1. Post-Arrival Issues in Sponsorship
Presented at the 2017 SAH National Conference, Edmonton, AB

2. Presentation Objectives
To outline some of the key post-arrival issues for PSRs, including:
Financial support
Settlement support
Access to Settlement Program and other community supports
Sponsorship dispute, breakdown and default
SAHs have a long and successful record of supporting refugees.
This presentation will outline some of the key post-arrival issues for PSRs, including (see slide).
It is important to note that there is and will continue to be increasing attention being paid to the settlement of immigrants, including PSRs, as a priority of the Department; this is reflected in the Minister’s mandate letter; the recent program evaluation has identified the need for monitoring to ensure that PSRs are being adequately supported; Syrian lessons learned identified the need to ensure that PSRs access Settlement Program support services.  
The following presentation about monitoring will also touch on some issues related to this agenda item.
Mandate letter excerpt (reference only): Following our government-wide efforts to resettle more than 39,000 Syrian refugees as of January 2017, continue to welcome refugees from Syria and elsewhere, and work with provinces and territories, service provider organizations, and communities to ensure refugees are integrating successfully into Canada to become participating members of society.

3. Sponsor Support: What should be provided
Private sponsors commit to providing the following support for one year:
providing the cost of food, rent and household utilities and other day-to-day living expenses;
providing clothing, furniture and other household goods;
locating interpreters;
selecting a family physician and dentist;
assisting with applying for provincial health-care coverage;
enrolling children in school and adults in language training;
introducing newcomers to people with similar personal interests;
providing orientation with regard to banking services, transportation, etc.; and
helping in the search for employment (which may include accessing Settlement Program support services)
At minimum, sponsors should do the tasks on this list.
It is fine for sponsors to direct sponsored refugees to services that help with these supports, however they need to balance that with how much help newcomers might need. E.g. it is reasonable to direct a sponsored refugee who speaks English to the website about applying for provincial health coverage and then check in to make sure they were able to correctly apply for it. It is not reasonable for this to be done with sponsored refugees who do not speak English and would struggle with understanding such instructions on their own. Being able to accomplish these settlement basics should not cause undue hardship to the sponsored refugees. It is important to take the time to demonstrate to them on how to take on these tasks on their own which will help lead towards their self-sufficiency.
Even if the sponsors task someone who is not part of the identified sponsor group to complete a task, the sponsors are still responsible for making sure that it is done as they are the ones who signed the sponsorship undertaking.

4. Financial Support: Key Issues
Minimum financial support threshold should align, at a minimum, with Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) income support
Refusal of support by the refugees
Offering financial loans to refugees
Refugees with personal assets
The Sponsorship Cost Table reflects the minimum amount of financial support that may be required by private sponsors, but more may be required to meet basic needs, and sponsors can reference their local RAP rates to help estimate approximate local costs.
Some sponsored refugees refuse to take support from their sponsors either because they were sponsored by a family member (co-sponsor) or because they feel that the sponsor ‘has done enough’. It is the sponsors responsibility to work with the sponsored refugee to make sure the family has adequate support so that the sponsors meet their obligations. If the family refuses to take any support, the sponsors should keep a record of attempts to provide support and consider proactively identifying this issue to IRCC.
If a sponsor can show that a reasonable budget has been created and that the sponsored refugee has decided to spend their support elsewhere IRCC will work with the SAH and CG/Co-sponsor (where applicable) to confirm the financial support expectations to the sponsored refugee. Generally IRCC’s principles are that all sides have a right to be heard and reviews information to make a decision based on a balance of probability.
Financial loans should be avoided but if given, e.g. to cover the period before CCB is received, sponsors need to be clear to sponsored refugee that it is a loan and should keep a record of agreement of all parties. Similar to RAP, should repayment cause hardship, deductions may be staggered over a number of months.
From IP 3 Part 2 Section “Personal assets are taken into consideration when determining the level of income support the client needs. The table shows the maximum personal assets that refugees can retain without affecting the amount of income support they may receive. Any remaining assets will be factored in when determining the level of income support needed. When all costs have been considered, there may be money left over. When this occurs, the refugee is given the option to apply the funds against the balance of the immigration loan before determination of when regular entitlement should commence.

