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Embracing our brothers and sisters from the suffering church
Embracing our brothers and sisters from the suffering church
Loving our brothers and sisters through refugee sponsorship
What is sponsorship?
Canada's Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program
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Unique among countries, Canada empowers its people to privately sponsor refugees through its Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program. Refugees sponsored through this program are identified and supported through organizations and individuals.
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Under this program, sponsoring groups commit to providing the refugee(s) with basic assistance such as accommodation, food, clothing, income support and settlement assistance for the 12 months after the refugee(s) arrives in Canada.
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Refugees must demonstrate that they meet the criteria for a Convention Refugee or Country of Asylum Class and have no reasonable prospect of a durable solution in the country in which they are currently located. They will undergo criminality and security screening by the Canadian visa office overseas.
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There are several types of sponsorships under the PSR program: Groups of Five, community sponsorships, and sponsoring through a Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs).
Remember Ministries is a SAH. This means that we have signed a sponsorship agreement with the Canadian government and are empowered to work with sponsors to facilitate a certain number of sponsorships each year. We work to develop strong relationships with sponsors who will follow government guidelines and provide the required support to their sponsored refugees. We provide support to sponsors and monitor the newcomers settlements here in Canada.
Studies have shown that privately sponsored refugees have a higher success rate in finding jobs and successfully integrating into life in Canada than government assisted refugees because of the community and social assistance offered by a private group. It makes a huge difference to newcomers when they have a team of people committed to helping them adjust to their new lives.
Sponsorship Process
The sponsorship application process takes anywhere from 12 months to 48 months, although it can take longer. It depends largely on the wait times at the specific Canadian visa office responsible for the country of asylum where the refugee is residing.
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Once the paperwork is submitted to Remember Ministries, we review it and make sure everything is in order. Then we submit it to the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada). The IRCC checks over the application and gives it a file number. It is then forwarded to the appropriate visa office overseas. There it is processed, the refugees are interviewed and eligibility, criminality and security checks are completed. Medicals will also be conducted. If the application is approved, travel is arranged for the refugees and they are then able to come to Canada. Upon their arrival, they are permanent residents. They are financially supported by their sponsoring group who commits to helping them adjust to life in Canada for one year.