Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) contributions for exceptionally high-needs resettled refugees

Through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), IRCC may pay for transportation costs, transportation-related costs, and/or initial settlement costs to reduce the financial burden for exceptionally high-needs resettled refugees, rather than have these costs repaid through a loan under the Immigration Loans Program (ILP).

On this page

• Approval of requests
• Preparing a request
• Post-arrival RAP contribution requests
• Streamlined approval
• Requests for reconsideration
• Procedures for all immigration loans

Approval of requests

The authority to approve requests to pay for a client’s transportation costs, transportation-related costs, and/or initial settlement costs using RAP contribution funding rests with the Resettlement Policy and Program Branch (RPPB) ILP Functional Guidance team (Loans team). Requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis and decisions on these are dependent on annual budget allocations.

The Loans team aims to make decisions within one month of receiving requests. However, this service standard may not be met when there are periods of high volumes.

Preparing a request

Requests can be made:

• Pre-arrival, by migration offices or the RPPB Resettlement Operations Division (ROD) to pay for a client’s transportation and transportation-related costs
• Post-arrival, by RAP service provider organizations (SPO) or Settlement Network (SN) regional offices managing the RAP, to pay for a client’s transportation and transportation-related costs, and/or initial settlement costs

Requests must identify multiple relevant factors, and briefly explain why the principal applicant (PA) and their dependents are considered to have exceptionally high needs. Requests should demonstrate the compounding impact of these factors on the likelihood the PA will be able to repay their ILP loan or become self-sufficient in Canada. Such factors may include:

• Single head of household
• Large number of dependents
• Senior (65+)
• Limited or no formal education and/or literacy skills
• Limited or no work experience
• Experience of violence, trauma, torture, and/or sexual or gender-based violence
• Experience of a severe family crisis
• Physical disability or impairment
• Mental health condition or cognitive impairment
• Long-term need for full or partial care/assistance with activities of daily life for PA or dependent(s)
• Long-term need for frequent specialized medical appointments, services or supports for PA or dependent(s)
• No friends or relatives in Canada
• Other (requestor to specify)

Important tips

• To protect client privacy, only include key points demonstrating the need to have IRCC pay for their transportation and/or initial settlement costs. Do not include a detailed description of the client’s history or experience. Instead, use only the general terms that may apply, such as “survivor of torture” or “survivor of sexual and/or gender-based violence.”
• Include the PA’s UCI and IRCC application number (G#) in the subject of the email when submitting a request.
• Use the latest versions of the forms available in these instructions:
  • Pre-arrival RAP contribution request
  • Post-arrival RAP contribution request (available upon request from SN-RAP officers)
• Save and submit the form in MS Word format, to allow the Loans team to complete the form.
• Submit a request for each principal applicant (PA), except for minors:
  • One-year window (OYW) minors: See Streamlined Approval – OYW cases where IRCC covered PA-CDA’s loan.
  • Non-OYW Minors on their own application and travelling with the intended guardian: The intended guardian identified in the Acknowledgement of Responsible Adult form [IMM 5590] should be the loan applicam nt. Submit one request that indicates the intended guardian as the loan applicant, but also include the minor’s IRCC application number in the form.
• Clients will only be informed that IRCC will pay for their transportation and transportation-related costs, and/or initial settlement costs if and when the request is approved.
  • For pre-arrival request, the Loans team will inform the client by email. For this purpose, ensure that the client’s current email address is provided in the request.
• Clients will not be informed if a request was submitted and denied.
• While documents such as medical notes may support a request, these are not required.

Post-arrival RAP contribution requests

Form to use: Post-arrival RAP contribution request (available upon request from SN-RAP officers)

1. The RAP SPO or SN-RAP officer must complete the Post-Arrival RAP contribution request by indicating:
   • whether the request is for transportation and transportation-related costs, and/or initial settlement costs
   • a short rationale, including all applicable factors listed under Preparing a request

     Note: Though not required, a request may include supporting documents (for example, a doctor’s note).

2. Once the SN-RAP supervisor has concurred, the SN regional office sends the completed form to the Loans team mailbox.
3. The Loans team reviews the request and issues a decision:
   • If the request is approved:
     1. The Loans team sends a confirmation of approval to the requesting SN regional office, asking them to:
        1. have the RAP SPO (with the assistance of an interpreter, if required) explain the RAP contribution approval to the client, and seek confirmation that they agree with the terms of the RAP contribution agreement for exceptionally high-needs resettled refugees; and
        2. send a confirmation to the Loans team that the client is in agreement with these terms.
     2. If a loan statement was already sent to the client, and if the assistance loan did not include refundable costs, they will receive an updated loan statement with a zero balance. If a statement was not sent yet, the client will not receive a loan statement in the future.
   • If the request is denied
     1. The Loans team sends a confirmation of denial to the requesting SN regional office, including the rationale for the denial.
     2. The SN regional office informs the RAP SPO of the denial, including the rationale.

Streamlined approval

The approval of RAP contribution requests is streamlined, i.e. does not require completed pre- or post-arrival RAP contribution request forms, where clients’ exceptionally higher needs have already been demonstrated.

1. New costs added to a transportation or assistance loan after a RAP contribution request was approved

2. PA in Canada for One-Year Window (OYW) of Opportunity case previously approved for a RAP contribution

3. Cases recommended for Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS)

Requests for reconsideration

If a client’s situation changes after a request is denied, or if new supporting documents become available, a new RAP contribution request may be submitted for reconsideration.

Procedures for all immigration loans

• Eligibility for an immigration loan
• Determining the need for and assessing the ability to repay an immigration loan
• Signing and approval authority for an immigration loan
• Counselling immigration loan applicants
• Payment and collection of immigration loans