Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program
3. Additional Sponsorship Opportunities
3.1 Joint Assistance Sponsorship
Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) is a program that enables SAHs and their CGs to partner with CIC in the resettlement of refugees who are identified as having special needs. These refugees often require more than the standard 12 months of government-funded income support to establish successfully in Canada. Consequently, JAS cases are matched with a private sponsor in addition to receiving income support from the Resettlement Assistance Program. Under the JAS program, government assistance and private sponsorship are offered for up to 24 months. In exceptional cases, the private sponsorship component can be extended up to 36 months.
The division of responsibilities is such that CIC provides financial assistance to cover the cost of food, shelter, clothing and essential household goods, while the sponsor provides orientation, settlement assistance and emotional support.
In order to be eligible for a JAS, the refugee:
- must be a member of the Convention Refugees Abroad Class or the Country of Asylum Class;
- must have a greater need of settlement assistance than other government-assisted refugees because of exceptional resettlement needs, such as one or more of the following:
- physical or mental disability which could require treatment in Canada;
- unusual family configuration such as single-parent families with several young children or families consisting only of siblings, one or more of whom has assumed parental responsibilities;
- separated minors;
- elderly persons; or
- other special needs identified by the visa office.
JAS cases do not require that sponsoring groups have the same financial capacity as regular private sponsorship cases; however, these cases often require considerable dedication in terms of time and effort in helping the newcomers get established. Sponsors interested in JAS sponsorship should be aware that their community must be able to offer the services required by the applicant’s special needs for it to be considered a suitable destination. Only SAHs and their CGs are eligible to participate in JAS sponsorships. Groups of Five and Community Sponsors are not eligible to be sponsors of JAS cases.
JAS profiles on the website: To assist sponsors in selecting cases, the visa offices refer the JAS cases to the Matching Centre. Profiles of these cases are then placed on a secure website that is accessible to SAHs. These refugees have already been interviewed and determined to be eligible for Canada’s resettlement program. The majority of these cases are ready to depart (travel ready) for Canada within months of a sponsorship undertaking being made on their behalf.
To sponsor a JAS case, a sponsoring group should complete a Request for a Joint Assistance Sponsorship Refugee Profile (IMM 5504) and submit it to the SAH. The SAH will check the secure website for suitable profiles and provide them to the group for consideration. The sponsor may request a more detailed profile from the Matching Centre when the group is interested in a particular case. A sponsoring group wishing to sponsor a JAS case must complete an Undertaking/Application for a Joint Assistance Sponsorship (IMM 1324) and submit it to the CPO-W with an approval letter from the SAH. (New SAHs must also include their settlement plan.)
If no suitable JAS profile is found on the website, the sponsor or SAH should send the Request for a Joint Assistance Sponsorship Refugee Profile to the Matching Centre. One of the functions of the Matching Centre is to manage an inventory of refugee profile requests from sponsoring groups. The Request for a Joint Assistance Sponsorship Refugee Profile will be added to the inventory until a suitable match is made. When the Matching Centre locates a possible match, it will refer the refugee’s case profile to the SAH and the sponsoring group that submitted the profile request. The SAH and sponsor should review the profile and notify the Matching Centre as soon as possible as to whether or not it will undertake the sponsorship. While the profile is being reviewed, it will remain on the secure website until the sponsoring group has made its decision.
If another sponsoring group expresses interest in a profile under active consideration by another group, the profile information will be provided, but the fact that another group is also considering the case will be noted. In all cases, the sponsoring group should consult the Matching Centre before signing any JAS undertakings to ensure that the profile is still available.
This process would apply to Visa Office-Referred profiles on the website as well.
Making contact with the refugee: Once a group has been accepted to sponsor a refugee under the JAS program, it is suggested that, where possible, the sponsoring group should establish contact with the refugee prior to his or her departure for Canada. Establishing early communication helps both refugee and sponsor to understand what they can expect from each other. The first correspondence should introduce the group and explain its role in welcoming the refugee to Canada. The profile of the refugee will indicate the level of English or French the individual understands. Correspondence may need to be translated into the refugee’s language before being sent to the refugee.
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