Refugees paid their sponsors

Photo: Contributed

A handful of Syrian refugees paid their sponsors to come to Canada, a government study published Friday reveals.

The Immigration Department evaluation of the Liberals' landmark refugee program surveyed 581 of the 8,918 privately sponsored Syrian refugees who arrived between November 2015 and March 2016. Just over 26,000 Syrians were resettled in Canada during that time.

Of those surveyed, 23 said they paid someone to complete their sponsorship application, or to provide for their own support while in Canada, with some suggesting they were asked to pay.

While the report doesn't say how much the refugees paid, private sponsorship groups aren't supposed to accept or require any funds from a refugee for submitting a sponsorship.

"If instances of sponsors asking refugees to pay for their own sponsorship come to our attention, we will investigate, however, we will not comment on any investigations which may be underway," immigration spokesman Remi Lariviere said in an email.

The report revealed it's not just Syrians who have paid their sponsors. Of 451 privately sponsored refugees from elsewhere surveyed for a previous study, about 19 said they'd paid too.

The evaluation of the first wave of Syrians — there are now more than 40,000 in Canada — documented that compared with other refugee groups, Syrians have bigger families and a lower level of understanding of Canadian rights and freedoms.

But they are also more connected on social media and mobile applications, the report said.