Update: Private Refugee Sponsorship Program – Selection Process

August 12, 2019

Online interest form submission for ISANS’ 2019 private refugee sponsorship selection process is now closed.

We received an overwhelming response to sponsor almost 800 privately sponsored refugees this year. This is 8 times as many sponsorship spots IRCC allocated to ISANS. ISANS’ current allocation is for 98 spots.

  • The intake form review process is currently underway. Candidates who submitted an interest form will receive a status update by September 30, 2019.
  • Due to the large number of interest forms received, not all of the interest forms that met the criteria could be selected.
  • Interest forms received this year to fill sponsor spots for 1, 2, or more years. No new interest forms will be accepted until we have completed that process.
  • Interest forms received this year are in one of three pools:
    1. Interest forms selected for ISANS’ 98 sponsor spots this year
    2. Interest forms in the back-up pool for this year
    3. Interest forms in the waiting pool to be considered next year
  • The final interest form selection decisions lays with ISANS Senior Leadership – not our Private Refugee Sponsorship program staff

For Your Information

The 2019 selection criteria for sponsoring with ISANS included the following:

1. Viability of sponsorship

  • financial capacity of co-sponsor
  • support of a Constituent Group (community association)
  • minimum of 5 volunteers to assist with settlement of refugees
  • size of family unit a maximum of four persons

2. Admissibility

  • does the person being sponsored meet the refugee definition (for example, are they outside their country of origin)

3. Residency of co-sponsor

  • must be a resident of Nova Scotia
  • must have lived in Nova Scotia for more than 2 years
  • only one interest form (survey) per household was allowed

Further reading and 2019 criteria:

If you have feedback on the 2019 private refugee sponsorship selection process please send your comments to psrselection@old.isans.ca.

Thank you for your interest in sponsoring refugees and building a welcoming community where all can belong and grow.

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