Guide 2200 - Groups of Five to privately sponsor refugees  

This guide is to assist you, the Group of Five, to submit a complete application to sponsor a refugee abroad under the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program.

Be sure to read this guide in its entirety. It contains information about the process, links to application forms and instructions for completing and submitting your application. The appendix incudes the financial guidelines, information on how to add family members to your application and a list of acronyms used throughout the guide.

Please note: This is not a legal document.

You, the Group of Five (G5), can ask for this guide in another format.

If you are applying to sponsor from Quebec, or if you are applying for the One-Year Window of Opportunity (OYW) program, do not use this application guide.

Please refer to the links directly below for more information on these programs and for general information about the PSR program:

• PSR program: Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) website.
• Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program: IRCC web page.
• Sponsorship applications in Quebec: Quebec operational instructions and guidelines on processing refugee resettlement
• The One-Year Window of Opportunity provision: IRCC guide.

Symbols used in this guide

Steps for a Group of Five to sponsor a refugee living abroad

Step 1: Understanding who is involved in a sponsorship application

• Parties to a sponsorship
  • Definition of a Group of Five (G5)
• Refugees who can be included in the PSR application
  • Principal applicant (PA) and their family members
• Other parties involved in a sponsorship
  • Immigration representative
  • Representative in the expected community of settlement

Step 2: Make sure you are eligible to sponsor

Step 3: Make sure the principal applicant abroad is eligible to be sponsored

Step 4: Document checklist

• Application forms and documents required for review
• Supporting documents required for assessment
• Other forms, if applicable

Step 5: Gather documents

• Translation of documents
• Documents to submit to Resettlement Operations Centre in Ottawa (ROC-O)
  • Proof of Canadian citizenship, Indian status or permanent residence status
  • Criminal Record Check
  • Proof of funds
  • Proof of refugee status determination

Step 6: Fill in the forms

• The sponsorship application
  • Important reminders
  • Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Group of Five (IMM 5670)
  • Financial Profile (IMM 5373B)
  • Sponsor Assessment (IMM 5492)
• The principal applicant’s permanent residence application
• Other forms, if applicable

Step 7: Submit the application by email or mail

What happens next?

• Stage 1: Review
• Stage 2: Sponsorship decision
• Stage 3: Updating the sponsorship and permanent residence applications
• Stage 4: Checking your application status

Check processing times

Protecting your information

Need help?

Appendix A: Financial guidelines

• General requirements
• Cost of sponsorship
  • Sponsorship cost estimate versus post-arrival level of financial support
  • Family composition
  • Sponsorship cost tables: PSR and BVOR
  • Start-up costs
  • Monthly costs
  • In-kind deductions
• Post-arrival financial support

Appendix B: Add a family member to a PSR application

• Procedures to add a family member
  • Scenario #1: Adding newborn biological child
  • Scenario #2: Adding other dependents – Spouse, adopted child or situations where you are adding a spouse and a biological child

Appendix C: Acronyms

Step 1: Understanding who is involved in a sponsorship application

Parties to the sponsorship

Parties to the sponsorship (also known as group members, sponsors or the sponsoring group) include every person who signs the Sponsorship Undertaking as part of a Group of Five (G5) sponsorship application. It is important to remember that all parties to the sponsorship are jointly and severally or solidarily liable.

Definition of a Group of Five (G5)

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

Sponsors are responsible to ensure that the necessary settlement support is provided for the full duration of the sponsorship, normally 12 months. The sponsorship group must show that it has the necessary financial resources, expertise and commitment required to fulfill the terms of the sponsorship undertaking.

Refugees who can be included in the PSR application

Principal Applicant (PA) and their family members

When a family applies for permanent residence together, one family member must be the “principal applicant” (usually the head of the family).

Under the Canadian immigration system, a family includes:

• the PA
• the PA’s spouse or common-law partner
• the PA’s dependent child
• the dependent child of the PA’s dependent child
• the dependent child of the PA’s spouse/common-law partner
• the dependent child of the PA’s spouse/common-law partner’s dependent child

As per subsection 1(3) and 2 of the Immigration and Refugees Protection Regulations (IRPR), a dependent child must be in one of the following situations:

• under 22 years of age, not married or have a common-law partner
• 22 years of age or older, have depended substantially on the financial support of the parent since before the age of 22 being unable to support themselves financially due to a physical or mental condition

Other parties involved in a sponsorship

Immigration Representative

Each of the sponsors and/or the PA can appoint an immigration representative, if they choose to. The immigration representative can do business on their behalf with IRCC and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The immigration representative can be an immigration consultant, lawyer, friend or family member however only approved immigration consultants and lawyers can be compensated. If you have paid someone to assist with the application, you must declare this using the Use of a Representative Form (IMM 5476).

This authorization is different from the disclosure in section D of the refugee applicant’s Schedule 2 Refugees outside of Canada form [(IMM 0008] (PDF, 1.91 MB), which authorizes IRCC to share required case information with you but does not authorize you to act on the principal applicant’s behalf.

To appoint an immigration representative, the Use of a Representative Form (IMM 5476) must be completed and submitted to ROC-O. For more information on using an immigration representative, you can review the IRCC webpage on Using an immigration and citizenship representative.

Representative in the expected community of settlement

Sponsors must reside, or have representatives in the community where the refugees expect to settle. This means that one of the following persons must be based in the community where the refugees are expected to settle:

• all G5 group members or
• one representative for each group member that does not reside in the expected community of settlement

The representative:

• lives in the PA’s expected community of settlement
• represents the sponsor in the community, according to the scope of representation agreed between the representative and the sponsor
• is not a party to the sponsorship (does not sign the sponsorship undertaking)
• while expected to help support the refugee, is not liable to fulfill the sponsorship obligations

To appoint a representative in the expected community of settlement:

• complete the Appointment of Representative(s) form [IMM 5956] (PDF, 1.56 MB)
• submit a copy of a photo identification document (ID) with the address of the representative (for example, a driver’s license or provincial and territorial photo cards)
  • If the ID does not contain the address of the representative, then submit an additional document with the ID showing their residential address

Step 2: Make sure you are eligible to sponsor

General eligibility requirements for sponsors

The group must:

• Be composed of five or more individuals
• Have collectively agreed to sponsor a refugee living abroad

Each sponsor must:

• Be 18 years old or older
• Be a Canadian citizen, Registered Indian or a Permanent Resident of Canada
• Reside in the expected community of settlement (or appoint a representative who does)
• Not be ineligible to be party to a sponsorship pursuant to 156(1) IRPR:
  1. a person who has been convicted in Canada of the offence of murder or an offence set out in Schedule I or II to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, regardless of whether it was prosecuted by indictment, if a period of five years has not elapsed since the completion of the person’s sentence
  2. a person who has been convicted of an offence outside Canada that, if committed in Canada, would constitute an offence referred to in paragraph (a), if a period of five years has not elapsed since the completion of the person’s sentence imposed under a foreign law
  3. a person who is in default of any support payment obligations ordered by a court
  4. a person who is subject to a removal order
  5. a person who is subject to a revocation proceeding under the Citizenship Act
  6. a person who is detained in any penitentiary, jail, reformatory or prison

Step 3: Make sure the principal applicant abroad is eligible to be sponsored

To sponsor a person who is currently living abroad under the PSR program:

• This person must be a recognized refugee by either the UNHCR or by a foreign state.
• The person must reside outside their home country and cannot or is not able to return to their home country for fear of being persecuted.
• The person must meet the definition of:
  • A Convention refugee as per section 96 of Immigration and Refugees Protection Act (IRPA) as they have a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; or
  • Member of the asylum class as per R147 of IRPR as they have been, and continue to be, seriously and personally affected by civil war, armed conflict or massive violation of human rights.

