Below are the answers to frequently asked questions. If you have a question, please email it to us directly. We will answer you directly, and we may add your question to this FAQ page along with its answer. Thank you.
1- How are we organized?
2- Are we applying to the Federal government directly?
3- What is a PSR?
4- What is a SAH?
5- How is the budget for the refugees calculated?
6- What is Kalmo’s budget?
7- What is the Time Frame for raising our budget?
8- What was the first deadline?
9- What was the second deadline?
10- What would have happened if we had missed our second deadline?
11- What was our third deadline?
12- What is our fourth and final Financial deadline/goal?
13- Why is it important to write on a separate piece of paper that the donation is intended for the Kalmo Refugee Support group?
14- What happens to monies donated if the family does not come to Canada for any reason?
15- What are some of the reasons why a refugee may not come to Canada?
1- How are we organized?
We are an unincorporated group, not an incorporated society, which has formed as a PSR [Privately Sponsored Refugee] group to help Marwo Abdi bring 4 members of her family to Canada. The 4 members of her family are her mother, brother, and two cousins, all of whom are UNHCR registered refugees.
2- Are we applying to the Federal government directly?
No. On Wednesday, October 25th, 2017, the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia accepted our contract with them to be a refugee sponsorship group for the Somali family under their SAH [Sponsorship Agreement Holder]. We are a group of individuals with diverse backgrounds, including a diversity of secular and faith backgrounds, who are not a part of any parish, and as such, we have affiliated directly with the diocese.
3- What is a PSR?
The Federal government defines three types of Private refugee sponsors. We are type #3, which is a community organization based in the community where the refugees will settle. More information about the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program can be found at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/results-by-topic.asp?st=11.1
4- What is a SAH?
A SAH is a Sponsorship Agreement Holder, which is a charitable organization that has a contract with the Federal government of Canada to sponsor refugees privately to Canada. The SAH is contractually liable to the federal government for the first year financial support of any refugees that come to Canada under their SAH. However, the members of each PSR sign a contract that requires them and their PSR to raise the funds to cover, in the first year, the financial well being of the refugees they are applying to bring to Canada.
5- How is the budget for the refugees calculated?
The federal government provides each SAH with a breakdown of, or guidelines for, the expenses they expect each refugee to incur in their first year in Canada. The breakdown stipulates what a family of 4 would need, what a single parent with child(ren) would need, what single adults would need, etc. The budget for each PSR is calculated following the Federal government guidelines.
6- What is Kalmo’s budget?
The minimum amount set in 2017 when we first started was just under $55,000. This is intended to cover basic necessities for the family of 4 for their first year in Canada (shelter, food, clothing, etc.) and a $1,000 contribution to the Diocese’s refugee support contingency fund and their $100 administrative fee. However with cost of living increases, the government minimum budgets have increased since we began our efforts two years ago; if we were to begin this application for this family of four today, our minimum budget would be $67,005.00. Taking this into account, as well as expenses not included in the government minimums such as travel expenses [anticipated to be $8,000], taxi for Ebola testing [$1,000], and dental care, we have decided to aim to raise abit more than $75,000 to better support the family in their first year here.
Here is the breakdown of our 2017 budget, which was the budget minimally required by the Federal government at that time:
- One adult and one child .............................. $33,905.00 [Marwo's mother and 10-year-old female cousin] - Two adult males ...................................... $32,000.00 [Marwo's brother and cousin] - Diocesan contingency fund ............................ $1,000.00 [This is for groups who experience shortfalls and cannot meet their financial obligations. This contigency is for the protection of the Anglican Diocese's SAH.] - Administrative fee ................................... $100.00 - Total ................................................ $67,005.00 This total assumes that the four people come at the same time and live as one household. If they come separately or if they live separately, the total cost will be much greater. This minimum, government-set, budget will rise over time should the people we are sponsoring not be able to immigrate to Canada in the near future.
7- What is the Time Frame for raising our budget?
