Canada Update: The Canadian government expands sponsorship opportunities for Sponsorship Agreement Holders.
The number of refugees that SAHs can sponsor is expected to increase to 13,500 by 2023 according to Minister Sean Fraser.
The PSR Program works in conjunction with Canada’s other two resettlement programs, the Government-Assisted Refugee Program (GAR) and the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR). They help Canada welcome more refugees each year than the Government of Canada could alone, and they are one of several ways Canada is aiming to meet its goal of welcoming over 83,500 privately sponsored refugees by 2025.
In Canada, sponsorship agreement holders (SAHs) are organizations that have been approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to sponsor refugees. SAHs are responsible for identifying and sponsoring refugees who will be resettled in Canada.
SAHs are typically non-profit organizations, including faith-based groups, community organizations, and other types of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). They play a critical role in Canada’s refugee resettlement program, as they work directly with refugees and provide them with settlement support and other services.
To become an SAH, an organization must first apply to IRCC and meet specific eligibility criteria, including demonstrating that they have the capacity to sponsor and support refugees. Once approved, SAHs are responsible for sponsoring refugees for at least one year, which includes providing financial, settlement, and emotional support to help refugees integrate into Canadian society.
In addition to SAHs, there are also two other types of organizations that can sponsor refugees in Canada: Group of Five (G5) sponsors and Community Sponsors. G5 sponsors are groups of five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents who come together to sponsor refugees, while Community Sponsors are organizations or groups of individuals who sponsor refugees as a one-time commitment.
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