E-Training
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The RSTP’s e-training courses provide participants with continuous learning opportunities which have been developed to reinforce the information, requirements, and considerations related to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program. Each of these online courses have been designed to provide knowledge, practical examples, best practices and timely resources to equip potential and existing sponsors for undertaking a private sponsorship. These courses can be accessed online, from any device, and at a time that works best for the participating learner. Potential and current sponsors will benefit from focusing in on the information that is relevant for what they need to know – at the time when they need it – and accessing training materials and resource wherever and whenever they want.
How To Register
You will first need to create a user account if you do not already have one.
Your new user account will be confirmed within one business day (M-F, 9-5). Then you can enroll in the available courses below.
Introduction to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program
(IET101) view course syllabus | view course schedule
This introductory training course will run from: 25 Sep – 3 Dec, 2023
Contact etraining@rstp.ca to request pre-enrollment.
This is a self-study, online course facilitated by the Refugee Sponsorship 
Training Program (RSTP), and funded by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This 9-week introductory level course is designed to provide participating students with an overview of the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program in Canada. Students will also gain an understanding of the international context in which the Canadian PSR program operates. By offering this E-Training course free of charge to participants, the RSTP aims to strengthen the knowledge base and work of current and future refugee sponsors and service providers in Canada.
Assessment of Refugees and Sponsors for the Private Sponsorship of Refugees
(AET201) view course syllabus
This advanced level training course will run from: 28 Aug – 10 Dec 2023
Prerequisite: Introduction to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program (IET101) course.
Contact etraining@rstp.ca to request enrollment
This advanced level training follows the pre-requisite introductory level course. Only students who have received a certificate for the above IET 101 course may request to be enrolled in this advanced level training. Participants will build upon their previous learning and receive practical experience on how to assess:
1. the eligibility and admissibility of refugees
2. the financial eligibility and capacity of sponsors
This is a self-study structured course which can be completed within 5 to 15 weeks depending on the participant’s availability and pace of learning. Participants will build upon their previous IET101 learning about international legal instruments, UNHCR’s resettlement criteria, the Refugee Status Determination (RSD), durable solutions, Canada’s eligibility and admissibility criteria, and the financial obligations of sponsors upon arrival.
AET201 Workshops
Students will also have the option to participate in two workshops where they can gain practical experience and guidance in an online group setting. AET201 course participants are invited to work on case examples or their own sponsorship case scenarios. In the first 2 hour workshop, we will walk through the steps of assessing for eligibility and admissibility of refugees. In the second 2 hour workshop, students will practice assessing financial contributors to a sponsorship and be guided through the use of the RSTP’s Minimum Support Calculation Tool for determining the cost of sponsorship. Upon completion of the workshop, students will have gained practical experience and will be equipped with useful tools which they can use in preparation for submitting their own potential sponsorships.
Navigating Private Sponsorship for Settlement Workers
(SWT101)
This introductory course will run from: 6 Nov – 17 Dec, 2023
Pre-enrollment is now open for the upcoming 2023 winter session
This online course is intended for settlement agency workers and other settlement service providing organizations who work with privately sponsored refugees and their sponsors. The goals of this course are to provide you with essential information about private sponsorship in general, and to assist you to navigate the unique relationships between settlement workers, privately sponsored newcomers, and their sponsors. Through this course, you will learn about the private sponsorship program in Canada, and you will gain a deeper understanding of how integral your role is in supporting successful refugee sponsorships.
As a settlement worker, you may wish to stay informed of upcoming training, relevant information and to be matched with potential private sponsoring groups. Simply complete the PSR-SPO CONNECTION SIGN-UP FORM to be added to the email distribution list.
Becoming a Sponsorship Agreement Holder
(SAH101) View the becoming a SAH brochure
This course is now closed for 2023.
If your organization intends to apply to become a SAH in 2024, please follow these steps:
Step 1: Are you eligible? Watch this video about application requirements.
Step 2: Are you prepared? Watch this video about audited financial statements and read about How to become a SAH.
Step 3: Are you ready? You must complete the Organization Pre-assessment Form to be added to the mandatory training waitlist.
This self-study course aims to provide introductory information about becoming a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH), and is a mandatory component of the application process to become a SAH. SAHs are incorporated organizations that have signed a formal agreement with the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and IRCC that enables them to sponsor a certain number of refugees each year. The course will cover the roles and responsibilities of a SAH, so that organizations that are applying to become SAHs have a better understanding of what is expected of them.