“I was a stranger and you welcomed me” Matthew 25:35
Thank you for your interest in learning more about the Refugee Committee and our important work! Our Mission is to create lasting change in the lives of refugees and their families seeking to build a stable future in Canada. Inspired by our Christian faith and empowered by Jesus Christ our Savior, the Refugee Committee is dedicated to helping refugees regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
The Anglican Diocese of Calgary is a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) through the Government of Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program (PSR). We have an Agreement with Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to identify, sponsor and resettle refugees to Calgary and Southern Alberta.
The Refugee Committee is the governing body that administers the Anglican Diocese of Calgary SAH and its participation in the PSR program, and makes decisions on policies and cases to sponsor.
The Refugee Committee also serves a ministry function by acting as a resource to parishes, providing education and advocacy on refugee matters, and offering encouragement, training, and advice on refugee sponsorship and settlement.
The SAH has a full-time coordinator who oversees the day-to-day operations, works with sponsoring groups and co-sponsors and liaises with IRCC and other organizations.
Who do we serve?
We help refugees who have fled their countries because of war or violence, or because of persecution and serious human rights abuses based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinions. Those refugees are outside their countries of origin and live in countries where they don’t have rights, safety or a permanent solution.
Under this program, our sponsored refugees are fully vetted through a rigorous evaluation process by the Canadian government and arrive in Canada as legal Permanent Residents.
Who do we work with?
We work with Anglican Parishes, other churches and community organizations who are able to provide financial and settlement assistance to a refugee case (formally called Constituent Groups) as well as select groups of individuals (for example, refugees’ family members or friends, formally called co-sponsors).
Constituent Groups can also team up with Co-sponsors to support a case.
After arrival, our SAH, along with the Constituent Groups and Co-sponsors are responsible for providing financial and settlement support to newcomers for the period of a year. We assist the newcomers to settle optimally in the Calgary area with the goal of helping them integrate and become self-sufficient by the end of the sponsorship period.
If you would like to know more about becoming a Constituent Group or about volunteering with us, we would love to hear from you!
Are you interested in sponsoring someone?
If you, your Parish, community or religious organization are interested in sponsoring refugees to come to Canada, our Expression of Interest form for the year 2026 will be available from September 16th to November 15th, 2025.
The Expression of Interest form is a questionnaire to tell us more about the case you want to sponsor and your capacity to become a Co-sponsor or sponsoring group. It also describes the general criteria used to select applications. Submitting an Expression of Interest does not guarantee that we will be able to sponsor your case.
To access the Expression of Interest form, click https://forms.gle/LWx8rq4XU85KzU1f9
Due to the high interest in sponsorships and our very limited number of available spaces only those Expression of Interests that meet our initial criteria and are shortlisted will be contacted.
Who decides which cases to sponsor?
Each year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada decides the amount of refugees to come to Canada and we are given a small amount of “spaces” or “spots” for each individual refugee.
Our Refugee Committee then makes decisions on which cases to sponsor based on our policies, capacity, co-sponsors’ readiness and eligibility and details of each refugee case.
If you are a refugee and want to be sponsored:
Unfortunately at this time our organization does not have the capacity to sponsor (fund and settle) individuals or families by ourselves; we need to work with the refugees’ family members or friends who already live in Calgary.
If you have relatives or friends who live in Calgary or Southern Alberta who would like to sponsor you, please tell them to contact us using the Expression of Interest form.
You can also consult the list of Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAH’s) for other groups in Canada that might have capacity to sponsor.
Find a sponsorship agreement holder - Canada.ca
* If you are still in your country of origin:
Unfortunately, we are not able to assist any individuals or families who are in their country of origin, even if life there is unsafe or difficult. The Private Sponsorship program in Canada is limited to helping people who have fled their country.
* We are also not able to sponsor people living in a country where they have the possibility of a durable or long term solution.
We understand that if you are trying to contact our organization, your life or the lives of someone you know are likely very difficult and potentially life threatening. We are deeply saddened by your situation and we are sorry that we can't assist you at this time. We pray for your safety and that you will find a place where you and your family can live in peace and prosperity.
Ways to Contact Us:
For general inquiries regarding sponsorship, volunteer opportunities, etc. please email: refugee-inquiries@calgary.anglican.ca
As our Refugee Sponsorship staff work remotely, please do not visit the Anglican Diocese of Calgary’s office as the diocesan staff will not be able to assist you.
Want to donate to change a refugee’s life?
If you would like to donate to the work of the refugee committee, please click here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-synod-of-the-diocese-of-calgary/
Please make sure to select “Refugee Ministry” from the drop-down menu.
Thank you!
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” Matthew 25:35
‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40
Want to know more?
To learn more about how Private Refugee Sponsorship works in Canada and Canada’s Refugee Sponsorship Training Program, visit https://www.rstp.ca/en/
To learn more about Canada’s approach to refugees and the IRCC, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees.html
If you are seeking information specifically about Canada’s assistance for people affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/ukraine-measures.html
If you are seeking information specifically about Canada’s assistance for people affected by the situation in Afghanistan, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/afghanistan.html