Financial support for Government-Assisted Refugees

What is a government – assisted refugee?

“Government-assisted refugees” are refugees from the Convention Refugees Abroad Class. The Government of Canada or the Government of Quebec supports their initial resettlement in Canada.

Why does Canada resettle refugees?

Canada resettles refugees to save lives and to provide stability to those fleeing persecution with no hope of relief.

Through its refugee protection system, Canada offers a safe haven to:

• people with a well-founded fear of persecution, and
• people who are outside of their country and cannot return because of that fear of persecution.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) leads and coordinates international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its main purpose is to protect the rights and well-being of refugees.

As part of its activities, the UNHCR refers refugees to Canada when resettlement is the best solution.

Learn more about the refugee system in Canada and our tradition of humanitarian action

What kind of support do government-assisted refugees get?

The Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) gives government-assisted refugees immediate and essential supports for their most basic needs.

Support services include:

• greeting at the airport,
• temporary housing,
• help with finding permanent housing,
• help with registering for mandatory federal and provincial programs,
• orientation to the community, a service that includes
  • providing contacts for safety and emergency services,
  • introducing refugees to the city where they have settled,
  • explaining
    • public transportation,
    • Canada's education and health care systems,
    • Canadian laws and customs, and
    • the local climate,
• personal finance help in areas such as
  • budgeting,
  • setting up a bank account and
  • using debit and credit cards,
• basic "life skills" support for high needs clients, and
• referrals to other refugee programs.

Canada provides income support under the RAP to eligible refugees who cannot pay for their own basic needs. Support can include a:

• one-time household start-up allowance, and
• monthly income support payment.

The level of monthly financial support is generally based on the prevailing provincial social assistance rates in the province where the refugees settle. Financial support can last up to one year after a refugee arrives in Canada, or until they can support themselves, whichever occurs first.

Do refugees get the same support across Canada?

Support services under the Resettlement Assistance Program are the same across Canada. The monthly income support varies slightly from province to province, since it is based on provincial social assistance rates. The monthly amount is meant to cover food, shelter and transportation.

In most cases, the first month's income support payment is larger because it includes a one-time payment to cover the basic costs of setting up a household.

Do large and small families get the same amount of money?

The amounts for household start-up and monthly support vary by family size. Other special allowances may be provided, depending on circumstances.

What special allowances may refugees get?

The special allowances include:

• a school start-up allowance for children attending school, from kindergarten through high school,
• a maternity allowance for pregnant women,
• a newborn allowance for a family to buy clothing and furniture for their child, and
• a housing supplement.

How long does the support for government-assisted refugees last?

Financial support can last up to one year after a refugee arrives in Canada, or until they can support themselves, whichever occurs first.

Special needs clients selected under the Joint Assistance Sponsorship Program may get Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) income support for 24 months. Most government-assisted refugees, however, receive financial help for 12 months or less.

Refugees receive RAP support services within the first six weeks of arriving in Canada.

Does government provide all the support to government-assisted refugees?

No. Organizations across Canada provide initial support services for government-assisted refugees, with funding from the federal government and other sources, such as provincial or municipal governments, and non-profit organizations. The Government of Canada also:

• provides financial support for government-assisted refugees, and
• funds longer term settlement support services for them.

Provinces also fund organizations to provide services for permanent residents and Canadian citizens.

Note: The province of Quebec provides money and support services to government-assisted refugees in Quebec.

Do in-Canada refugee claimants get resettlement assistance?

No. In-Canada refugee claimants are not permanent residents. They have not been selected for resettlement and so they are not eligible for resettlement assistance.

Do government-assisted refugees get more income support and benefits than Canadian pensioners do?

No. Refugees do not get more financial help from the federal government than Canadian pensioners.

A commonly shared email makes this false claim. The email falsely includes the one-time start-up payment as part of the monthly payment.

The amount of monthly financial support that government-assisted refugees gets is based on social assistance rates in each province and territory. It is the minimum amount needed to cover only the most basic food and shelter needs.