2.B Sponsors: From Mobilization to Engagement
B.4 How are eligible sponsors screened?
(ii) How are application forms and documentation submitted?
How Canada Does It
Once a private sponsorship application package is complete (including sponsor and refugee application forms – see 2.B.4(i)), sponsors may submit the package to the Government of Canada via mail or email. Applications are submitted to a centralized processing centre in Canada. Sponsor forms are processed first, and if sponsors meet the eligibility requirements to sponsor, the refugee application forms are sent to the overseas visa office serving the refugees’ host state for further processing (see 2.A.2).
Canada uses a centralized processing centre called the “Resettlement Operations Centre in Ottawa” (ROC-O) to receive and process all applications to privately sponsor refugees.
Sponsorship Agreement Holders’ applications are pre-approved whereas for Groups of Five (G5s) and Community Sponsors (CSs), ROC-O first processes the sponsors’ forms to determine the sponsoring group’s eligibility. If it is determined that the G5 or CS sponsors meet the eligibility criteria (see 2.B.3), ROC-O sends the refugee forms and supporting documentation to the overseas visa office serving the refugees’ host state for processing (see 2.A.2).
In addition to processing applications to privately sponsor refugees, ROC-O also, inter alia, processes Visa Office-Referred sponsorships (see 2.B.3(i)) and notifies sponsors of refugees’ travel plans.