Immigrants and Refugees

If you are an immigrant or refugee, you do qualify for welfare as long as you meet the regular requirements unless:
1. you have a deportation or exclusion order against you;
2. you are a visitor who is not applied for refugee status are permanent residence; or,
3. you are a tourist.

If you fall into one of these three groups of people, you can get welfare as you're unable to leave Canada for reasons outside of your control or you applied for permanent residence base any danger of returning to your home country.

Sponsorship Agreements
If you've been sponsored, and the sponsorship breaks down, you may be able to get welfare. However, you have to be able to show that you are making a reasonable effort to get money, including from you sponsor. If they don't think you're making a good effort to get money, they might not give you a check or they might give you less than other people get.

If you are fleeing an abusive sponsor, you shouldn't have to try to get support from them. Not every municipality has a policy about this but we recommend, that if they don't that you fight to make sure that you don't have to have contact with your abuser. In Toronto, there is a policy so that people do not have to pursue income from their abusers.

If you collect social assistance while under sponsorship agreement, your worker will tell Immigration that your sponsor is in default. your sponsor will be expected to pay the money back.

Resettlement Assistance Program for Convention Refugees
If you're a convention refugee, you may qualify for the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) three the Federal government. However, if you don't qualify you can apply for other forms of social assistance. For more information, call 1-888-242-2100

Medical Examinations for Immigration
Welfare will not pay for these medical exams.

Employment Authorizations
Welfare will only pay for employment authorizations if you cannot be removed from Canada.

Emergency Medical Costs
If you're refugee claim has been accepted, you're waiting an appeal for removal, or are a Convention Refugee and has not yet received permanent residence you can get emergency medical costs paid for.