Citizenship and Immigration Canada
www.cic.gc.ca
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The refugee system: Resettlement from outside Canada
Resettlement is the term used by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to describe the legal process of bringing a refugee to Canada to live as a permanent resident.
CIC relies on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), other referral organizations and private sponsorship groups to identify and refer refugees for resettlement in Canada.
Private sponsoring groups are groups or corporations that have signed an agreement with Canada’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. In this agreement, they promise to provide funds and carry out certain duties to sponsor refugees who come to Canada.
CIC uses three legal processes, which are divided into refugee classes, for resettling refugees in Canada. The three refugee classes are:
In unusual circumstances, refugees from some countries may apply directly for resettlement to Canada through the Source Country Class.
