Groups of Five

A 'Group of Five' is a type of refugee sponsoring group. Like Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) and Community Sponsors, Groups of Five can engage in refugee resettlement to Canada – however the criteria for group eligibility and refugee applicant eligibility differs.

As a Group of Five, five Canadian citizens or permanent residents get together to sponsor a refugee and his/her dependents to Canada. More people can join the group to provide settlement support, however only five group members sign the required application forms. By engaging in refugee sponsorship and signing the forms, the group commits to support the sponsored refugee(s):

• Financially
• Emotionally
• With settlement support for the duration of the sponsorship period, which is usually 12 months from the date of arrival or until the sponsored refugees have become self-sufficient (whichever comes first).

Members of the group must be:

• 18 years of age or older
• Reside in the community where the refugee is expected to settle.

They must also prove that they have the necessary financial and human resources, expertise and commitment required to fulfill the terms of the sponsorship.

A Group of Five can choose to partner formally with an individual (e.g. a family member of the refugee who lives in Canada) and/or an organization in carrying out the settlement duties. This partner would be called a "co-sponsor" and would also need to sign all the required forms.

Refugee applicants must meet the eligibility and admissibility criteria for private refugee sponsorship to Canada. To be sponsored by a Group of Five, the Principal Applicant must be:

• Recognized formally as a refugee in the country of asylum (where they currently reside)
• Able to provide documentary proof of this status (such as a document issued by the state of that country or document such as refugee status recognition or 'mandate letter' by the UNHCR).