1) Mr. Saud Isaac wants to sponsor his brother Sam Isaac and his family to come to Canada through private sponsorship. Sam fled Iraq after receiving threats due to his work with an American company, and has been living as a refugee in Italy for a year without a decision on his application. 2) Saud has family members in Toronto and Scarborough who can provide housing support. His aunt owns a house with a finished basement that has vacant rooms and facilities available. 3) The key questions are whether Sam's family would be considered refugees, and if they would be eligible for resettlement in Canada through private sponsorship given Sam's circumstances and reasons for leaving Iraq.

1. CASE STUDY: Scenario 3
Assessing Eligibility
Mr. Saud Isaac lives in Mississauga, Ontario, together with his wife, Catherine White, whom
he met at work and married two years ago. Catherine was born in Barrie, Ontario. Saud is an
engineer by profession and gainfully employed by Bell Canada. His wife also works at Bell
Canada. Saud is very worried about his brother because of the political crisis in his country of
origin – Iraq.
His brother, Sam Isaac (DOB: 21/05/1970), lives together with his wife Hanna Isaac (DOB:
01/06/1978), son Robel Isaac (DOB: 03/07/1999), daughter Zora (DOB 18/05/2006) and
father-in-law Ayad Yousif (DOB 02/07/1948). On May 12, 2008, Mr. Sam Isaac left Iraq
together with his family and went to Syria because he had received threatening phone calls
from unknown people. His brother thinks he was targeted because he was working with MBC
- Contractors, an American based company in Bagdad. Before he escaped from Iraq, Sam had
received a threatening letter that read “you traitor, stop helping the occupiers or you will be
killed.”
In Syria they met someone who helped them to go to Italy, where Sam thought his family
would be safer. They arrived in Italy one year ago and applied for refugee status. No decision
has been made yet regarding their application. The family is finding it more and more difficult
to live in Italy, as Sam cannot find work and they do not have close friends or family there.
Saud wants to bring Sam and his family to Canada through Group of Five sponsorship. Mr.
Saud has two cousins (Angela, 25 and Farid, 27) who live in downtown Toronto, and an aunt,
Amina, who lives in Scarborough. His aunt owns a house, and her basement is finished with
vacant rooms, a washroom and a separate entrance.
Discuss the following questions among your group. Identify one representative of your group
who will report back to the plenary about your findings.
Questions
• Would Sam and his family be considered refugees?
• Would they be eligible for resettlement to Canada as privately sponsored refugees?
Please explain.