Step 4: Document checklist

Keep a copy of each application you submit and do not submit original documents

• If your application is approved or refused or if you decide to withdraw your application, it will not be returned to you

You must submit a complete sponsorship application for each permanent residence application

• For example, if you want to sponsor three brothers:
  • you will need to submit three sponsorship applications and three permanent residence applications
  • Forms which are not specific to the case, such as Sponsor Assessment [IMM 5492] (PDF, 2.1 MB) must be copied and included in each application
  • Documents which are not specific to the case, such as a criminal record check, must be copied and included in each application

Application forms and documents required for review

• Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Group of Five [IMM 5670](PDF, 2.13 MB) for the sponsoring group
• Sponsor Assessment [IMM 5492] (PDF, 2.19 MB) for each sponsor
• Financial Profile [IMM 5373B] (0.10 MB) for each sponsor contributing personal income or contributing to the in trust account
• Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008] (PDF, 0.6 MB) for the principal applicant
• Schedule A - Background/Declaration [IMM 5669] (PDF, 1.5 MB) for the principal applicant and each family member who is 18 years old and over
• Schedule 2: Refugee Outside Canada [IMM 0008/Schedule 2] (PDF, 1.91 MB) for the principal applicant and each family member who is 18 years old and over
• Photos for the principal applicant and each of their family members
• Refugee Status Determination document for the principal applicant 

Supporting documents required for assessment

• Proof of Canadian Citizenship, Indian Status or Permanent Residence for each sponsor
• Criminal Record Check for each sponsor
• Proof of Funds: in trust, personal income or both
• ID documents for the PA and their family members (if applicable)
• Any other supporting documents for the PA and family members (if applicable) such as but not limited to civil documents, diplomas, membership cards and military documents

Other forms, if applicable

These forms need to be completed if you are appointing an immigration representative or a representative in expected community of settlement.

• Use of a Representative (IMM 5476)
• Appointment of Representative(s) in Expected Community of Settlement [IMM 5956] (PDF, 1.56 MB)
• Photo ID with the representative’s address in the expected community of settlement

Step 5: Gather documents

You must submit all required documents, and you can submit as many additional documents as you want to support your application and demonstrate that you meet the sponsorship requirements.

It is your responsibility to submit an application which demonstrates that you are eligible to sponsor. Please note that in most cases, a decision will be rendered based on the evidence you submit with your application and you will not be contacted for missing documents or information.

Translation of documents

You must submit the following for any document that is not in English or French, unless otherwise stated on your document checklist:

• the English or French translation
• an affidavit from the person who completed the translation
• a certified copy of the original document

Translations must not be done by: you or the applicants themselves or by any of the applicant’s family members.

What is an affidavit?

An affidavit is a document on which the translator has sworn, in the presence of a person authorized to administer oaths in the country where the translator is living, that the contents of their translation are a true translation and representation of the contents of the original document.

• In Canada, the affidavit must be sworn in the presence of either a notary public, a commissioner of oaths or a commissioner of taking affidavits.
• To translate a document outside Canada, consult the local authorities.
• Translators who are certified in Canada do not need to supply an affidavit.

Documents to submit to the Resettlement Operations Center in Ottawa (ROC-O)

1. Proof of Canadian citizenship, Indian status or permanent residence status

Each sponsor must provide proof of their legal status in Canada by submitting a copy of one of the following documents:

• Canadian Passport
• Canadian provincial or territorial birth certificate
• Canadian citizenship certificate (card or paper certificate)
• Canadian certificate of registration of birth abroad
• Record of Landing (IMM 1000)
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688)
• Permanent Resident Card
• Indian status card (formerly known as a Certificate of Indian status)

2. Criminal Record Check

Each sponsor must submit a copy of a criminal record check (non-vulnerable sector check):

• issued by a police department
• issued within 6 months of the application submission to ROC-O
• if you have a criminal conviction: include all police and court documents which show the final disposition of your charges

For information on how to obtain a criminal record check, contact your local police department.

3. Proof of funds

Funds cannot come from the refugees.

The Privately Sponsored Refugee program is a humanitarian program which assists vulnerable people in need. The undertaking you sign to submit your sponsorship application states that you, the sponsor, have not accepted funds from the refugee(s) you are sponsoring and that you will not require the refugee(s) to repay any cost of sponsorship. Any sponsor who attempts to secure or does accept such funds will be considered by IRCC to be in default of the sponsorship undertaking they signed.

If you are found in default, you will be barred from submitting future sponsorship applications to IRCC. For more information on defaults, refer to R153 IRPR.

The sponsorship group must have sufficient financial resources.

The officer will assess whether your sponsoring group has the financial resources to fulfil the settlement plan for the duration of the undertaking as per R154 (1) (a) IRPR for the PA and their family members who are accompanying and non-accompanying them to Canada. Be sure to consider all family members in your financial calculations.

You must provide sufficient evidence to show you have enough money to sponsor.

To assess your financial capacity to sponsor, the ROC-O officer will review the forms and all the financial documents you submitted. You are required to submit sufficient information and evidence to demonstrate that you have sufficient financial means to fulfil the settlement plan.

Funds from a conditional source of funding are not an acceptable proof of funds.

Funds from sources such as a line of credit, a loan or a second mortgage will not be considered by an officer when determining if the sponsors have sufficient funds to fulfil the settlement plan.

It is recommended that you show a financial support higher than the minimum requirement. Many sponsors show support using the minimum expected amount of money, as indicated in the Sponsorship Cost Table (Appendix A). While the calculation made by ROC-O is explained below to assist you in calculating the financial requirement for your application, it is recommend that you show a financial support higher than the minimum requirement.

Options to demonstrate that you have the necessary funds for your sponsorship:

1. Funds held in trust in a financial institution.
2. Group members contributing from their personal income.
3. A combination of funds held in trust and group members contributing personal income.

Option 1: Funds held in trust in a financial institution

• The funds must remain in the account until the refugee arrives.
  The funds held in trust must remain in the account until they are dispersed to the refugee after their arrival in Canada.
• Funds collected for different sponsorship applications cannot be combined into one account.
  The intended financial contributions for each sponsorship application must be deposited into separate accounts. Linked applications are separate applications and need separate accounts to deposit the financial contribution.
• Canadian financial institution and Canadian currency.
  The funds collected for the sponsorship must be deposited to an account held at a Canadian financial institution in Canadian currency.
• This account does not need to be a formal trust account.
  A chequing or savings account is sufficient, provided there are a minimum of two sponsors as account holders.
• You must provide a copy of the original signed and stamped letter from the financial institution.
  The letter must be issued no more than six months before the date you submit your application and must indicate the:
  • name of the Canadian financial institution
  • names of the account holders (minimum of two sponsors out of the five sponsors)
  • account number
  • current account balance
  • name of the bank representative and signature
  • bank stamp
• You must provide all bank statements since the in-trust account was opened.
  The bank statements must include all activity in the account from the date it was opened, the account number and branch information.
• Explain and submit documentation to prove how these funds were gathered.
  Describe in section (F), question (v. Total Committed Funds) of the Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Group of Five [IMM 5670] (PDF, 2.18 MB) how the funds were gathered. For example: fund raising activities, if funds were provided by the sponsors, PA’s family members, etc. To provide proof of how the funds were gathered, include details of deposits, bank statements, statements from fund raising activities, etc. If the funds come from a group member, you must provide proof of income – see sponsors contributing personal income below.
• Each contributing group member must submit a Financial Profile Form (IMM 5373B).
  This is required for each group member contributing from their personal savings to the funds held in trust.

