Jennifer Ardon Canadian Lutheran World Relief March 13 2015 Immigration Connection Guelph Who can be sponsored via the PSR program United Nations definition of refugee any person outside hisher country of origin who has a wellfounded fear of persecution by reason of religion race ID: 583270
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Slide1
Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program
Jennifer Ardon, Canadian Lutheran World Relief
March 13, 2015
Immigration Connection, GuelphSlide2Slide3
Who can be sponsored via the PSR program?United Nations definition of refugee: “any person outside his/her country of origin who has a well-founded fear of persecution by reason of religion, race, nationality, sexual orientation, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.” (1951 UN Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol
)Slide4
Refugee ResettlementRefugees have 3 possible durable solutions: RepatriationLocal integration (in country of asylum)
Resettlement to a third countrySlide5
3 Resettlement ProgramsGovernment-assisted (GARs)Privately-sponsored (PSRs)Asylum process (in-land determination)Slide6
GARsPSRsAre identified by UNHCR (refugee determination done overseas) and referred to Canadian visa office
Identified for resettlement by family, groups, individuals
in Canada
Profiles are selected overseas by Canadian visa officers for government resettlement assistance
Refugee determination done overseas
by Canadian visa office
Have permanent resident status upon arrival
Have permanent resident status upon arrival
Canadian government
provides
financial and settlement support for 1 year
Canadian individuals, groups or organizations provide financial and settlement support for 1 yearSlide7
What private sponsors do: Reception at airportFinancial assistance for 1 year Finding housing/furniture/clothingOrientation
into communitySchool registrationSetting up
utilities
Transportation system
Finding health care practitioners
Friendship, emotional support, etc.Slide8
Ways to privately sponsor refugeesSponsorship Agreement Holder
Community Sponsorship
Group
of 5
90 SAHs in Canada
(faith-based, cultural-ethnic, NGO,
etc
)
Any group,
church, association, organization
5 people needed
to sign the application
Limited # of people they can sponsor a year
2 sponsorshi
p applications per year
2 sponsorshi
p applications per year
Limited
where they can sponsor from (i.e. Nairobi, Cairo, Pretoria)
Can sponsor from anywhere
in the world
Can sponsor from anywhere
in the world
Refugee applicant does not require
refugee recognition document
Refugee
applicant must have refugee recognition from UNCHR country of asylum
Refugee
applicant must have refugee recognition from UNCHR country of asylumSlide9
Types of SponsorshipsFamily-linked sponsorshipBlended Visa Office-Referred
Joint-AssistanceFull Sponsorship Slide10
Why be a private sponsor?Part of rich history within CanadaCanada is the only country in the world with a private refugee sponsorship programMany Canadians have their own refugee histories, generations backFaith principles: welcoming the strangerMutually beneficial
Enriches the communityAllows us to understand our world betterSlide11
Syrian RefugeesThis week marks 4th year of the conflict3,755,417 registered Syrian refugeesRegistered by UNHCR in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and
Lebanon1.5 million Syrians registered by the Government of Turkey
24,055
Syrian refugees registered in North Africa.Slide12
Syrian Refugees2013: Canada will resettle 1300 Syrian refugees by 2014200 were GARs, 1100 were PSRsSlow processing times, late arrivalsUNHCR requested that Canada take in 10% of 100,000 Syrian refugees ready to be resettled, over a 2 year periodJanuary 2015 announcement: Canada will resettle 10,000 over a 3 year period
40% will be GARs60% will be PSRsSlide13
Syrian RefugeesConcerns:Do private sponsors have the capacity?BVORs or full sponsorships?Cuts to IFH extended health benefits
Downloading responsibility to private sectorSlow processing timesWill
also resettle
2000 Iraqis of the 3000 the government announced they would resettleSlide14
For more information:Jennifer ArdonProject Officer for Refugee Resettlement and Community RelationsCLWR Eastern Regional Office519-725-8777jardon@clwr.mb.ca