Current Publications: Social affairs and population

Contents

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Who is Eligible for Humanitarian Resettlement in Canada?
• 3 The Resettlement Assistance Program
  • 3.1 Income Support Eligibility
  • 3.2 The Amount of Assistance Provided
  • 3.3 The Income Support Agreement
• 4 Statistics
• Notes
• Appendix – Resettlement Assistance Program Agreement for Income Support Recipients

1 Introduction

For many years, Canada has fostered the resettlement of refugees and those in refugee-like situations through government sponsorship. Officials with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) working abroad identify individuals who are in need of Canada’s help and who are likely to be able to establish themselves successfully in Canada. In most cases, a referral from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is required before an applicant will be considered.

Two other categories of refugees also exist. Privately sponsored refugees are assisted by groups of Canadians or by organizations with an agreement with CIC. As well, many people arrive in Canada and make inland refugee claims. This paper concerns solely the first category of refugees mentioned, government-sponsored (or government-assisted) refugees, and their potential entitlements.1

2 Who is Eligible for Humanitarian Resettlement in Canada?

Currently, there are two subcategories of government-sponsored refugees or people in similar situations who may be admitted to Canada as permanent residents on humanitarian grounds.2 These two groups are:

• The Convention Refugees Abroad Class - Members of this class must be in need of resettlement (that is, there is no reasonable prospect now or in the near future of another permanent solution for them) and must meet the definition of Convention refugee: they must be outside their own country and have a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, political opinion, nationality or membership in a particular group.3
• The Country of Asylum Class - Members of this class must be in need of resettlement, be outside their own country and must have been, and continue to be, seriously and personally affected by civil war, armed conflict or a massive violation of human rights. In essence, the class addresses people in refugee-like situations who do not qualify as Convention refugees.

3 The Resettlement Assistance Program

Government assistance to refugees selected overseas is provided through the resettlement assistance program (RAP), which has two components. First, CIC provides funding to service-providing organizations for direct services, such as initial reception, orientation and assistance with finding permanent accommodation, navigating the new community, shopping and other basic life skills. The second component consists of income supports for eligible refugees, explained in detail below.

3.1 Income Support Eligibility

To be entitled to income support, an individual must be selected to come to Canada as a government-sponsored refugee under one of the subcategories set out above. It must be determined that he or she has insufficient funds to meet basic needs - food, rent, clothing and household effects - and must also commit either to directly enter the work force or to enrol in employment or language training programs. Eligible newcomers are generally provided assistance for a maximum of 12 months. However, up to 24 months may be authorized in special circumstances or for special-needs cases that have been assessed abroad.

CIC makes it clear to program beneficiaries that income support is not an automatic benefit, but rather a privilege that carries with it an obligation on the part of the recipient to make serious efforts to become self-sufficient. According to the department, assistance may be refused, reduced or discontinued in the following cases:

• refusal, without just cause, to take advantage of training or services recommended by CIC;
• refusal, without valid reasons, to actively seek work or accept any reasonable job offer;
• quitting a job without just cause;
• receipt of employment income by any member of the family beyond that allowable under the program guidelines;
• possession of assets beyond those normally possessed by persons requiring financial assistance; or
• a change in the family situation or living arrangements such as marriage, family breakdown, death, birth, someone leaving Canada or new family members arriving.

3.2 The Amount of Assistance Provided4

Recipients are given an initial start-up cheque for clothing, household items, bedding, staples, telephone installation and furniture. In lieu of money, the actual goods may be provided. The cheque also includes loans for the last month’s rent, utility deposits and telephone deposit. In addition, one month’s living allowance is provided, which includes funds for food, transportation, incidentals and rent.

For basic household needs, a one-time payment is provided as follows:

• $1,330 per single recipient without accompanying dependants
• $2,340 per single recipient plus 1 dependant
• $2,665 per single recipient plus 2 dependants
• $1,960 per couple without accompanying dependants
• $2,455 per couple plus 1 dependant
• $2,945 per couple plus 2 dependants
• $3,515 per couple plus 3 dependants
• $350 for each additional dependant

The special allowances that may be provided include the following:

• Clothing allowance (basic)
  • $325 per adult
  • $250 per child
• Clothing allowance (winter)
  • $175 per adult
  • $125 per child
• School start-up
  • $150 per child
• Special diet allowance
  • $100/month
• Newborn allowance
  • $750
• Maternity allowance
  • $200/clothing
  • $75/month for up to 9 months
• Children under 6 years old
  • $50/month
• Transportation allowance
  • $50/month per adult
• School allowance
  • $20/month per school-age child and young adult attending kindergarten to grade 12
• Funeral/burial expenses
  • To be determined by the CIC RAP officers

In addition to the start-up allowance and special allowances, RAP includes monthly allowances for basic food, shelter and other expenses, such as bus passes and school fees. Under the program, the food and shelter portion of the income support money is guided by the maximum prevailing social assistance rates within the province or territory of residence. In Ontario, for example, a single individual would receive a shelter allowance of $368 and a basic needs allowance of $224, for a total of $592 a month.5 Government-sponsored refugees are not eligible to receive provincial social assistance benefits while receiving RAP income support.

3.3 The Income Support Agreement

In order to receive income support, clients must sign an Income Support Agreement. They are required to show that they understand the terms and conditions of the agreement before being given their first cheque. A copy of the standard agreement is included as an appendix to this paper.

4 Statistics

The Canadian government provides financial support and immediate essential services for thousands of refugees annually. Recent figures for government-sponsored refugees are as follows:

Notes

*  A previous version of this document was prepared by Benjamin R. Dolin, formerly of the Library of Parliament. [ Return to text ]

†  Papers in the Library of Parliament’s In Brief series are short briefings on current issues. At times, they may serve as overviews, referring readers to more substantive sources published on the same topic. They are prepared by the Parliamentary Information and Research Service, which carries out research for and provides information and analysis to parliamentarians and Senate and House of Commons committees and parliamentary associations in an objective, impartial manner. [ Return to text ]

1. For information on inland claimants, see Julie Béchard and Sandra Elgersma, Refuge Protection in Canada, Publication no. 2011-90-E, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament, Ottawa, 1 September 2011. [ Return to text ]
2. A third subcategory, the Source Country Class, was repealed in March 2011 because, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada [CIC], “it was not working as it was intended.” See CIC, “News Release – Government to Refocus Resettlement Efforts,” Ottawa, 18 March 2011. [ Return to text ]
3. See the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, Article 1, and the United Nations Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, Article 1. [ Return to text ]
4. CIC, IP3 – In-Canada Processing of Convention Refugees Abroad and Members of the Humanitarian-Protected Persons Abroad Classes: Part 2 (Resettlement Assistance Program)  (441 kB, 50 pages), 7 October 2011. [ Return to text ]
5. Ontario Works Regulations, O. Reg. 347/11, ss. 41(1) and 42(1). [ Return to text ]

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Appendix – Resettlement Assistance Program Agreement for Income Support Recipients

Source:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada, “Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) Agreement for Income Support Recipients  (1,022 kB, 98 pages),” Appendix B, Annex 2, in IP 3 - In Canada Processing of Convention Refugees Abroad and Members of the Humanitarian Protected Persons Abroad Classes: Appendices, 30 April 2010.