Community sponsors: Who can apply

From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Eligibility

Community sponsors are groups that sponsor refugees to come to Canada, such as:

• organizations
• associations
• corporations

The community sponsor does not have to be incorporated under federal or provincial law.

A community sponsor must commit to support the refugees for the length of the sponsorship. Sponsorships generally last for 1 year. You can find more information about costs in the Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.

A community sponsor must be in the community where the refugees are expected to settle.

Co-sponsors

A community sponsor can partner with an individual or another organization. These are known as co-sponsors. The co-sponsor must agree to help the refugee settle. They must also share the responsibility for supporting the sponsored refugee.

Know your responsibilities as a sponsor

Make sure you know the responsibilities you must meet as a sponsor. We assess and monitor sponsorship groups regularly to make sure you’re fully supporting the refugees you’re sponsoring. This includes occasionally checking in with the refugees you’re sponsoring.