Guide 5496 - Request for a Refugee Profile

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Before you apply
• Step 1. Complete the application
• Step 2. Mail the application
• What happens next?
• Need help?

Before you apply

Who can use this application?

This application kit contains forms and information to complete a Request for a Refugee Profile. These groups can use this application:

• Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAH)
• Constituent Groups of SAHs (CG)
• Groups of Five (G5) and
• Community Sponsors

This application package does not provide general information about private sponsorship of refugees. For more details, including definitions, roles and responsibilities, refer to the Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.

This guide may be obtained by visiting the Media and Publications section of our website.

Quebec residents

This application kit does not apply to the province of Quebec. Sponsors living in the province of Quebec should contact the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion (MIDI). (in French only)

What is a Request for Refugee Profile?

The information that a group can expect to receive on a refugee profile includes:

• family size and description
• community affiliation
• language ability
• work experience or special skills
• connections to Canada and location
• case type (e.g. JAS, Visa office-referred, Blended, Urgent Protection)
• if the case is ready to travel to Canada or not
• special medical requirements (if applicable)

What is a SAH and a Constituent Group?

A Sponsorship Agreement Holder is an incorporated organization that has signed a Sponsorship Agreement with the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. A SAH can authorize Constituent Groups to sponsor under its agreement and provide support to the refugee(s).

The SAH or Constituent Group may also choose to formally partner with an individual (for example, a family member of the sponsored refugee living in Canada) and/or another organization in carrying out settlement duties. The partner is herein termed the “cosponsor”.

Each SAH sets its own criteria for recognizing Constituent Groups and cosponsors (who collectively will be referred to as the sponsoring group in the remainder of this application kit). The sponsoring group or its representatives must be located in the community where the refugees are destined.

What is a Group of Five?

A Group of Five (G5) is any group of five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are 18 years of age or older and who live in the community where the refugee is expected to settle.

Group members act as guarantors that the necessary support will be provided for the full duration of the sponsorship, which is generally 12 months. The group is expected to show that they have the necessary financial resources, expertise and commitment required to fulfill the terms of the sponsorship undertaking.

What is a Community Sponsor?

A Community Sponsor is an organization, association or corporation that undertakes to sponsor refugee(s). The Community Sponsor must be located in the expected community of resettlement and undergoes an assessment of its finances and settlement arrangements for each sponsorship submitted.

Matching a Sponsoring Group with a Refugee(s)

The Resettlement Operations Centre - Ottawa (ROC-O) assembles and co-ordinates an inventory of Visa Office Referred (VOR) refugees and refugees who require a Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS). These refugees have already been interviewed by a visa officer and are determined to be eligible for resettlement in Canada.

The Resettlement Operations Centre – Ottawa (ROC-O) posts the refugee profiles on a secure Web site accessible only to Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs), local IRCC offices and ROC-O in order to facilitate the matching process.

Using the secure Web site

SAHs may check the secure Web site for a suitable profile and may provide the downloaded profile(s) to their sponsoring groups for consideration (where applicable).

If after reviewing the profile, the group is interested in sponsoring a particular case, the next step is for the sponsoring group to request a more detailed profile from ROC-O.

The sponsoring group will make its final decision based on a review of the detailed profile. They must inform ROC-O as soon as possible whether they are committed to sponsoring the particular case so that other groups may have the opportunity to review the unmatched case.

The final step is to complete the sponsorship undertaking, attach the detailed refugee profile to the application and submit all necessary documents to ROC-O.

Using matching services at Resettlement Operations Centre – Ottawa (ROC-O)

If no suitable profile is found on the Web site or if a sponsoring group does not access the Web site, the completed Request for a Joint Assistance Refugee Profile (IMM 5504) should be submitted to ROC-O to keep in their inventory until a match can be made. The Request for a Joint Assistance Refugee Profile contains information on the sponsoring group’s community and on the type of refugee case the group wishes to sponsor.

• ROC-O assembles and co-ordinates an inventory of sponsoring groups requesting a refugee profile and attempts to match the sponsoring groups with a refugee(s).
• Refugees will be matched to communities where their needs are most likely to be met.
• Information considered before matching includes but is not limited to: location of any family members in Canada, location of same or similar ethnic communities in Canada, size of family, employment and language skills of the refugee(s).

Matching Process – JAS Cases

• When ROC-O is able to make a successful match, they will refer the detailed profile to the local IRCC who will refer the profile to the SAH for discussion with the sponsoring group (where applicable).
• The sponsoring group should review the detailed profile and notify their local IRCC as soon as possible whether they are committed to sponsoring the particular case. Prior to confirming their commitment, the sponsoring group must confirm with ROC-O that the case is still available.
• The final stage is for the sponsoring group to complete the sponsorship undertaking, attach the detailed refugee profile to the application and submit all necessary documents to ROC-O.

Contact information for your local IRCC can be found in the Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.

Matching Process - VOR Cases

• When the Resettlement Operations Centre – Ottawa (ROC-O) is able to find a potential match, they will refer the detailed profile to the ROC-O who will refer the profile to the SAH for discussion with the sponsoring group (where applicable).
• The sponsoring group should review the detailed profile and notify their local IRCC as soon as possible whether they are committed to sponsoring the particular case. Prior to confirming their commitment, the sponsoring group must confirm with ROC-O that the case is still available.
• The final stage is for the sponsoring group to complete the sponsorship undertaking, attach the detailed refugee profile to the application and submit all necessary documents to the ROC-O.

Matching Process – General

Sponsoring groups are encouraged to arrive at a decision as soon as possible. More than one sponsoring group may review a particular detailed profile at a time. However, before confirming a commitment to accept the case, sponsoring groups must confirm with the Resettlement Operations Centre – Ottawa (ROC-O) that the case is still available.

• Profiles must be matched with a sponsoring group within six months or they will be referred back to the visa office for referral to another country for resettlement.
• Delays in obtaining medical or security results or difficulties making travel arrangements can delay the arrival of the refugee(s).

Step 1. Complete the application

Filling out the application

Note: It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information on this form. The information you provide on your application may be subject to verification.

Complete all sections. If a section does not apply to you, write “Not Applicable” or “NA”. If your application is incomplete it may be returned to you and this will delay the processing of your application.

If you need more space for any section, print out an additional page containing the appropriate section, complete it and submit it along with your application.

Step 2. Mail the Application

Where to mail the application

Mail your completed application in a stamped envelope to the address shown below:

Send the document checklist

Make sure you use the document checklist and include it with your application.

The forms must be signed and dated before they are mailed. If they are not signed and dated, your application will be returned to you.

Submitting Your Application

Mail your application to the Resettlement Operations Centre – Ottawa (ROC-O). Send a copy of your application to your SAH (where applicable).

If there are changes to the information provided after you have mailed the application, advise the ROC-O and your SAH (where applicable).

What happens next?

Application process

Upon receipt of a completed and signed form by ROC-O, your group will:

• Receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your request for a refugee profile which will include a file number from ROC-O
• Depending on the inventory of Visa office-referred cases, you can expect a profile within 30 days. 

Email address for the Resettlement Operations Centre – Ottawa (ROC-O):

IRCC.INROCO-CORORI.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

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