Apply – Sponsorship Agreement Holders

Step 1: Become a sponsorship agreement holder

To become a sponsorship agreement holder (SAH), interested organizations must submit a completed application form and all of the required documentation (articles of incorporation, audited financial statements, etc.) to the Director, Strategic Management and Coordination Division, Integration Program Management Branch, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 180 Kent Street, 6th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1.

The application to become a SAH can be requested by writing to the address above.

SAHs must be incorporated organizations. Generally, new SAH applicants have sponsorship experience and expect to sponsor more than two refugee cases each year. Applicant organizations must have staff and finances available to ensure that the settlement needs of the sponsored refugees are in place before their arrival.

Quebec has its own process for sponsoring refugees. Sponsors who live in the province of Quebec should contact the Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles.

Before you apply, you should read through the application package and the Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program for information you will need when applying.

Quebec has its own process for sponsoring refugees. Sponsors who live in the province of Quebec should contact the Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles.

There are three steps to sponsoring a refugee if you are a SAH:

1. Get the application package

The kit includes the application guide and all of the forms you need to fill out. Download and print the application kit.

  • Before you start, read the guide carefully. It contains detailed instructions for completing all the required forms.
  • Gather all of the necessary documents. They are listed in the document checklist.
  • Photocopy the blank forms and use one as a working copy. Keep the working copy for your records.
  • Fill in the forms carefully and completely. Many of the forms can be completed on your computer and saved. Print the forms after you fill them out. If you are filling out the forms by hand, print clearly—in black ink. Sign and date your forms.
  • Complete all of the forms:
    • Undertaking/Application to Sponsor (IMM 5373);
    • Sponsor Assessment (IMM 5492). This form must be filled out by a representative of the SAH (unless it is already on file with CIC from a previous sponsorship), the constituent group representative, if applicable, and a representative of any co sponsors, if applicable;
    • Consent to Disclose and Collect Personal Information (IMM 5729);
    • Settlement plan (IMM 5440). This form must be completed and signed if the SAHs and their Constituent Groups signed an agreement with the Minister less than two years ago;
    • Document Checklist (IMM 5437).

      Optional:

    • Request for a Refugee Profile (IMM 5496). You must complete this form if you want to request a refugee profile. See the section below for more information;
    • Use of a Representative (IMM 5476). You must complete this form if you want to use a representative or an agent to help you apply. Using a representative is a personal choice. Find out more about using immigration representatives.
  • Have the refugees you are applying to sponsor complete the Application for Convention Refugees Abroad and Humanitarian-Protected Persons Abroad (IMM 6000), unless you are submitting a request for a refugee profile.
2. Decide if you want to request a refugee profile

In some cases, a SAH or constituent group may want to sponsor a specific refugee or refugee family, such as a friend, a member of a family in the community or a refugee referred by an overseas contact. This is known as a “sponsor-referred refugee.”

Sponsor-referred refugees must qualify under Canada’s refugee and humanitarian resettlement program. Visa officers abroad will assess the application to determine whether the applicant qualifies. This assessment may include an interview with the applicant.

In other cases, the SAH may request a “visa office-referred refugee.” These refugees are eligible and have already been selected by a visa officer abroad, but require a private sponsor before they can come to Canada. You can request a refugee profile if you want to sponsor a visa office referred refugee.

To choose a refugees to sponsor, the SAH can:

  • use a secure website to download profiles of refugees, or
  • request a refugee profile through CIC’s Matching Centre.

Additional details on each option are available in the guide that is included in the application kit. For more information on the refugee profile, see requesting a refugee profile.

3. Submit your application

Use the document checklist to ensure that you have included everything you need. Make sure that you sign and date your forms. Your application will not be processed and will be returned to the person or group that submitted it if it is incomplete. Enclose all of the required documents in an envelope and mail them to:

Centralized Processing Office - Winnipeg (CPO-W)
400 - 25 Forks Market Road
Winnipeg, MB
R3C 4S9

Make sure you provide your complete return mailing address.

Remember, it is your responsibility to keep your application up-to-date.

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