Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP): Calculating income support (payment timeline)

This section outlines income support amounts on a month-by-month basis, including items to be considered when calculating each monthly income support payment.

Reminder: RAP income support is provided for no longer than 12 months (or for up to 24 months for Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) or exceptional circumstances) from the date of arrival in Canada, as per the RAP Terms and Conditions.

On this page

• Month 1: initial payment cheque
• Month 2: pro-rated move adjustment
• Months 3 to 11
• Month 12
• Year 2
• School start-up
• For more information

Month 1 (initial payment cheque - full monthly income support plus start-up allowances)

This first payment will typically be in the form of a cheque and will be based on the information received in the Notification of Arrival Transmission (NAT), as the client has not yet arrived in Canada at the time of the payment creation. It is to be prepared upon receipt of the NAT prior to the arrival of the client and delivered to the client during the intake interview with the IRCC officer or RAP SPO.

The initial payment cheque

The first payment amount that a client will receive from IRCC will include an amount for their first full month of income support and start-up allowances, and is referred to as the initial payment cheque.

Calculating the initial payment cheque

The RAP income support calculation tool is used to calculate payment amounts. Once start-up and monthly calculations are completed, and the commitment request form is signed, a payment request is then sent to NPAS to process the initial payment cheque.

Clients should also be provided with a breakdown of the payments they should expect to receive which outlines the amounts of their start-up and monthly allowances, (including their adjustment month, and prorated end month). This information should also include:

• name and date of birth of each family member
• family size and configuration
• date of Arrival
• breakdown of start-up allowances
• breakdown of monthly allowances
• details of applicable move adjustments
• total initial payment cheque amount
• assistance loan amount (if applicable)

In cases where an urgent payment is required, a priority payment may be requested.

Entitlements are based on age at date of arrival. However, for dependants who reach the age of majority during the eligibility period, income support changes may be applied based on their situation.

The assistance loan

The assistance loan provides financial assistance to foreign nationals, permanent residents, Convention refugees and members of the Humanitarian-protected persons abroad classes to cover the costs associated with the initial settlement of persons granted admission to Canada.

Assistance loans may be authorized for damage deposits for such things as returnable utility deposits (e.g., hydro, telephone, heat) and a rental deposit. An assistance loan may also be issued to cover the last month’s rent in regions where it is paid in lieu of a damage deposit at the same time as first month’s rent. The amount of the assistance loan can be based on the actual rental or lease cost and not be restricted by the prescribed RAP shelter allowance rate.

A loan for basic needs of life may also be issued when clients are experiencing delays with other federal benefit programs such as the Canada Child Benefit program, and have demonstrated that they are otherwise unable to cover the costs for day-to-day survival and human dignity. For more information, consult the procedures for Assistance loans.

Assistance loans can also cover certain labour market access costs such as the purchase of required tools or work clothing where a job is secured. They may also be approved to cover costs of licensing examinations where employment is offered, pending the successful outcomes of a licensing exam.

The remarks on the Immigrant Loans (Assistance Loans) form (IMM 5355) should indicate the breakdown of the loan amount and must indicate how much is provided for the following:

• rent deposit (e.g., security, first and last month rent)
• utility deposits
• telephone deposit
• labour market access

The remarks on the Immigrant Loans (Assistance Loans) form (IMM 5355) should also be used by the authorizing officer to document their decision for approving the loan as per the Assistance loans instructions.

If the client is receiving an assistance loan, they will be required to first sign an Immigrant Loans (Assistance Loans) form (IMM 5355). The loan is to be issued as a stand-alone payment.

Month 2 (pro-rated move adjustment payment)

The food and shelter entitlements in the second payment (covering the period after the clients leave temporary accommodation until the end of that month) will be pro-rated based on the number of days in a permanent accommodation and will usually amount to less than a normal full-month total (unless they moved out on the 1st of the month).

Example of the pro-rated payment

Scenario: RAP client arrives on June 8 and stays in temporary accommodation before moving to permanent accommodation on June 18. Therefore, the client was not eligible for monthly allowance prior to June 8 or from June 8 to June 17 (the last full day in temporary accommodations), as they were being supported by the RAP SPO while they were in temporary accommodations.

Calculations

• Determine shelter allowance per day
  • Full month’s shelter allowance is $625 x 12
  • Divide by 365
  • Equals $20.55 per day
• Determine food and incidental allowance per day
  • Full month’s food & incidentals is $594 x 12
  • Divided by 365
  • Equals $19.53 per day
• Do this calculation for:
  • Food
  • shelter
  • Housing supplement
  • communication allowance
  • any other special monthly allowances (e.g., special dietary or age of majority top up allowance)
• For each of those allowances, multiply the per day amount calculated above by the number of days eligible or required
  • They were in their permanent accommodation from June 18 to the end of the month. This totals 13 days.
  • Therefore, 13 days x $20.55 = $267.15 of shelter allowance; and 13 days x $19.53 = $253.89 of food and incidental allowance, etc
• For transportation: Transportation daily rates are calculated according to the actual costs of a two-way journey or a daily transit pass in the community (where available), up to a maximum of the monthly transit rate in that community, for each adult 18 and over.

Add the pro-rated amounts for each allowance together to determine the total amount for their pro-rated month

In instances where the rental amount is less than the amount issued in the initial payment cheque for rent and housing supplement, a retroactive adjustment needs to be made, and can be applied in this second month.

The month 2 payment may also include conditional allowances that were not provided on the initial payment cheque due to insufficient information, such as any allowances requiring a medical note.

Months 3 to 11

Monthly payments may include:

• Food, incidental and shelter entitlements
• national allowances
• conditional allowances

Income support may need to be adjusted based on receipt of a Change of Status Form from the client, or the approval of an exceptional allowance request. It is important to update financial commitments if the family situation changes.

Month 12

This payment should be pro-rated in a similar fashion based on the date the refugee becomes ineligible for RAP (e.g., if the date of arrival was June 8, eligibility for RAP allowances ends on June 7 the following year.)

Year 2 for clients receiving 24 months of income support

On the 13^th month payment for JAS clients, additional regular and winter clothing allowances can be administered.

School start-up

Some families may require the amount twice, if the entitlement period spans two school years. Families who arrive between September 1 and May 31 are eligible to receive the entitlement twice; once as part of their start-up and a second installment which can be issued in the August payment.

Some JAS families may receive a 3^rd installment of the amount, for the same reasons as above, in the month of August in their second year of JAS.

For more information

• Allowances
• Financial commitments and forecasts
• Issuing payments