Online Survey of Refugee Clients of the Resettlement Assistance Program

In 2024, the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) plays a crucial role in supporting government-assisted refugees (GARs) and other eligible individuals upon their arrival in Canada. Here are the key aspects of the program:

Income Support:

• Startup Allowances: Covers essential items such as furniture, clothing, school supplies, and basic household needs.
• Monthly Income Support: Provides a minimum of $75 per month for transportation, with higher amounts in areas lacking public transit. Rates are harmonized with provincial social assistance levels.

Immediate Essential Services:

• Temporary Accommodation: Assistance in locating temporary and permanent housing.
• Needs Assessment and Referrals: Identifying and connecting clients to appropriate settlement programs and community services.
• Information and Orientation: Offers guidance on financial, non-financial, and life skills topics, alongside links to federal and provincial programs.

Eligibility:

• The RAP is accessible to various immigration categories, including GARs, privately sponsored refugees, designated humanitarian asylum class members, and certain permanent residents lacking financial support from other sources.

Recent Changes:

• 2022 Adjustments: RAP rates were enhanced to align with provincial social assistance standards. This included increases in basic allowances, communication allowances, and standardized transportation rates, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area.

The RAP in 2024 continues to serve as a vital support system, ensuring newcomers receive necessary resources and assistance to facilitate their resettlement and integration into Canadian society.

RAP Clients and their Resettlement Needs

As of July 10, 2024:

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is conducting an online survey of government-assisted refugees who became permanent residents between March 1, 2022, and July 31, 2023. The survey aims to understand which resettlement initiatives are working well and which need improvement under the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP). The survey will be available in multiple languages, including English, French, Arabic, Dari, Kinyarwanda, Pashto, Somali, Swahili and Tigrinya. It takes about 10 minutes to complete, and the deadline is July 28, 2024.

Participation and Confidentiality

Participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential. IRCC will use the information to help improve its programs and services. Participants’ answers will not affect any past, current or future applications with IRCC.

Survey Invitation

The survey invitation will be sent by email to all government-assisted refugees (principal applicants only) who meet the eligibility criteria.

The email will be from IRCC noreply@qemailserver.com and will contain a survey link starting with “https://ircc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV”[1].

Purpose and Impact

By participating in the survey, refugees can help IRCC strengthen the RAP to better meet the needs of newcomers to Canada. The survey results will provide valuable insights to improve settlement and resettlement services.IRCC is committed to providing world-class support through Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs, making Canada an international leader in this area. The online survey is part of this ongoing effort to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of these programs

Additionally, IRCC’s upcoming Call for Proposals (CFP) in 2024 for the Settlement and Resettlement Assistance programs will contain four dedicated streams, including one to build on the expansion of the RAP that has been underway since 2019. The CFP aims to:

• Extend the RAP to four additional areas of the country.
• Ensure the RAP has more consistent capacity to serve French-speaking clients.
• Embed a refugee pathway to ensure consistent transition for refugees accessing RAP for support.

The CFP will also seek to enhance the settlement sector’s capacity to create more inclusive, equitable services for diverse newcomers, and promote testing and research of innovative approaches to improve service delivery.