IMPORTANT INFORMATION Please note this is a guide meant to provide more information. People interested in sponsoring Syrians should make their own informed decisions. 3 options are currently viable in Canada. for Quebec, scroll to bottom of guide. detailed notes below. application links included. •family sponsorship •Super-visa •private sponsorship ONLY thru sponsorship agreement holders PLEASE NOTE. there is a big difference between UNHCR refugee registered and UNHCR refugee recognized. almost none of the 1.6 million people registered as refugees actually have been recognized as refugees. being registered does not mean being recognized. they are 2 different definitions that provide 2 different legal statuses. Government-Assisted Refugees Program •Government will sponsor 200 extremely vulnerable Syrian refugees between 2013 and 2014. •No details provided on how this will take place •Government sponsorship means the government will assume financial costs cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/outside/resettle-gov.asp Super-Visa The CIC claims that 82% of super visa applications applied by residents of Canada to bring their parents or grand-parents were accepted. Note that this program is not specific to Syrian’s and there is no clear indication if super visa are expedited for applications Syrian-Canadians. More research is required here. cic.gc.ca/english/visit/supervisa.asp Family Sponsorship Details and statistics unclear about effectiveness of this channel. We have been told CIC has been expediting the processing of family class applications but it has not been verified. More research is required here. NOTE: There are There are two different processes for sponsoring your family under the family class. One process is used for sponsoring your spouse, and/or dependent children. Another process is used to sponsor other eligible relatives. See this link for family sponsorship. cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/sponsor/index.asp Key takeaways from family reunification (other relatives) are •minimum necessary income (MNI) has increased by 30% •period for demonstrating the MNI is 3 years now instead of 1 •Sponsorship undertaking period is 20 years instead of 10 years. •CIC is Accepting 5,000 applications in 2014 •Lots of documentation is required cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2013/2013-05-10b.asp Private Sponsorship (3 Programs) cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/sponsor/index.asp •Group of 5 – requires UNHCR recognition (NOT registration) this option is NOT viable at this time as almost no Syrians have received UNHCR recognition. •Community- – requires UNHCR recognition (NOT registration) this option is NOT viable at this time as almost no Syrians have received UNHCR recognition. •Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAH) The a viable option for sponsoring family members or any Syrians. However there are many limitations. •Only 1 Year minimum necessary income (MNI) required (roughly 12,000$, in-kind deductions possible) •Our understanding is sponsorship times are 18 months + •Individuals should be prepared to have all financials obligations themselves. However efforts will be made to provide them with some assistance through SAHs and community fundraising. •Much less documentation required than family sponsorship •2050 slots for 2013 (worldwide) •100 slots reserved for Syrians in 2013 (Jordan and Lebanon only) •Egypt has a maximum of 50 spots in 2013 (not exclusive to Syrians) •No sponsorship for those living in Syria •No sponsorship for those in Turkey •1100 slots created for Syrians in 2014 (for now Turkey and Syria excluded, no other info available), this 1100 is above and beyond the normal 2050 available •Slots are spread across 82 SAHs and each have small amount available per embassy •Each SAH has its own method of sponsor selection, and maintains sole discretion •Initial outreach has produced some SAHs who have expressed preliminary interest See slide deck for more information on refugee sponsorship and SAH program. Individuals should feel free to contact SAHs on their own should they desire. SAH information can be found here. cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/sponsor/list-sponsors.asp to get started on application before connecting with SAH, see cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/private.asp Outreach underway to determine which SAHs are willing to work with and help sponsor Syrian refugees. Once initial round of consultations are complete, community information sessions will be organized so individuals can have more specific information on how apply under SAH sponsorship. STAY TUNED for more information and in-person sessions. —————————————- For Quebec residents : For more information visit immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/index.html The private sponsorship rules for refugees are different in Quebec comparing to the federal rules. Quebec rules do not require that a person be recognized by the UNHCR or its hosting country as a Refugee to be applicable for the program. Any group of 2 to 5 Quebec residents can apply to privately sponsor a refugee to Canada if they satisfy the condition of Convention Refugee Abroad (Geneva Convention) or person in the country of Asylum class. For more information visit immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/index.html 5 sponsorship groups in Quebec have thus far agreed to sponsor Syrian refugees. An information session will also take place this Friday in Montreal with the director of the refugee sponsorship program in Quebec : https://facebook/events/471167796290982/ You will find below the organizations in Quebec who have accepted to sponsor Syrian Refugees into Quebec. You can contact them directly to make arrangements for your loved ones who were forced into displacement outside Syria (except Turkey) : Action Réfugiés Montréal 1439 Ste Catherine ouest, suite 2 Montréal, Québec H3G 1S6 T ( 514 ) 935-7799 Jasminka Omic Gestionnaire PARRAINAGE DES RÉFUGIÉS DE CACRM 5366, Chemin de la Côte-des- Neiges Montréal (Québec) H3T 1Y2 Tél. 514 738-6460, poste 220 Fabrique de la paroisse Saint-Yves de Québec Lucie Trudel Secrétaire-trésorière du comité des réfugiés QUEBEC-418-835-6904 Parrainage collectif/Hay Doun Nayiri Tavlian Présidente du Conseil d’Administration [email protected] Montreal- (514)276-9479 poste 4. Pierrette Bertrand ,ofsj 11800 Bois-de-Boulogne Montréal, Québec, H3M 2X6 Tél. 514 336-2600 Télécopieur: 514 336-6074 Adresse courriel: [email protected] L’Association Éducative Transculturelle Shah Ismatullah Habibi Directeur général 380, rue King Ouest, bureau 101 Sherbrooke (Québec) J1H 1R4 Tél.: (819) 563-4460 Cell: (819) 570-8264
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 14:40:00 +0000