Sponsored refugees

You are a sponsored refugee if:

• The Government of Canada granted you refugee or protected person status  while you were abroad; and
• A group of natural persons or a legal person (charitable organization) from Québec submitted an undertaking application in your favour and it was accepted by the Gouvernement du Québec. All your family members who accompany you must also be covered by this accepted undertaking.

By signing an undertaking in your favour, your guarantor (a group of persons or a charitable organization) undertook to the Gouvernement du Québec to assist and support you during the first year of your settlement.

Your guarantor must honour responsibilities and obligations regarding you and the members of your family who accompany you, particularly to:

• meet your essential needs and;
• support you in your integration steps.

Meeting your essential needs

Your guarantor has financial obligations to you and your family members who accompany you for a one-year period. They must assume the following costs, in particular:

Settlement and establishment costs in Québec

Your guarantor must assume the following costs:

• housing and related expenses such as:
  • insurance,
  • electricity,
  • heating;
• furniture;
• travel required for your settlement and integration;
• food;
• clothing.

Health-related costs

Your guarantor must assume the costs not covered or not reimbursed by a public insurance plan for your:

• healthcare;
• health services;
• prescription drugs.

Employment integration costs

Your guarantor must assume the costs not covered by a government program for your job search or employment integration steps.

If your sponsor fails to provide for your basic needs, he or she will be required to reimburse the government for any special benefits or last-resort financial assistance paid to you by the government during the term of the undertaking.

Support in your integration steps

Your guarantor must provide your with the necessary support in your integration steps, particularly:

• to look for a job or make approaches for recognition of studies outside Québec;
• to enrol your children in school;
• to access public service;
• to enrol in francization courses;
• to participate in community life in Québec.

To prepare before your departure and know what awaits you once you are in Québec, you can consult the following two guides:

• Guide for sponsored refugees (PDF 2.22 Mb);
• Settle and integrate in Québec guide.

You will find useful information on this page, particularly on:

• climate;
• transportation;
• education;
• learning French;
• employment;
• opening a bank account.

Translations of Guide à l’intention des personnes réfugiées parrainées  

Guide in French: Guide à l’intention des personnes réfugiées parrainées (PDF 2.24 Mb)

Guide in Arabic: دليل اأشخاصجئين المكفولينّالل (PDF 2.23 Mb)

Guide in Farsi: راهنما پناهندگان اسپانسر شده (PDF 2.23 Mb)

Documents to bring with you

If you have them in your possession, bring them with you:

• your diplomas;
• your certificates of studies;
• your transcripts of grades;
• the attestations of employment describing the tasks and responsibilities you assumed.

You can thus apply them in Québec.

If you have vaccination booklets for yourself and your children, bring them with you. You may present them to your physician or at a public health clinic.

Airport greeting

Your guarantor or a representative of your guarantor will greet you upon your arrival.

They must be present at the airport upon your arrival and have planned for your transportation to your housing. They will also help you complete your immigration steps.

Your guarantors have made a commitment to help you in the steps you take. Do not hesitate to ask for their help.

First settlement steps

In the first days after your arrival, you will have to take several steps with your guarantor's help:

• registering with the Québec Health Insurance Plan;
• enrolling your children in school;
• opening a bank account;
• finding housing.

Accompagnement Québec

You can register with the Accompagnement Québec integration service. This service is offered in a version adapted to sponsored refugees (PDF 157 Kb).

You will receive information to settle and integrate in Québec and an individualized action plan to follow your steps.

Other integration steps

Here are other steps you can take once you obtain your Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ - Québec Selection Certificate):

• Improve your French by taking French courses offered by the Gouvernement du Québec;
• Register for the Objectif Intégration services, if you speak French or after learning it;
• Take steps to obtain a job by using the services offered by the Centre local d’emploi (CLE)  in your territory. You must enter the postal code and check off "Services aux individus";
• Begin the steps to obtain recognition of your competencies acquired abroad.