Option 2: Group members contributing from their personal income

• At least three sponsors must commit towards the financial requirement
  If your group’s financial support is based solely on contributions from your group members’ personal income, at least three sponsors must commit to contribute financially.
• Each group member contributing personal income must submit a Financial Profile Form (IMM 5373B).
• Provide the most recent Notice of Assessment (NOA) as proof of funds
  An NOA is issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and is the most conclusive document to show your personal income. The following documents are also considered:
  • a copy of your most recent T4 Statement of Remuneration Paid form
  • a copy of your most recent T5 Statement of Investment Income form
  • pension statements that confirm your annual revenue for the last 12 months
  • Employment Insurance pay stubs that confirm revenue obtained under this program within the last 12 months
  The following documents are not considered adequate proof of income:
  • T1 General Returns, Forms and Schedules
  • T2 Corporation Income declaration form
  • letters of employment
  • pay stubs
  • investment portfolios
  • letters from a Canadian financial institution attesting to bank account details
• Letters of employment, pay stubs, etc. can be submitted but only as additional supporting documents
  On their own, these documents are not conclusive documents that can confirm your financial capability to sponsor.

If the officer is satisfied of the above then they will individually assess each sponsor who is contributing funds by using this formula:

Text version: formula

The group member’s gross annual income
minus
The group member’s annual cost of living
minus
The group member’s financial contributions to other sponsorships
minus
The group member’s financial commitment to this sponsorship
equals
Remaining income

• ROC-O can only assess gross annual income.
  As it is not possible for ROC-O to determine your net income, your gross income is used instead. This means that ROC-O’s calculation of your financial capacity does not take into account deductions such as taxes. Be mindful of this when you are assessing whether you can financially support a refugee for the duration of the sponsorship period.
• Annual cost of living is based on family size and the cost associated to it in the Sponsorship Cost Table (Appendix A).

  To know your family size, a ROC-O officer will review the number you have provided on your Financial Profile form [IMM 5373B] (PDF, 0.10 MB) in section B (Financial Capacity) and any family class sponsorship applications you may have for your spouse and/or children in IRCC’s database. If the number in IRCC’s database is higher than the number on the Financial Profile form [IMM 5373B] (PDF, 0.10 MB), the number in the database will be used to assess your cost of living.

  • If you have divorced: if you have, in the past, sponsored a spouse under the family class category and have since divorced, please ensure to submit supporting documentation to show this with your application. If you do not, your spouse will be counted as a family member when an officer calculates your annual cost of living in Canada.
  • Your costs of living are likely higher than the ones indicated on the cost table: the Sponsorship Cost Table is an average of all the provincial/territorial social assistance rates in Canada. Be mindful of your actual cost of living when you are assessing whether you can financially support a refugee for the duration of the sponsorship period.
• Financial contributions include funds given to other PSR sponsorships
  This includes applications currently being processed and/or sponsorships for which the refugee has arrived in Canada less than a year ago.
• If you are currently sponsoring other refugees
  In a cover letter please list these sponsorships and provide how much money you have contributed for each sponsorship. Include an explanation as to how you will be able to provide settlement (financial and non-financial) support to all the refugees you are sponsoring in Canada.

Remaining income
If the remaining income is higher than zero, then this group member has sufficient income available to contribute towards the sponsorship.

Option 3: A combination of funds held in trust and group members contributing personal income

• If your group is using a combination of Option #1 (funds in trust) and Option #2 (contributions from personal income), provide all supporting documents for the amount in each option as listed above.
• The minimum requirement of three sponsors contributing personal income (as required in option #2) does not apply.

4. Proof of refugee status determination

You can only sponsor someone who is recognized as a refugee by the UNHCR or a foreign state.

Your application must include a Refugee Status Determination (RSD) document

• When the person has been assessed and recognized as a refugee, they get a document attesting to their refugee status determination issued by the UNHCR or a foreign state.
• The name and format of this document varies depending on the country of issue.
• Do not submit the original document.

Step 6: Fill in the forms

The sponsorship application

Important reminders

• Make sure to complete the latest version of all the required forms.
  Only use the links in this guide to ensure that you are using the most updated forms.
• All forms must be typed.
  Handwritten forms are not accepted. If you submit handwritten forms, the application may be returned.
• Make sure all forms are signed and dated.
  Typed signatures are not accepted. All forms must be signed or have a scanned signature. If a signature is missing, the application will be returned.
• Sponsors and the PA should only include information about a representative on a Use of Representative form (IMM 5476).
  For example, when IRCC requests the sponsor’s personal email address or the principal applicant’s email address, the email of a representative should not be included.
• It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information in your application.
  IRCC may verify the information you and the applicant(s) abroad provide on the application.

Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Groups of Five (IMM 5670)

The Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Group of Five [IMM 5670] (PDF, 2.18 MB) is used to assess whether you have the capacity to fulfil your financial and non-financial obligation to support the refugees so they can establish successfully in Canada.

• All sponsors should discuss settlement arrangements and responsibilities together and jointly fill out the settlement plan.
• You must support the refugees for 12 months from the date of arrival or until they become self-sufficient, whichever comes first.
• In exceptional cases where the officer abroad had concerns about the refugee’s ability to become established in Canada (as per R139 (1) (g) of IRPR), sponsors may be asked to provide support for the refugee for up to 36 months. This is at the discretion of the officer abroad (as per R154 (3) of IRPR) and you may be contacted later in the process if the officer has made this determination.

Common errors when submitting

• Form was not submitted.
• Invalid version of form was submitted.
• Form was handwritten.
• Incomplete contact information.
• One or more email addresses are missing or the email provided is invalid or not the sponsor’s own personal email address.
• PA and family member information does not match the Generic Application Form [IMM 0008] (PDF, 0.64 MB).
• Family member does not meet the definition of a family member as per IRPR.
• Form was not signed and/or is dated more than 90 days from the date of the application’s submission to ROC-O.

Fill in the form

For BVOR Sponsorships

If you are sponsoring refugees referred to your sponsoring group by IRCC under the (BVOR) Blended Visa Office-referred Program:

• check the box for (BVOR) Blended Visa Office-Referred sponsorships
• type the profile number that you received from ROC-O

Section A – Sponsor Information

Type the following for each sponsor:

• family names
• given names
• date of birth
• Unique Client Identifier (UCI) this number is found on official documents you get from IRCC, if you have dealt with IRCC before. It can be either eight or ten digits (Example: 0000-0000 or 00000-00000). If you do not have or do not know your UCI number, type "N/A"
• relationship to the PA, if applicable. If it is not applicable, type "N/A"
• address
• contact details: home, business or cell phone numbers and e-mail address

To add a sponsor (group member), select "+" symbol beside "Add Group Member". To remove a sponsor (group member), select the "-"symbol.

Section B – Refugee Applicant(s)

All names and personal information must match your travel documents.

