to determine if the sponsor and community will be able to meet the identified needs of the refugee(s).

If the sponsorship undertaking is approved, ROC-O updates the client file in GCMS to reflect the new type of sponsorship and informs the local office so that they can action the file accordingly.

If the sponsor is not approved or no sponsor is found within 4 months, ROC-O contacts the migration office to discuss next steps. The refugee may be resettled under the GAR program.

• the case remains a GAR case and the client transitions off RAP support as originally scheduled
• ROC-O informs the local office that the promotion deadline has passed and the in-Canada JAS request will be cancelled
• the local office notifies the SPO of the outcome so that the client can be counselled accordingly

Arranging for support

RAP income support and Interim Federal Health Program coverage duration

In-Canada JAS cases receive support up until 24 months after the date of the refugee’s arrival in Canada. This applies to both the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) income support and sponsor support. For example, if ROC-O approved the undertaking form (IMM 1324) 6 months after the refugee’s arrival, then the JAS undertaking has a duration of 18 months so that it ends 24 months after the arrival.

After receiving notification of a signed JAS undertaking from ROC-O, the RAP officer ensures that support and coverage periods are extended by

• adjusting the income support commitment period to reflect the new period of sponsorship and the extension of RAP income support benefits in GCMS and its associated forms and processes (for example, updating the SAP system)
• ensuring that the RAP Income Support Agreement is updated and re-signed to reflect the extended period of sponsorship and RAP benefits
• ensuring that the Interim Federal Health Program coverage is extended to reflect the new period of JAS support

Case conferencing

The RAP officer informs the RAP SPO that a sponsor has been identified and helps arrange a case conferencing meeting with the RAP SPO and the sponsor to

• review settlement information
• complete the JAS Roles and Responsibilities Checklist (IMM 5630)

The RAP SPO sends the completed IMM 5630 to the RAP officer for review and inclusion in the refugee’s RAP-IS application. The sponsor, the RAP SPO and the refugee must also receive a copy.

Request for contribution

A private sponsor, with the agreement of the local IRCC office, may request a post-arrival contribution to offset the costs associated with the transportation loan for exceptionally higher-needs JAS cases. Requests must be made by the end of the refugee’s 10th month in Canada.

For information on requesting contributions, consult the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) contributions section of the Immigration Loans Program (ILP) program delivery instructions.

JAS support begins

The sponsoring group meets with the refugee and the SPO (if applicable) and begins sharing sponsorship obligations as outlined in the JAS Roles and Responsibilities Checklist (IMM 5630).

For other processing stages, refer to

Government Assisted Refugee (GAR program)