Responsibilities and obligations of sponsors

An undertaking is a contract that requires you to take responsibility for the person you're sponsoring and any accompanying family members.

You will then be responsible for meeting your obligations for the duration of your undertaking (12 months).

Financial obligations are an important requirement of collective sponsorship. You must provide for the basic needs of the person you are sponsoring and any accompanying family members for the duration of your undertaking.

To do this, the organization or group consisting of two to five people must use its own financial resources.

The costs to meet the basic needs of the sponsored persons include, among others:

Settlement and establishment costs in Québec

You must assume the costs for their basic needs for:

• Housing;
• Furniture;
• Travel;
• Food;
• Clothing.
   

Health-related costs

You must assume the costs not covered or not reimbursed by a public insurance plan for their:

• Healthcare;
• Health services;
• Prescription drugs.
   

Employment integration costs

You must assume the costs not covered by a government program for job preparation and job search or employment integration approaches for persons you sponsor.

If you fail to meet your financial obligations and a person you are sponsoring receives financial assistance from the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) or last resort assistance (social assistance) during the term of your undertaking, you will be required to reimburse the government for any amounts granted to the sponsored person as special benefits or last resort financial assistance during the term of the undertaking. If a group of 2 to 5 people or an organization fails to meet its obligations, the failure will be taken into account in the MIFI's decision on any subsequent application submitted by any member of the group or organization.

You undertake to provide the necessary support to the person you are sponsoring and that person's family members in their integration approaches. In particular, you must provide them with assistance and support:

• To look for a job or make approaches for recognition of studies made outside Québec;
• To enrol their children in school;
• To access public services;
• To enrol in francization courses;
• To participate in community life in Québec.

Welcome and integration plan

During the submission of your engagement application, you must complete a welcome and integration plan for the person you wish to sponsor and the family members who accompany that person.

This plan must set out the measures that will be taken to support sponsored individuals in their integration efforts, such as finding a job or learning French. 

Settlement reports

For each undertaking, you must provide two reports on the settlement of the persons you sponsor to the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration:

• The first report must be submitted no later than 3 months after the date of their arrival in Québec.
• The second report must be submitted no later than 3 months after the end date of your undertaking.

In these reports, you must demonstrate you have implemented your welcome and integration plan and have honoured your obligations.

It is forbidden to take advantage of a commitment or request for commitment made on behalf of a refugee and his or her accompanying family members, in particular by:

• Collection of interest on an investment;   
• Collection of fees; 
• Acceptance of a gift.
• Or in any other way that provides a financial or material advantage (Note: The investment and retention of interest on a loan from a third party that exceeds 1% of the amount necessary to meet the basic needs of the foreign national and accompanying family members, as set forth in Appendix C, is considered a prohibited donation).

This prohibition applies to all individuals involved in an undertaking, not just the sponsors.