• Type all names and biographic information exactly as shown on the PA and family member’s passports or travel documents.
• Also make sure the biographic information matches between the Generic Application Form [IMM 0008] (PDF, 0.68 MB) and the The Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Group of Five [IMM 5670] (PDF, 2.18 MB) forms.
• If there are any discrepancies, the application may be returned.

All persons who do not meet the definition of family member as per IRPR should have their own sponsorship and permanent residence applications.

• If you submit the name of a person in this section that is not a family member as per the regulations, the application may be returned.

Principal applicant

Type the:

• family name
• given name(s)
• gender
• date of birth
• place and country of birth, including the name of the town or city
• marital status
• country of citizenship
• other citizenship, if applicable

Family Members

Before you complete this section, check to see who qualifies as a family member.

If you have more family members to add, follow the instructions below:

• if you check "yes", more fields will appear
  • click the "add additional family member" button to add more family members
  • click the "remove this family member" button to remove a family member
• for each family member, type or select from the drop down menu:
  • family name
  • given names
  • gender
  • date of birth
  • place and country of birth, including the name of the town or city
  • marital status
  • relationship to the PA
  • check the box to if the family member will be accompanying or non-accompanying the PA to Canada
  • citizenship
  • other citizenship, if applicable
  • check the box to if a family member has separate contact information (address, email, and phone) from that of the PA and a new box will appear below. Fill out the separate contact information for this family member

Section C – Linked/Multiple Sponsorship Applications

• Fill in this section if you want to link multiple sponsorship applications.
  • For example, family members that plan to live in one household or as a family unit in Canada, but they do not meet the definition of a family member as per IRPR.
  • Efforts will be made to have linked applications processed at the same time.
• It is strongly recommended that you link applications of family members only when they must all travel together to Canada.
  • The information you fill in must be identical to the biographic information that is on the linked application. If not, ROC-O might not be able to link the applications together.
  • Please include a cover letter explaining the reason why the applicants of the linked applications must travel together.
  • Having linked applications may delay processing as all applications move through each step of the process together.

Type the:

• family name of the other PA
• given names
• date of birth
• application number (G number), if known

Click the "+" symbol to add another linked application. Click the "-"symbol to remove a linked application.

Section D – Settlement Plan – Details

• Be as precise and detailed as possible.
  • Do not leave any questions blank.
  • Not applicable (N/A) is not an acceptable answer.
  • Note that, the officer assessing your application does not know you and cannot make assumptions on the services you will be providing to the refugees.
• Each settlement plan must address the unique needs of the PA and their dependents.
  • Include details of your plan to the unique needs of the PA and their dependents whether they are accompanying the PA in Canada or not.
  • Your answers should not be copied from other settlement plans.
• Consider any financial and non-financial obligations already committed for other sponsorships.
  • If you are currently sponsoring other refugees, in a cover letter list these sponsorships.
  • Provide an explanation as to how much money you have contributed for each sponsorship and how you will be able to manage your time to provide settlement support to all the refugees you are sponsoring and the refugees you want to sponsor under this application.
• Include the settlement needs of every refugee applicant named on the Sponsorship Undertaking.
  • The settlement plan must include the needs on every named applicant, even if they will not come to Canada with the PA.
  • If you do not consider non-accompanying family members in your settlement plan and financial assessment, your application may be refused.

Question 1 - As sponsors, you must arrange proper housing for the refugee(s) you are sponsoring

If you are able to secure accommodation at no cost, the person providing the accommodation must be included as a sponsor in your sponsorship undertaking. Donated housing can only be included as an in-kind donation from a donor who is party to the sponsorship. This is because there is no obligation for a third-party to provide the accommodation if they are not signatories to the undertaking. In-kind deductions for accommodation make up a significant proportion of the entire sponsorship cost and it is essential that there be some assurance that it will be provided when the refugee arrives.

A settlement plan may still explain that a person who is not signatory to the sponsorship undertaking will provide accommodation, however this cannot be included as in-kind deductions and you will still need to demonstrate that you have the funds to provide housing in case the third-party housing is not available.

If you are arranging permanent housing before the arrival of the refugee(s), provide the following details:

• location and size of the permanent housing (if known at this time)
• type of building (high-rise apartment, townhouse, detached house, shared accommodation, etc.)
• number and type of rooms (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, types of living areas, basement, kitchen etc.)
• types of furnishing (sofas, number of beds, dining table, etc.)
• if the refugee will be sharing this permanent housing with others, provide:
  • the name of the person hosting the refugees and relationship to the PA (if applicable)
  • the family composition of the person hosting the refugee at the permanent housing and/or the number of other people living there
  • the accommodation arrangement (how many bedrooms are available and how the space will be distributed according to the needs and family composition)

If you are arranging temporary housing upon arrival, provide details about the accommodation as listed above and additionally:

• the accommodation arrangement in the temporary housing
• the time frame when you expect to find permanent housing
• details of the permanent housing you expect to arrange

If you already know where the refugee will live in Canada, do not hesitate to include pictures of their future accommodations, floor plans, etc. in your application package.

Question 2 - Which immigrant settlement assistance agencies will the refugees likely access and for which services?

To answer this question and to better understand your obligations under the sponsorship undertaking you signed with IRCC, it is strongly recommend that you:

• attend a training session with RSTP
• meet the settlement agencies in your region to ensure that you understand their services and whether they will apply to the refugees you are sponsoring
• meet with community and/or religious groups in your region that offer services to refugees
• check the different programs your province offers to newcomers
• read about how to apply to certain programs under the federal government (CCB, SIN, etc.)

Indicate your research, the meetings you attended with different groups including RSTP, which services you/the refugee will apply for with the municipal, provincial and federal governments, etc.

Provide as much detail as possible to demonstrate that you are aware of the needs of the refugee and have a plan to assist the refugee upon arrival. Do not hesitate to submit any supporting documents to your application. Remember, the officer assessing your application does not know you and they cannot make assumptions on the services you will be providing to the refugees.

Examples of settlement activities a refugee may need:

• orientation
• language training
• counselling
• cultural orientation
• employment services
• newcomer youth services
• settlement support groups

For more information, learn about free newcomer services near you.

Example of services a refugee is entitled to when they arrive in Canada:

• accessing health care and finding a doctor or dentist in Canada
• obtaining a health card
• registering the children to school or day care (if applicable)
• obtaining a Social Insurance Number (SIN) card (if applicable)
• applying for Canada Child Benefit (CCB) (if applicable)
• obtaining a driver’s license (if applicable)

Question 3 – As a sponsor, you must plan and make arrangements for any additional needs of the refugee(s), including medical needs and/or special needs for persons who have suffered trauma and would benefit from crisis support and counseling

Indicate:

• if the refugees are living with certain trauma/crisis such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), severe physical pain, or if they are victims of gender based violence
• what services are needed, such as the need to see a psychologist, attend support groups, to see a physiotherapist or the need to have a wheelchair

Be as detailed as possible and do not hesitate to submit any supporting documents to your application.

Question 4 – Explain your group’s contingency plan for supporting non-accompanying family members under the One Year Window of Opportunity provision (OYW)

This question will only appear on your form if you indicated that the PA has non-accompanying family members. Explain your group’s contingency plans for supporting non-accompanying family members who may decide to immigrate with the PA or who may come to Canada later under the OYW of Opportunity provision (include both financial and settlement considerations).

Section E – Settlement Checklist

Check the box to indicate who will provide for the settlement needs of the refugees. The boxes checked in section E should align with the details of the sponsorship plan in section D.

