Evaluation of the Immigration Loan Program

Appendix D: Detailed Survey Results Related to Settlement Impacts

Figure 5: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement

figure 5
Figure 5: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement - Table
Percentage of survey respondents who agreed Strongly agree/
agree
Strongly disagree/
disagree
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to pay for basic things like food, clothing and housing (n=722) 53.9% 46.1%
After paying for food, clothing and housing, paying your loan back takes/took a large portion of what they had left (n=716) 55.0% 45.0%
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to afford to participate in school, community, or recreational activities (n=702) 47.0% 53.0%
As a result of the loan, they better understand the Canadian financial system (n=689) 88.7% 11.3%
As a result of working to pay back the loan, it was/is more difficult to find the time to use services available to help with adapting to living in Canada (n=661) 47.8% 52.2%
Having to pay back the loan made them get a job quickly (n=624) 49.8% 50.2%
Having to pay back the loan made your spouse or children get a job (n=536) 31.0% 69.0%
They feel proud that they are/have been able to pay back the loan (n=725) 95.3% 4.7%
Paying back the loan is/was stressful for them (n=722) 51.1% 48.9%

Source: Loan Recipient Survey.

Figure 6: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Immigration Category

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Figure 6: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Immigration Category - Table
Percentage of survey respondents who agreed GARs PSRs
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to pay for basic things like food, clothing and housing (n=722) 53.9% 46.1%
After paying for food, clothing and housing, paying your loan back takes/took a large portion of what they had left (n=716) 55.0% 45.0%
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to afford to participate in school, community, or recreational activities (n=702) 47.0% 53.0%
As a result of working to pay back the loan, it was/is more difficult to find the time to use services available to help with adapting to living in Canada (n=661) 88.7% 11.3%
Paying back the loan is/was stressful for them (n=722) 47.8% 52.2%

Source: Loan Recipient Survey.

Figure 7: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Loan Size

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Figure 7: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Loan Size - Table
Percentage of survey respondents who agreed $1,200 or less > $1,200 up to $2,400 > $2,400 up to $3,600 > $3,600 up to $4,800 > $4,800
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to pay for basic things like food, clothing and housing (n=722)Footnote *** 35.9% 45.1% 48.4% 53.2% 63.8%
After paying for food, clothing and housing, paying your loan back takes/took a large portion of what they had left (n=716)Footnote * 42.1% 49.2% 55.8% 52.2% 61.1%
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to afford to participate in school, community, or recreational activities (n=702)Footnote ** 37.8% 40.7% 41.6% 40.2% 55.9%
Paying back the loan is/was stressful for them (n=722)Footnote * 41.0% 43.3% 55.8% 51.1% 56.0%

Source: Loan Recipient Survey.

Figure 8: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Employment Status at Time of Repayment

figure 8
Figure 8: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Employment Status at Time of Repayment - Table
Percentage of survey respondents who agreed No, not employed at time of repayment Yes, employed at time of repayment
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to pay for basic things like food, clothing and housing (n=719)Footnote ***† 65.6% 43.6%
After paying for food, clothing and housing, paying your loan back takes/took a large portion of what they had left (n=713)Footnote **† 60.5% 50.1%
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to afford to participate in school, community, or recreational activities (n=699)Footnote ***† 57.3% 38.1%
As a result of working to pay back the loan, it was/is more difficult to find the time to use services available to help with adapting to living in Canada (n=658)Footnote *† 52.7% 44.0%
Having to pay back the loan made them get a job quickly (n=621)Footnote ***† 40.5% 56.4%
Paying back the loan is/was stressful for recipient and/or family (n=719)Footnote ***† 59.3% 43.9%

Source: Loan Recipient Survey.

Figure 9: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Estimated Household Income (before taxes)

figure 9
Figure 9: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Estimated Household Income (before taxes) - Table
Percentage of survey respondents who agreed $0 to $20,000 $20,001 to $30,000 Over $30,000
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to pay for basic things like food, clothing and housing (n=633)Footnote ***†† 65.6% 50.3% 38.9%
After paying for food, clothing and housing, paying your loan back takes/took a large portion of what they had left (n=628)Footnote *†† 61.5% 51.0% 50.2%
Paying back the loan makes/made it difficult to afford to participate in school, community, or recreational activities (n=613)Footnote ***†† 54.6% 47.2% 36.2%
Having to pay back the loan made them get a job quickly (n=550)Footnote *†† 43.3% 57.8% 53.2%
Paying back the loan is/was stressful for them (n=631)Footnote ***†† 58.9% 49.0% 39.2%

Source: Loan Recipient Survey.

Table 23 Perceptions of RAP SPOs and SAHs Regarding Impacts of Loan Repayment Related to the Settlement of GARs and PSRs
Impacts of the loan related to settlement Number of RAP SPO respondents who agreed (n=19) Number of SAH respondents who agreed (n=17)
Paying back the loan makes it difficult to pay for basic necessities, like food, clothing and housing 19 14
After taking into account the basic necessities (like food, clothing and housing), paying back the loan takes a large portion of loan recipients' monthly income 18 15
Loan recipients are conscientious about paying back their loan 19 17
Loan recipients are appreciative of the financial assistance to help them come to Canada that is provided by the loan 16 13
Paying back the loan makes it difficult for loan recipients or their families to afford to participate in school/community/recreational activities 18 14
As a result of their loan, loan recipients have learned how to better manage their finances 8 3
During their first year in Canada, loan recipients are focused too much on paying back their loan, rather than on their settlement needs. 14 8
Loan recipients feel proud that they have been able to repay their loan 12 13
Having to repay the loan makes loan recipients feel the need to get into the labour market more quickly 16 13
The loan is a significant source of stress or anxiety for loan recipients and/or their families 18 14
Typically, in the absence of a loan, GARs/PSRs would not be able to afford to pay upfront for the costs of their admissibility (e.g. medical exam) and transportation to Canada (prior to arrival) 19 17

Source: Surveys of RAP SPOs and SAHs.

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