Information on this page is for sponsor groups with a confirmed application in process at AURA.

Prior to submitting your group’s refugee sponsorship application to IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) AURA must receive:
1. Complete contact information for each member of your group - please use this template.
2. A recent police check for each member of your group. This includes family members of the sponsored refugees and anyone who will have direct contact with them under the umbrella of the sponsorship or take a leadership role in planning the sponsorship.
- Electronic copies only - scans or clear photos.
- Level 1 Criminal Record Check (Clearance Letter). - Copies of police checks from other work/volunteer activities and letters from the Anglican Diocese are accepted.
- Checks must be dated within the last year and AURA will consider them valid for 3 years from the issue date.
- If yours expires before your sponsorship arrival date, you’ll need to submit a new one.
Please have one person collect all contact information and police checks and email it to AURA at once.

Please have one person collect all contact information and police checks and email it to AURA at once.

How to get a police check:
- Contact your local police to request a police check.
- Fees are usually waived for volunteers who can provide a volunteer letter. AURA will gladly send you a letter to use.
- To apply online in Toronto click here, for York Region click here, for Peterborough click here.
- If your local police offer free or discounted checks for volunteers, please send us an email with the sponsor names and we will gladly send you a letter to use.
- For Anglican Parishes: you may wish to request police checks through the Anglican Diocese, in which case you should speak to your parish office.

Toronto Sponsors Only: Vulnerable Sector Screening Checks (VSS)
AURA is a referring agency with the Toronto Police, and can request a VSS for any sponsor whose postal code begins with “M”. This is a more extensive check. Each sponsor must obtain a signed VSS application form from AURA, fill it out, and mail it to the Toronto Police with a certified cheque or money order for $20 (personal cheques are not accepted). A few weeks later, the sponsor will receive their VSS in the mail. See more information here: https://www.torontopolice.on.ca/background-checks/vulnerable-sector-screening-process.php