Section F – Financial Assessment

i. Minimum Financial Requirement

The family size and minimum financial requirement will be automatically calculated based on the information you enter in section B. The minimum expected amount of money to sponsor is indicated in the Sponsorship Cost Table (Appendix A).

ii. Estimated living costs in the expected community of settlement

In this section you will create a budget based on annual estimated settlement costs for the refugees. The budget includes:

• start-up costs (items purchased once to help the refugees become established)
• on-going monthly costs (including rent, food, phone and internet, pocket money and allowances and transportation costs)

For one-time start-up costs, enter the estimated amount for each item.

For ongoing monthly costs, enter the estimated monthly cost. The annual cost column and total annual living costs fields will be automatically calculated.

The total annual living costs you budget for must be greater than or equal to the minimum financial requirement in section F (i).

iii. Donations

In this section, you can deduct costs for items you are donating.

• Use the In-kind Deduction Table in Appendix A.
• Enter the in-kind deduction amount for each donated item.
• Pay attention to the maximum allowable deductions for each item.
• If the amount you enter is more than the maximum allowable deduction for the family size, you will get an error message and that amount will be deleted.
• Enter shelter donations amount, only if donor is party to the sponsorship undertaking

iv. Financial Requirement

• This section will automatically calculate your total financial requirement for sponsorship by subtracting the in-kind deductions from the estimated annual living costs.
• If your estimated annual living costs are less than the minimum financial requirement in section F (i), the minimum financial requirement will be used for the calculation instead.

v. Total Committed Funds

In this section, your group must enter the amount of money each group member is committing and/or the funds held in trust your group is providing towards the sponsorship. If you are contributing personal income, enter the amount.

vi. Assessment of Financial Capacity

This section will indicate if your group has enough funds to sponsor. The form will automatically subtract the Financial Requirement in section F (iv) from the Committed Funds in section F (v).

• If your group has committed enough funds:
  • the balance will be positive and a checkmark will appear
• If your group has not committed enough funds:
  • the balance will be negative and an X will appear

The sponsorship application will be refused if the group has not committed sufficient funds.

Section G – Obligations, Consent and Declarations

This section must be read carefully and understood by all parties to the sponsorship.

Section H – Signatures

Each sponsor must sign and date the application.

• By signing here, the sponsoring group declares that they understand and commit to upholding the terms outlined on the Sponsorship Undertaking.
• If a signature is missing or if it is dated more than 90 days prior to the date of submission at ROC-O, the application may be returned.

As the sponsors, you must ensure that all the information contained in the application is accurate at the time of submission at ROC-O.

If there are changes to your sponsoring group’s composition or changes to the PA’s family composition within this 90 day period, you must complete, sign and date a new Sponsorship Undertaking before submitting your application to ROC-O.

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Financial Profile (IMM 5373B)

Each sponsor who plans to use their personal income to contribute to the cost of the sponsorship or donate towards funds held in trust must submit the Financial Profile [IMM 5373B] (PDF, 0.10 MB)

Common errors when submitting

• form was not submitted for each sponsor contributing personal income or contributing to funds held in trust
• invalid version of form was submitted
• form was handwritten
• form was not signed and dated

Section A – Personal Details

Type your personal details including:

• family name
• given names
• date of birth

Section B – Financial Capacity

Include your family size as per the family definition under IRPR.

If you have in the past sponsored a spouse under the family class category and have since divorced, please ensure to submit a divorce document with your application. If you do not, your spouse will be counted as a family member when an officer calculates your annual cost of living in Canada.

Section C – Employment

Indicate if you are not employed, employed or self-employed/business owner and check the appropriate box, more fields will appear.

If sections C1, C2 or C3 appear, follow the instructions below.

Section C1 – If you are not employed:

• why you are not employed (retired, unemployed, student)
• the date you became unemployed

Section C2 – if you are employed:

• name of employer
• supervisor’s name, telephone number and e-mail address
• employer’s address
• job title
• employment start date

Section C3 – If you are self-employed/business owner:

• your profession/title
• name of your business entity (if applicable)
• website address (if applicable)
• address
• self-employment/business owner start date

Section D – Sources of Income

List income earned over the past 12 months. Include the amount provided in your NOA, T4 or other proof of income, as the total annual income.

Under the "if employed" heading, enter the combined gross salary earned in the last 12 months.

Under the "if unemployed" heading, enter your gross income earned in the past 12 months.

In the column titled, "Total Income", enter your total annual income from all sources for the past 12 months.

Section E – Declaration

Read, sign and date the declaration. If a signature is missing, the application may be returned.

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Sponsor Assessment (IMM 5492)

This form must be completed by each sponsor in a Group of Five.

Common errors when submitting

• form was not submitted by each G5 sponsor
• invalid version of form was submitted
• not all questions were answered
• form was handwritten
• form was not signed and dated

Section A – does not apply to G5 sponsors.

Section B

Type your family name and given names.

Section C

Type any other names you have used (including birth name, maiden name, previous married names, aliases and nicknames).

Sections D to M

Check the appropriate box. If a box is not checked, the application may be returned.

Section N – Signatures

Sign and date the form. If a signature is missing, the application may be returned.

The principal applicant’s permanent residence application

The PA and their family members must fill in the forms for permanent residence. As sponsors, you should remind the PA of IRCC’s definition of what constitutes a family member in IRPR.

All forms are available in the Application for Convention Refugees Abroad and Humanitarian-Protected Person Abroad (IMM 6000).

Common errors principal applicants make when submitting their application package

For all forms

• form was not submitted
• invalid version of form was submitted
• form was handwritten
• form was not in French or English
• form was not signed or was signed using a typed signature

Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008)

• form was not validated with 2D barcodes or barcodes are not legible
• principal applicant’s email address (Question 6) was not included in the "Contact Information" section and no exceptional reasons were given on a separate sheet of paper to explain why the PA does not have an email address

Schedule A: Background/Declaration (IMM 5669)

• question 6 – not all questions from A to K were answered by a yes or a no
• form was not submitted for PA and/or all family members 18 years of age and older
• name and bio data did not match the Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008)

Schedule 2 - Refugee Outside Canada (IMM 0008/Schedule 2)

• form was not submitted for PA and/or family members 18 years of age and older
• name and bio data did not match the Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008)

Photos

• one photo for the PA and each family member was not provided
• name and date of birth of each family member was not written on the back of each photo

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Other forms, if applicable

Appointment of Representative(s) in Expected Community of Settlement (IMM 5956)

General Application Information

Select Group of Five and more fields will appear.

Part 1 – Appointment of Representative

Section A – Principal Applicant

Type the name, date of birth, and IRCC file number (G number) of the PA, if available.

Section B – Sponsoring Group

Type the name and date of birth for each sponsor that signed the Sponsorship Undertaking.

• To add a co-sponsor, click the "add a co-sponsor" button.
• To remove a co-sponsor, click the "remove this co-sponsor" button.

Section C – Appointed Representatives

Type the name of the group member appointing a representative and type the name, address, phone number and email address for each representative being appointed.

Section D – Appointed Representative Declaration and Section E – Signatures

Each appointed representative must read, sign and date the form.

Part 2 – Settlement Plan

Section F and Section G

These sections should only be completed by the sponsoring group.

If you are appointing a representative as part of your initial sponsorship application:

• You do not need to complete these sections. This information should be provided in sections D and E of the Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Group of Five [IMM 5670] (PDF, 2.18 MB)

If you are appointing a representative after the application has been received at ROC-O:

• complete both sections and provide the updated information on who will be responsible for the settlement needs of the refugees

Section H – Sponsoring Group Declaration

In this section, you must read carefully and understand it.

