Who is eligible?

While many people become refugees, most are not referred for resettlement and additional criteria must be met

For example, someone might be given refugee status because they are a member of a religious minority that is being targeted in their home country but they must also meet one of the seven resettlement categories to be designated ‘in need of resettlement’ by the UNHCR. Even once a refugee has met these requirements there are more people who need resettlement than resettlement spaces provided by countries worldwide.

The UNHCR identifies and refers refugees on the basis of need under one or more of seven general categories:

• Survivors of violence and/or torture
• Medical needs
• Women and girls at risk
• Family reunification
• Children and adolescents at risk
• Lack of foreseeable alternative durable solutions
• Legal and/or physical protection needs

Where Refugee Sponsorship of the Greater Montreal will focus its attention

Refugee Sponsorship of the Greater Montreal will focus much of its attention on assisting the sponsorship of anyone who qualifies as a refugee and who has friends or family in Canada who are willing to work on the sponsorship.

Fewer than 1% of the refugees will ever get a chance to be resettled overseas. But those who do are usually the most vulnerable and/or the most likely to succeed in their new homes thanks to the presence of Canadian relatives and friends.

In some cases, refugees, who are in dire need but who have no immediate connection to Canada, can be sponsored under a special partnership between the government of Canada and groups usually operating through a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH).

Refugees under this program are preselected and screened by the UNHCR and referred to SAHs by Canadian visa offices overseas. Refugee cases under this program however usually require more help and assistance because of their vulnerabilities. So far, few cases have been referred under this category.