Blended Visa Office-Referred Program – Sponsoring refugees
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The Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program matches refugees identified for resettlement by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) with private sponsors in Canada.
- The UNHCR identifies the refugees.
- The Government of Canada gives up to six months of income support.
- Private sponsors give another six months of financial support. They also give up to a year of social and emotional support.
The Interim Federal Health Program and provincial health care also cover refugees for the length of the sponsorship (one year).
All sponsorship groups who wish to sponsor Syrian refugees can apply through the Blended Visa Office-Referred Program.
Are you in Quebec?
Quebec has its own process to sponsor refugees. For sponsors in Quebec, visit refugee sponsorship in Quebec.
Determine your eligibility and apply to sponsor
Sponsoring a Syrian refugee
To sponsor a Syrian refugee under the BVOR program, you must be a:
- Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH)
- Constituent Group (a group that can sponsor refugees under a SAH agreement)
- Group of Five
- Community Sponsor
Apply to sponsor a Syrian refugee
The steps to apply to sponsor a Syrian refugee under the BVOR Program are on the sponsor a Syrian refugee page.
Sponsoring non-Syrian refugees
To sponsor non-Syrian refugees under this program, you must be a:
- Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH)
- Constituent Group (a group that can sponsor refugees under a SAH agreement)
If your organization is not already a SAH, you can apply to become one.
If you are a Constituent Group, contact your SAH.
Apply to sponsor a refugee
Find out how to sponsor a non-Syrian refugee under the BVOR Program.
After you apply: get next steps
Find out what you should do after you apply to sponsor a refugee.
Top questions about Blended Visa Office-Referred Program
- How does the Blended Visa Office-Referred Program work?
- How is the Blended Visa Office-Referred Program different from the regular Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program?
- Can refugees be referred to the Blended Visa Office-Referred Program by sponsoring groups?
- See all questions about this topic
Blended Visa Office-Referred Program video – How private sponsors work with the government to bring refugees to Canada