Section I – Sponsoring Group Signatures

Each sponsor who has signed the Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Group of Five [IMM 5670] (PDF, 2.18 MB) must sign and date the form.

You must include a copy of a photo identification document of the representative(s) with the form.

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Use of a Representative (IMM5476)

Section A – Applicant Information

• Question 1 – Type your last name (surname or family name) and given name(s)
• Question 2 – Type your date of birth
• Question 3 – If you have already submitted your application, write: the name of the office where the application was submitted and the type of application you submitted
• Question 4 – Type your IRCC’s Identification ID or Unique client Identifier (if known)

Section B – Appointment of Representative

• Question 5 – Type your representative’s full name
• Question 6 – Check the box to indicate if your representative is uncompensated or compensated
• Question 7 – Type your representative’s contact information
• Question 8 – To accept responsibility for conducting business on your behalf, your representative must sign and date the declaration

Section C – Cancel the Appointment of a Representative

Fill in this section if you wish to cancel the appointment of a representative.

• Question 9 – Type the representative’s full name

Section D – Your Declaration

• Question 10 – By signing, you authorize IRCC to complete your request for yourself and your dependent children under 18 years of age

Step 7: Submit your application by email or mail

Send your application (which includes your sponsorship application and the PR application of the refugee abroad) by email or mail, not both. Duplicate applications will delay the processing of your application and applications of others.

We highly recommend that you submit your application by email. Applications submitted by email are processed faster than applications submitted by mail.

Applications must be sent from the email or mailing address of one of the sponsors listed on the sponsorship undertaking or immigration representative (if applicable). This means that any emails or documents sent from an address or email not listed on the undertaking (a third party) may be returned.

Emailing your application

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

Prepare the email by following these steps:

1. Check scanner settings:

• you and the PA abroad should use a high resolution scanner of at least 400 DPI
• scanned documents can be in color or black and white
• all forms and supporting documents must be saved and submitted in PDF format
• applicants’ photos can exceptionally be saved in JPEG format
• ensure the photos meet IRCC’s photo specifications

2. Prepare your email to ROC-O:

• you need to submit at least 6 separate email attachments and each attachment cannot be bigger than 5MB
• ROC-O does not accept compressed files (such as ZIP or RAR) as they cannot be opened

3. Use these naming conventions for your attachments:

• Sponsor forms and documents
  Name this file: "PA FAMILY NAME, First Name - Sponsor documents"
• Generic application form to Canada IMM0008
  Name this file: "PA FAMILY NAME, First Name - IMM0008"
• If a separate signature page is included where the PA printed and signed only the signature page of the IMM0008 form
  Name this file: "PA FAMILY NAME, First name - IMM0008 signature page"
• Schedule A, Schedule 2 and Use of Representative forms
  Name this file: "PA FAMILY NAME, First Name - Schedules"
• One photo per applicant
  Name this file: "PA FAMILY NAME, First Name - Photos"
• Passports: if available for the PA, family members and sponsors providing proof of status with a copy of passport
  Name this file: "PA LAST NAME, First Name –Passports"
• Refugee Status Determination (RSD) document for the PA
  Name this file: "PA FAMILY NAME, First name – RSD"
• Supporting documentation:
  Name this file: "PA FAMILY NAME, First Name - Supporting documents"
  • for the PA include if there are any identity and civil status, birth, marriage, divorce, separation or death certificates (etc.)
  • for the sponsor include if there are any additional supporting document to demonstrate their capacity

4. Email the application to ROC-O with the subject line as: "G5 application for PA FAMILY NAME, First name".

• The email size cannot be bigger than 10MB
  • if it is, send the attachment in two or more emails and number your email subjects
  • for example: "part 1 of 2 - G5 application for PA FAMILY NAME, First name" and "part 2 of 2 - G5 application for PA FAMILY NAME, First name".
  • If your email is larger than 10MB, it will bounce back and you may not receive an email auto-reply
• After you send your email to ROC-O, ensure your application was received:
  • you should receive an auto-reply from ROC-O for each email sent; save this or these auto-reply/replies
  • if you do not receive an auto-reply within 48 hours, write to ROC-O and ask whether your application was received
  • do not re-send your application unless ROC-O asks you to resend it

Mailing your application

It is recommended that you send one application per envelope: if you send more than one application per envelope/box, itemize the applications in a list contained in the envelope/box. If this is not done, all applications may be returned.

Mailing address:

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Resettlement Operations Centre in Ottawa (ROC-O)
Group of Five Unit
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1

What happens next?

Emailed applications will receive an auto-reply upon submission
If you sent your application via email, an immediate auto-reply is sent to the email address from which the application was submitted. This email confirms that the sponsorship application package has been received. It does not confirm that your application is complete nor does it include the name of the PA (or the application number - "G" number).

When ROC-O receives your application, you can expect:

Stage 1: Review

Applications forms review

After receiving your application by mail or email, ROC-O reviews the application forms to ensure that all required forms for review were signed and submitted. At this stage, there is no verification as to whether sponsors submitted all supporting documents necessary to assess the application (such as proof of funds, criminal record checks etc.).

If the application is not missing forms:

• an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) is sent via email to the sponsors on the Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan form, to confirm that all of the necessary forms were submitted and signed and that the application was created in IRCC’s electronic system
• you will receive your application number (G number) at this time

If the application is missing forms or if they are not signed:

• this means the application cannot be created in IRCC’s electronic system
• an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) is not sent
• for a mailed application, the application will be returned to the individual listed as sponsor 1 on the Sponsorship Undertaking via mail
• for an email application, an email will be sent to all group members, the representative (if applicable) and the PA explaining the reasons for return

Document review

ROC-O reviews the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) document to ensure the application is complete.

• If the RSD is valid, the application will be transferred for sponsorship decision.
• If the RSD is invalid or missing, the application will be returned.

Stage 2: Sponsorship decision

All complete applications receive a final decision
An officer will assess your application by reviewing the application forms and your supporting documents to decide whether they are satisfied that you meet the requirements to be a sponsor under section R154 IRPR.

If the officer is satisfied that you meet the requirements of IRPR:

• the sponsorship application will be approved and the decision will be communicated to all group members, the representative (if applicable) and the PA via email
• the entire application (sponsorship application and the refugee’s application for permanent residence) will then be electronically transferred to the appropriate IRCC office abroad
• for more information on how the application will be processed abroad, refer to the Guide IMM 6000 - Convention Refugees Abroad and Humanitarian-Protected Persons Abroad

If the officer is not satisfied that you meet the requirements of IRPR:

• the application will be refused and the decision will be communicated to all group members, the representative (if applicable) and the PA via e-mail
• any refused applications will not be returned to your group
  • IRCC is obligated to retain all applications for which a decision has been made
  • ROC-O strongly encourages sponsors to keep a copy of each application submitted to IRCC

Stage 3: Updating the sponsorship and permanent residence (PR) applications

During the application process, you must notify IRCC of any change in your contact information.

