It Takes a
Join your local refugee sponsors and help someone feel at home in your community.
Sponsorship:
A Local Solution to a Global Crisis
Canadians value lifting each other up — including refugees.
Since 1979, Canada has been a global leader in private refugee sponsorship. Sponsors commit their time, resources, and local knowledge to support refugees during their first year here in Canada. Refugee sponsorship is a tangible way to be part of a local solution to the global refugee crisis.
But, we need your help. Many refugees don’t have family and friends who can bring them out of danger. These refugees rely on well-intentioned sponsors to help them get to Canada.
The BVOR program is a special government initiative that matches Canadian volunteers with refugees in need of safety who don’t yet have personal ties to Canada. BVOR refugees have already been identified by the UNHCR and are ready to travel within weeks.
What makes BVOR special?
There are multiple pathways to private sponsorship — including the Blended Visa Office Referred (BVOR) program. Refugees referred to this program by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) are in urgent need of resettlement for reasons such as gender-based violence, medical conditions or gender identity.
This special pathway matches Canadians who want to sponsor refugees but have no personal ties to someone in need of sponsorship. Through BVOR, the federal government and private sponsors share the financial cost of supporting the refugees, while the sponsors are responsible for providing social and logistical support throughout the refugees’ first year in Canada.
More information about the BVOR program is available from the Government of Canada and The Refugee Sponsorship Training Program.
Join your local
community of sponsors
Refugees want to create a better life in your city and you can make it happen.
Sponsorship organizations are looking for locals like you to partner with the Government of Canada to welcome refugees and make communities stronger.
Start the journey to becoming a refugee sponsor — and learn about the pathways to sponsorship, the role of the sponsor and the networks and resources that can help along the way.
Sign-up
Thank you! In the coming days, we'll connect you to the people who can help you get started.
It Takes A Partner
BVOR is a federal program that is in partnership with IRCC and supported by non-profit organizations across Canada.