We have had four budgetary deadlines that we need to meet. We have met the first three of these deadlines.
8- What was the first deadline?
We had to raise at least 10% of our then family budget [or about $5400] by the middle to end of December 2017 in order to be seriously considered by the diocese as an applicant in 2018. Some of this budgetary commitment could have been in-kind donations, such as rent and food. We also had to raise the diocese’s contingency fund and the administrative fee by or before the end of December, 2017. This deadline was met.
9- What was the second deadline?
Our second deadline was mid-March 2018. By mid-March, we had to have at least one-half of our total budget on deposit with the diocese. All PSR applications are submitted to IRCC by the SAHs only when at least one-half of a PSR’s budget has been raised. This is a protection for the SAH as it is the entity financially responsible to the Federal Government, not the PSRs. The SAHs each receive a quota of applications each March. Those PSRs that have at least one half of their budget raised and are otherwise ready to go will be allowed to submit one of the applications available to the SAH in that year’s quota. We met this deadline.
10- What would have happened if we had missed our second deadline?
We would have continued fundraising until we had raised one-half of our budget. When we had raised one half of our budget, we would have been eligible for one of the applications to be made when the next quota was given to the SAH. If there had been still an un-used application under the 2018 year’s quota, we may have been able to use it. If we had missed that year’s quota, we may have had to wait until March 2019 for our next opportunity to make an application.
11- What was our third deadline?
We continued to fundraise. Until we had raised the minimum budget required by the Federal government, the family members we are sponsoring would not have been able to come to Canada. We have met this goal, but as indicated above and on our Updates page, we have determined that the proper budget for the family for the first year will be approximately $75,000.00. FAQ #12 covers this new deadline.
12- What is our fourth and final Financial deadline/goal?
For the family to come to Canada, we inititally had to raise the total minimum requirement ($54,863), and we have done this. However, due to the delays, the minimum budget is now $67,005.00. There will be expenses above this minimum budget as set by the Government of Canada. Consequently, we must continue to fundraise to meet the actual required budget. In addition to the higher budget if we were starting today, there are other expenses that we would like to assist the family with; e.g., $8000.00. travel loan and $1000 travel cost for Ebola screening in Uganda, etc. We will have some time to meet this final deadline as we have enough money to cover the family’s initial expenses and we have over a year to raise the remaining $10,000 of our realistic budget total of approximately $75,000.00. However, the sooner we raise our entire budget, the better. For updates on our fundraising progress, please see the Updates page of this website.
13- Why is it important to write on a separate piece of paper that the donation is intended for the Kalmo Refugee Support group?
It is very important that it is made clear that the donation is for Kalmo Refugee support or Kalmo Sponsorship group. Otherwise, the donation goes to the general Refugee support Program fund of the Anglican Diocese and not credited to our group. The funds are held in the Diocese’s account and not in a separate account of ours. The donation for tax and other purposes is to the Diocese and not to us.
14- What happens to monies donated if the family does not come to Canada for any reason?
The funds are held in the Diocese Refugee Sponsorship Fund account in trust for our group and the family we are supporting. Donations are to the Anglican Diocese of B.C., which issues the tax receipts. Donations are non-refundable and will remain in the Diocese Refugee Sponsorship fund if we are not successful, in which case they will be used for other refugee support groups’ needs.
15- What are some of the reasons why a refugee may not come to Canada
All refugee applicants are carefully vetted by the Federal government, and they may be denied entry to Canada for a range of things after health, security, criminal and other checks are processed. The family we are supporting have family in Canada and they are registered UNHCR refugees. Nevertheless, there is no guarantee that everyone will be accepted. As well, the Canadian refugee processing system is very slow and there is a huge backlog. Often, refugees are accepted by other countries before they can come to Canada, and they go to those other countries. Who can blame them? Also, there may be other reasons why a family is unable to come to Canada or chooses not to come.
Kalmo Refugee Support Group 