• This includes: new email, address, phone number, etc.
• Notify ROC-O at IRCC.INROCO-CORORI.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

You must also notify ROC-O via email of any changes in your sponsorship application, such as:

• decision to withdraw your sponsorship application
• changes in your financial situation that could affect your financial contribution to the sponsorship
• changes in your life that could affect your contribution to the settlement plan
• if you have moved out of the expected community of settlement of the principal applicant
• if the principal applicant has decided not to move to the expected community of settlement

The principal applicant abroad should also contact ROC-O to change their contact information (new email, etc.):

• if the principal applicant’s family composition increases (PA got married, birth of a child, etc.), the PA or you should advise IRCC as soon as possible following the process in Annex B – Add a family member to a PSR application
• if the principal applicant’s family composition decreases (PA is getting a divorce, death in the family, etc.), you or the PA should notify ROC-O immediately
• depending on the current location of the sponsorship and PR applications, at the time of change, you will need to contact ROC-O or the IRCC office abroad

Stage 4: Checking your application status

Application status can be checked on-line.

Once you receive an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) email with an application number, you can check your status online.

Contact ROC-O for a case status update when:

• more than 48 hours have passed since you sent your email application to ROC-O and you have not received an auto-reply or auto-replies. Before contacting ROC-O, review your junk mail folder and verify whether you sent your application to the correct email address (watch for spelling errors in the email address you used)
• more than 60 days have passed since you submitted your paper application package and you have not heard back from ROC-O
• more than eight months have passed since you received your AOR and no decision was made on your sponsorship application at ROC-O; if less than eight months have passed since you received your AOR, ROC-O will not answer your case status request
• you believe that your application has been erroneously delayed abroad

Contact ROC-O at IRCC.INROCO-CORORI.IRCC@cic.gc.ca.

Use this email subject line: PA FAMILY NAME, first name, G number, CASE STATUS REQUEST

Contacting ROC-O to request a case status update always takes time away from processing applications: receiving a high volume of case status updates delays processing of your application and applications of others.

For multiple emails about the same request, ROC-O will only answer the first email received: if you decide to send a case status request, please do not ask others to email the same question on your behalf, such as your Member of Parliament (MP), other sponsors, or the PA.

Check processing times

You can check current processing times on the IRCC website.

Appendix A: Financial Guidelines

These guidelines are intended to help sponsoring groups to plan for costs when preparing their sponsorship applications.

For detailed information on financial support that should be provided after the refugees have arrived, see: FAQs on Post-Arrival Financial Support for the PSR Program (PDF, 0.40 MB).

It is strongly recommend that you meet with RSTP before you submit a sponsorship application: RSTP will help you fully understand your financial and non-financial (settlement) obligations towards the refugees you want to bring to Canada.

General Requirements

You, the G5 sponsors, will not:

• profit financially by sponsoring refugees
• accept funds from the refugees for any of the situations below, either before or after the refugees arrive in Canada:
  • as payment for submitting a sponsorship
  • as a prepayment or repayment for lodging, care and settlement assistance
  • as a deposit to guarantee the refugees will stay with the sponsor for 1 year after they arrive
• act as paid representatives
• require that refugees, their relatives or friends use services of a paid representative for the purpose of a sponsorship application
• charge an administrative fee to the refugees
• be responsible for covering the costs of the refugee’s immigration loan or any debt that a refugee may incur in Canada, unless you have co-signed loans

Cost of Sponsorship

Sponsorship cost estimate versus post-arrival level of financial support

When submitting your sponsorship application to ROC-O, you can use the Sponsorship Cost Table to estimate how much money you will need to provide to the refugees you want to bring to Canada.

As the Sponsorship Cost Table is an estimation based on a national average RAP rate, it is only a tool to give you an idea of how much money you will need to sponsor. It is not the actual amount of money that you will ultimately need to provide to the refugees after their arrival in Canada.

For the actual minimum amount of money you will need to provide to the refugees after their arrival to Canada, consult the current RAP rates of the province where you reside. Be mindful that financial support varies greatly depending on the specific needs of the refugees (such as age, maternity benefits, child care, disability, housing supplements, health related expenses, etc.) and that you will be expected to provide the current RAP rates as of the time of arrival and throughout the period of sponsorship.

Any deductions to be made to the level of income support provided post-arrival (for example, to account for employment earnings or personal assets) must be in line with the program requirements as set out in FAQs on Post-Arrival Financial Support for the PSR Program (PDF, 0.40 MB).

Family composition

The Sponsorship Cost Table lists the estimated annual settlement cost for the PA and their family members.

If you have linked sponsorship applications, you should estimate the costs for each family separately. Any adult children who are 22 or older and are applying for Permanent Residence on their own should be considered as separate family members under the Sponsorship Cost Table.

If there are children included in the PA’s application who will be turning above the age of majority (18 years old) at arrival, your group should make financial considerations.

Sponsorship cost tables: PSR and BVOR

Sponsorship cost table for Privately-Sponsored Refugees

You are responsible for providing 12 months of income support, plus start-up costs.

When you sponsor a BVOR, you are responsible for providing 6 months of income support, plus start-up costs. IRCC provides the remaining 6 months of income support through the RAP.

Start-up costs include, but are not limited to:

• furniture (beds, mattresses, dining set, couches, end table and lamps, etc.)
• clothes (winter and other clothes)
• one-time payment for household items (basic window coverings and common household products such as kitchen supplies and utensils, pots, pans, brooms, mops, detergents and cleaners)
• linens (including bedding)
• food staples (flour, sugar, rice, spices, etc.)
• school registration fees (if applicable)
• Utility connection fees (internet, phone, etc.)

Monthly costs include:

• housing rent, electricity and heat
• food
• a communication allowance to cover the costs of a telephone and/or internet services
• pocket money and allowances
• monthly public transportation passes for all adults
• other costs to cover incidentals

In–kind deductions include:

• all donated goods, commodities or services (for example, gently used furniture or clothing, or housing provided at no cost to the sponsored family)
• in-kind donations cannot be more than the maximum allowance indicated in the In-Kind deduction table
• you can subtract the total value of in-kind donations from your estimated sponsorship costs

Types of costs that may be deducted through donations (In-kind deductions):

One-time Start-up Costs

• Clothing: includes basic clothing needs and seasonal needs such as: winter coat, boots, mittens, scarf, snow pants, rain wear, etc.
• Furniture: includes bed frame or crib, dining set, couches, end table, lamps, etc.
• Household needs: includes basic window coverings and common household products such as kitchen utensils, pots, pans, brooms, mops, detergents and cleaners, etc.
• Linens: includes bedding, towels, etc.
• School supplies: includes pens, notebooks, backpacks, gently used school uniforms, etc.
• Food staples: includes new, unopened pantry items (rice, flour, sugar, spices, etc.).

Ongoing Monthly Costs

• Shelter: includes housing costs, utilities, etc.
  Note: Only shelter donations from a donor that is party to the sponsorship can be considered as in-kind donations from the estimated sponsorship cost. Third-party shelter donations will not be considered at the application stage.
  For guidance on calculating in-kind housing after arrival, refer to the FAQs on Post-Arrival Financial Support for the PSR Program

Some items must be purchased new:

• clothing items such as undergarments and footwear cannot be used
• mattresses should be new
• pantry items should be unopened
• consider personal and cultural preferences

How to use the In-Kind Deduction Table

Use the table below to calculate the maximum value of donated items that can be applied to the financial obligations of the sponsorship.

The table is based on annual costs and includes one-time costs, such as furniture and clothing and monthly housing costs.

