Sponsorship agreement holders: After you sponsor a refugee

After you apply to sponsor a refugee

After we make a decision on your sponsorship application, we’ll send you an approval or refusal letter.

If we approve your application, we’ll

• issue a visa for each approved refugee you’re sponsoring
• contact the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to arrange their travel to Canada

Help refugees prepare to come to Canada

The refugees you sponsor will have questions about life in Canada and how to prepare for the next steps in the resettlement process. We’ve prepared information in multiple languages that you can share with them.

Prepare for refugees to arrive

After we finalize an application, refugees typically land in Canada within 4 to 10 weeks. In some cases, they’re ready to travel sooner, but it can also take longer. Travel time often depends on a number of factors out of our control.

We’ll tell you at least 10 business days before the refugees arrive in Canada by sending you a Notification of Arrival Transmission (NAT).

To help you prepare:

• review your sponsorship agreement and training material
• find out what resources and services the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) offers

Update your information

It’s important to keep your contact information up to date. If the contact information (address, phone number or email) of your organization or your main contact changes after you apply, email the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program (IRCC.RASOPSR-PPPROSRA.IRCC@cic.gc.ca).

If the contact information of one of the refugees you’re sponsoring changes, email the Resettlement Operation Centre in Ottawa (IRCC.INROCO-CORORI.IRCC@cic.gc.ca) to update their information.

With your request, include

• their application number (a “G” followed by 9 numbers)
• a contact name or the name of the refugee whose information has changed
• an email address
• a phone number or fax number where the refugee can be reached
• updated contact information

Withdraw your sponsorship application

When you withdraw a sponsorship, it means you’re cancelling your sponsorship of a refugee and we’ll stop processing your application. You can do this only up until a visa has been issued.

If you want to withdraw your sponsorship application before a visa is issued, contact us at IRCC.INROCO-CORORI.IRCC@cic.gc.ca.

If you want to withdraw your sponsorship after a visa has been issued, it’s called a sponsorship breakdown. Contact us at IRCC.RASOPSR-PPPROSRA.IRCC@cic.gc.ca for more information.

In your message, include

• the application number (a “G” followed by 9 numbers)
• the name of the refugee on the sponsorship application
• the reason you want to withdraw your application