5. Settlement Support: Key Issues
What should be provided as start-up
What should be provided as in-kind
Dealing with unrealistic expectations from the refugee
Shelter provided in-kind and what to do at month 13
Residency requirements
Is it reasonable for all startup to be given as in-kind? If you identify all in-kind reductions on the Settlement Plan there is still a portion of the startup amount left. Sponsored refugees should be given some autonomy to make their own buying decisions.
The in-kind deduction table allows for shelter, clothing, furniture, food staples, and household effects to be provided in kind. Supports should be based on need.
What do you do if sponsored refugees won’t take used items that the group planned for and the group doesn’t have the capacity to provide new. The attempt should be documented and sponsors should explain their required obligations to the sponsored refugees. IRCC can help with reconfirming this if it is causing tension in the sponsorship relationship.
Currently guidance only says that shelter costs can be provided as monthly in-kind support. Things like food and transportation normally should not be provided in-kind as this limits the autonomy and integration of the sponsored refugees, e.g. if a bus pass is given each month then they don’t know how much it costs and where to get one.
Even if the sponsor says the sponsored refugees will live in in-kind housing for the year they have a right to ask for their own housing. If there is a reasonable explanation as to why the in-kind housing isn’t appropriate, e.g. they don’t have separate and appropriate living space, then it is the responsibility of the sponsors to begin to provide the associated financial support as per RAP/Cost Table
If the sponsored refugees is refusing what the sponsors consider reasonable housing they should first attempt to understand if there is an underlying issue, e.g. PTSD symptoms related to housing occurring, and work with the sponsored refugees to find a solution. IRCC can help meditate and it is preferable if IRCC can become involved before a housing issue causes a breakdown of relationship.

6. Access to Settlement Program and community supports
Encourage refugees to access settlement and other support services, e.g., health, medical, etc.
Ensure that refugees are not isolated, and are integrating into the broader community
Balancing short-term self-sufficiency with skills/knowledge acquisition to success over the longer term
Reference here the now available (and excellent) “Responsibilities of Sponsorship Groups & Availability of IRCC-funded Resettlement and Settlement Services” document shared by RSTP as part of the conference package.

7. Sponsorship Dispute, Breakdown and Default
Sponsorship dispute: can range from minor differences of opinion to disagreements over terms of sponsorship. Not all sponsorship disputes result in a breakdown. Sponsorship breakdown: Is an official declaration that an irreparable failure to meet the sponsorship arrangements (care, lodging and settlement assistance) has occurred. Sponsorship default: Is a breach of the contractual obligations of the sponsorship undertaking itself or, specifically, the failure to fulfill a financial or non-financial obligation associated with the sponsorship undertaking.
Sponsors are encouraged to work proactively to resolve a dispute before it escalates into a potential breakdown or default; the local IRCC office may be able to provide support.
In many sponsorships but specifically in family linked ones, sponsored refugees are not always aware of the roles of all sponsors, SAH, CG, co-sponsor. They are also not aware of who to speak to if they have a problem with their sponsor. It is not appropriate for their only point of contact to be their family member/co-sponsor because if there is conflict with this person then they might not identify it to the SAH.
Generally it is good to have written records of what has been done to help sponsored refugees. This protects the sponsors and SAH if there is any dispute as to how they have helped the sponsored refugees. At minimum, a record should be kept as to how the basic requirements of the sponsorship, financial and non-financial, have been met. (story about sponsored refugees claiming not to have furniture because they got rid of it as it was used)
quote from generic info created by Cheryl/Jessica

8. Who to contact
If you experience a potential dispute or breakdown situation, notify your local IRCC office immediately so that they can intervene and help to resolve the issues. For SAHs, if there are questions about sponsorship dispute, breakdown or default, please send inquiries to Also, see RSTP Info Sheets on the Rights of Privately Sponsored Refugees and Sponsorship Breakdowns