Preparing a settlement plan is one of the most important responsibilities of private sponsors. It covers the duration of the sponsorship, usually the first 12 months after the newcomers arrive in Canada.
Who has to submit a settlement plan?
All private sponsor groups (Sponsorship Agreement Holders, Group of Five or Community Sponsors) have to submit a settlement plan to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as part of their private sponsorship application.
IRCC uses the settlement plan to assess whether the sponsors have the capacity to fulfill their financial and non-financial obligations to support the refugees so they can establish successfully in Canada. IRCC can return or reject the sponsorship application if the settlement plan is missing important details.
What should be included in the settlement plan?
All settlement plans should include:
- Information about the principal refugee applicant and the sponsors
- A checklist of needs covering both financial and settlement assistance, with each item assigned to at least one sponsorship group member.
- Details on housing, available support (from group members and settlement agencies), plans for any special needs, and support plans for family members who might arrive within the One Year Window of Opportunity
Groups of Five and Community Sponsors need to provide more details in their settlement plan than Sponsorship Agreement Holders, as IRCC also uses it for financial assessment (section E of the form).
Note: The settlement plan serves as a guide, but it may need updates as circumstances change during the settlement period.
