Sponsor a refugee with special needs

The Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) Program helps refugees with special needs to come to Canada. These refugees could experience longer or more difficult periods of integration. Special needs include:

• trauma from violence or torture
• medical disabilities
• the effects of systemic discrimination
• a large number of family members

We support JAS refugees financially for up to 2 or 3 years. As a sponsor, you’ll help them adjust to life in Canada.

1. Find an eligible refugee

   You need to find an eligible JAS refugee to sponsor.

   Once you match, the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) will send your information to the Resettlement Operations Centre in Ottawa (ROC-O). They will email you with application instructions.

2. Prepare your documents

   You must use the document checklist (PDF, 0.1 MB) to make sure you include all the forms and documents you need.
   Read the instruction guide to fill out all the forms correctly.

   PDF forms you must fill out and print

   • Undertaking/Application for a Joint Assistance Sponsorship [IMM 1324] (PDF, 2.37 MB)
   • Settlement Plan – Joint Assistance Sponsorship [IMM 5494] (PDF, 0.651 MB)
   • Sponsor Assessment [IMM 5492] (PDF, 1.23 MB)
   • Document Checklist – Joint Assistance Sponsorship [IMM 5495] (PDF, 0.10 MB)

   PDF forms you’ll fill out and print if they apply to you

   • Request for a Joint Assistance Sponsorship Refugee Profile (IMM 5504) (PDF, 604.41KB)
   • Use of a representative (IMM 5476) (PDF, 648.31KB)

3. Submit your application

   Make sure:

   • you sign and date your forms
   • you’ve included everything on the document checklist

   We’ll return your application if it’s incomplete.