For each in-kind donation you make:

• estimate the value of the donation
• find the maximum value for it from the table
  • if your estimated value is higher than the maximum, use the table value instead
  • add the total value of all donations
  • subtract the total value of your donations from your estimated sponsorship cost

Post-arrival financial support

Financial support includes the one-time start-up cost, to help establish the refugee, and the monthly income support which is at least the equivalent amount to the prevailing rate that is provided by the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) in your province (adjusted by any eligible in-kind deductions).

• Your sponsoring group needs to provide the refugees with financial support for:
  • PSR cases: up to 12 months or until the refugee becomes financially self-sufficient, whichever comes first
  • BVOR cases: up to six months or until the refugee becomes financially self-sufficient, whichever comes first
• A refugee becomes financially self-sufficient when they earn a certain amount of employment income or when they have personal assets or funds that can be applied to their monthly income support as described below.
• To be considered financially self-sufficient based on income, refugees should earn employment income which equals to their monthly income support amount and an additional 50% of the monthly income support amount.
  • Example: If the refugee’s monthly income support is $1000.00, to be considered self-sufficient they have to earn a total of $1500.00 (monthly income support is $1000, plus additional 50% of their monthly income support is $500, which totals to $1500).
• To be considered financially self-sufficient based on personal assets or funds, refugees should have declared personal assets more than the personal asset exemption limit. To learn more refer to the FAQs on Post-Arrival Financial Support for the PSR Program (PDF, 0.40 MB).
• If the refugee becomes financially self-sufficient during the 12-month sponsorship period (or 6 months for BVOR cases), your sponsoring group does not have to provide income support under the terms of the sponsorship undertaking for the rest of the sponsorship period, so long as the refugee continues to remain financially self-sufficient.

Appendix B: Add a Family Member to a PSR Application

All additional PA’s family members must be added
Both accompanying and non-accompanying additional family members of the PA must be added to the PA’s application for permanent residence before the PA departs for Canada.

Notify IRCC of new additions as soon as possible (within 30 days)
To prevent delays in processing the PR application, the PA should notify IRCC of the new family members within 30 days of the birth of a child or the PA’s marriage.

Not declaring or misrepresentation may result in the refusal of your application
Failing to declare a family member is misrepresentation and may result in the refusal of the application. The new family member will be ineligible for future family reunification in Canada.

For example, under the One Year Window of Opportunity (OYW) provision, the PA can apply to bring their non-accompanying family members to Canada for up to one year after their arrival in Canada, but only if the family members were declared on the application before the PA departed for Canada.

Make sure additional family members fit the definition of a family member
Before you, the sponsor or the PA, add a family member, carefully review the IRPR definition of what constitutes a family member. Members of the PA’s family that do not fall within the definition cannot be added to your sponsorship application.

Make sure required forms and documents by IRCC are submitted within the requested period
All required forms and documents to add the new family member must be submitted as requested to ROC-O or IRCC office abroad within the requested period. If requested forms and documents are not received, the application may be refused.

Sponsors may withdraw their sponsorship
If the sponsors do not believe that they have the capacity to fulfil the requirements of the settlement plan (financial and settlement needs) for the original family members and the new addition, the sponsor may withdraw their sponsorship application. This would result in the refusal of the PR application of the PA. Sponsors must notify ROC-O or the IRCC office abroad immediately.

Procedures to add a family member

After the sponsorship application is received at ROC-O, the procedure for the following two scenarios depends on whether the application is with ROC-O or the IRCC office abroad.

The two scenarios are:

Scenario 1: Adding newborn biological child

If the application is at the IRCC office abroad:

1. PA or sponsor must notify the IRCC office abroad
2. IRCC office abroad requests:
   1. Updated Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008] (PDF, 0.64 MB)
   2. Copy of child’s birth certificate
3. PA or sponsor submit all requested identity and other documents

When requested forms are received, IRCC office abroad will add the child to the application and send the sponsor an email informing them of the addition of the child. The sponsor is not required to respond to this email as it is for information purposes only and to help the sponsor prepare for the arrival of the family. Sponsors are automatically responsible for newborn children after the sponsorship is approved as per the Sponsorship Undertaking and Settlement Plan – Group of Five [IMM 5670] (PDF, 2.18 MB) - Section G (Obligations, Consents and Declarations), that you signed.

If the application is at ROC-O and sponsorship decision has not been made:

1. Sponsor must notify ROC-O.
2. ROC-O requests new documents to support the addition of the child to the undertaking.

Scenario 2: Adding other dependents – Spouse, adopted child or situations where you are adding a spouse and a biological child

If the application is at the IRCC office abroad:

1. The PA should advise the IRCC office abroad of the new additions to the family as the relationship must be verified before adding the family members to the sponsorship undertaking.
2. The IRCC office abroad will request from the PA:
   1. New Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008] (PDF, 0.64 MB)
   2. Documents (marriage certificate, adoption documents, etc.)
   3. Schedule 2 [IMM 0008] (PDF, 1.96 MB) will not be requested by the IRCC office abroad
3. The IRCC office abroad verifies that the family member meets the IRPR definition and assesses whether the relationship is genuine or not, and notifies ROC-O.
4. If the migration officer at IRCC office abroad is not satisfied that the relationship is genuine, the additional dependants will be removed and processing continues for the PA’s application only.
5. If the migration officer is satisfied that the relationship is genuine, ROC-O will request that you, the sponsor, submit:
   1. Request to add Family Members to a Private Sponsorship undertaking form [IMM 5618] (PDF, 1.64 MB) within 30 days (preferably via e-mail).
   2. Note: If ROC-O does not receive the requested documents within the required period (30 days) the application may be refused.
6. Once the requested form is received, an officer may request that you provide additional evidence to ensure that you continue to meet the financial and settlement obligations to sponsor.

If the application is at ROC-O and the sponsorship decision has not been made:

1. Sponsor must notify ROC-O.
2. ROC-O requests new documents to support the addition of other dependents to the undertaking.

Complete the form

Request to Add Family Members to a Private Sponsorship undertaking form [IMM 5618] (PDF, 1.64 MB)
You must complete each of the following sections:

Section A – Principal Applicant

Type the name of the PA, including:

• family name
• given name(s)
• date of birth
• application number (G number)

Section B – New Family Members

Type the name of the new family member, including:

• family name
• given name(s)
• gender
• date of birth
• country of birth
• relationship to the PA

Section C – Agreement to Add Family Members

By checking the "yes" box, you agree to sponsor the additional family members listed in Section B.

By checking the "no" box, your sponsorship and the PA’s permanent residence applications will be refused.

Section D – Signatures

Sponsors who signed the sponsorship application must all sign this form.

Appendix C: Acronyms

AOR

Acknowledgement of Receipt

BVOR

Blended Visa Office Referred

CBSA

Canada Border Services Agency

CCB

Canada Child Tax Benefit

CRA

Canada Revenue Agency

G5

Group of Five

ID

Identification Document

IFHP

Interim Federal Health Program

IRCC

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

IRPR

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

JAS

Joint Assistance Sponsorship

MIFI

Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration

MP

Member of Parliament

OYW

One Year Window of Opportunity Provision

PA

Principal Applicant

PR

Permanent residence or permanent resident

PSR

Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program

PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

RAP

Resettlement Assistance Program

ROC-O

Resettlement Operations Centre in Ottawa

RSD

Refugee Status Determination

RSDD

Refugee Status Determination document

RSTP

Refugee Sponsorship Training Program

SIN

Social Insurance Number

UCI

Unique Client Identifier

UNHCR

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNWRA

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East