There is usually 8 - 36 months for sponsors to prepare for a family's arrival once the application has been submitted to Ottawa. Sometimes even more. During these months sponsors will need to complete the required training and screening as…

This 6-minute video produced by IRCC is intended to help newcomers know what to expect and what services and support are available to them as they get settled in Canada. Sponsors should share this link with refugees after they have…

Much of the practical preparation that goes into welcoming a former refugee family to their community needs to be done by sponsors pre-arrival. The 72-page AGC Settlement Handbook will be the key resource to ensure sponsors have asked the…

Now that the sponsorship is moving forward in an official capacity, this is a good time to send an introductory email or message if you have not already been in contact with the refugee. If you have already connected with them, consider a…

Visa office interviews are conducted to assess the refugee's eligibility for resettlement to Canada as a permanent resident and also assess his or her admissibility to enter Canada. As a Core Team, it is important to help them prepare for…

Arriving in a new country with new faces, new appliances, a new language, a new currency can all be overwhelming without the added challenge of having lived as a refugee for the past several years. There is alot of new information for a…

Settlement planning requires good communication, and one of the ways to help with that once the family arrives is to be able to give them a binder with all their important information in one place. You can read more about that here.…