Refugee FAQs: Do Refugee Claimants in Canada Receive Social Assistance?

Refugee claimants are entitled to social assistance in most Canadian provinces and territories. They must have started their refugee claim, and generally must have an “Acknowledgement of Claim” letter or a “Refugee Protection Claimant Document”. This is required by international law,¹ and is arguably required by Canadian law (which does not provide for a right to social assistance per se,² but requires that benefits which are extended by extended in a non-discriminatory manner³).

Social assistance is low – below the poverty line – for everyone in all provinces and territories. Refugee claimants would receive the same amount as any other Canadian permanent resident or citizen (based on family size, expenses, assets, etc).

• Alberta
  • Refugee claimants and appellants are entitled to social assistance⁴
  • Social assistance is about 39%-68% poverty for recipients without a disability⁵,⁶
• British Columbia
  • Refugee claimants and appellants are entitled to social assistance⁷
  • Social assistance is between 46-70% of poverty for recipients⁸
• Manitoba
  • Refugee claimants appear to be eligible for social assistance; however, this is not clearly or explicitly stated in law or policy
  • Social assistance is between 43-70% of poverty for recipients⁹
• New Brunswick
  • Refugee claimants are entitled to social assistance¹⁰
  • Social assistance is between 34%-64% of poverty for recipients¹¹
• Newfoundland
  • Refugee claimants are entitled to social assistance¹²
  • Social assistance is between 46%-69% of poverty for recipients¹³
• Northwest Territories
  • Refugee claimants are entitled to social assistance¹⁴
  • Social assistance is between 75%-81% of poverty for recipients¹⁵
• Nova Scotia
  • Refugee claimants are entitled to social assistance¹⁶
  • Social assistance is between 32%-63% of poverty for recipients¹⁷
• Nunavut
  • Refugee claimants appear to be eligible for social assistance; however, this is not clearly or explicitly stated in law or policy
  • Social assistance is between 27%-41% of poverty for recipients¹⁸
• Ontario
  • Refugee claimants and appellants are entitled to social assistance¹⁹
  • Social assistance is between 36%-60% of poverty for recipients²⁰
• Prince Edward Island
  • Refugee claimants do not appear to be eligible for social assistance
  • Social assistance is between 69%-96% of poverty for recipients²¹
• Quebec
  • Refugee claimants and appellants are entitled to social assistance²²
  • Social assistance is between 60%-92% of poverty for recipients²³
• Saskatchewan
  • Refugee claimants do not appear to be eligible for social assistance²⁴
  • Social assistance is between 48%-67% of poverty for recipients²⁵
• Yukon
  • Refugee claimants do not appear to be eligible for social assistance²⁶
  • Social assistance is between 71%-99% of poverty for recipients²⁷

1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, U.N.G.A. Res. 217 (III), 3 U.N. GAOR, Supp. (No. 13) 71, U.N. Doc. A/810 (1948), Article 25: “Every one has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, CTS 1976/47, 993 UNTS 3, Article 9: “The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to social security, including social insurance.”; Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (adopted July 28, 1951, entered into force April 22, 1954) 189 UNTS 137, Article 23: “The Contracting States shall accord to refugees lawfully staying in their territory the same treatment with respect to public relief and assistance as is accorded to their nationals.” ↩︎
2. Gosselin v. Québec (Attorney General), 2002 SCC 84 (CanLII), [2002] 4 SCR 429, https://canlii.ca/t/1g2w1. ↩︎
3. See e.g. Canadian Doctors For Refugee Care v. Canada (Attorney General), 2014 FC 651 (CanLII), [2015] 2 FCR 267, https://canlii.ca/t/g81sg. ↩︎
4. Alberta, “Refugees and Refugee Claimants”, Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual, last updated 11 March 2020, online: https://manuals.alberta.ca/income-and-employment-supports-policy-manual/income-support-program/etw-and-bfe-policy-procedures/03-special-groups/refugees-and-refugee-claimants/. ↩︎
5. Jennefer Laidley and Mohy-Dean Tabbara (Maytree Foundation), Welfare in Canada, 2023 (Toronto: Maytree, 2024); data tables available online: https://maytree.com/changing-systems/data-measuring/welfare-in-canada/all-canada/#access-to-data; Table 3, “Adequacy of welfare income” [Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”]. ↩︎
6. There are several ways of calculating “poverty”. The figures quoted here are from the “Multi Basket Measure” or MBM. ↩︎
7. British Colombia, “Refugee Claimants or Persons Applying for Protection”, in “Citizenship and Residency Requirements”, in “Application & Intake”, in BC Employment & Assistance Policy & Procedure Manual, last updated 13 December 2019, online: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/policies-for-government/bcea-policy-and-procedure-manual/application-and-intake/citizenship-requirements. ↩︎
8. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
9. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
10. New Brunswick, “1.9 – Immigrants”, in “Applicant and Client Types”, in Social Assistance Policy Manual, n.d., online: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/social_development/policy_manual/applicant_and_clienttypes/content/immigrants.html. ↩︎
11. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
12. Newfoundland and Labrador, Income and Employment Support, Policy and Procedure Manual, Chapter 2: Eligibility, (ii) Determining Eligibility – Non Canadians, revised 4 December 2024, online: https://www.gov.nl.ca/cssd/policymanual/files/policymanual-pdf-is-elig-non-canadians.pdf. ↩︎
13. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
14. Income Assistance Regulations, NWT Reg 038-2023, s. 3, online: https://canlii.ca/t/569vm. ↩︎
15. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
16. Nova Scotia, Policy Manual, Employment Support and Income Assistance, revised 1 November 2024, section 5.3.5, online: https://novascotia.ca/coms/employment/documents/ESIA_Program_Policy_Manual.pdf. ↩︎
17. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
18. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
19. Ontario, Ontario Works policy directives, “3.1 Residency requirements”, last updated December 2021, online: https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-works-policy-directives/31-residency-requirements. ↩︎
20. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
21. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
22. Individual and Family Assistance Regulation, CQLR c A-13.1.1, r. 1, s. 47, https://canlii.ca/t/1146#sec47. ↩︎
23. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
24. Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS), n.d., online: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/family-and-social-support/financial-help/saskatchewan-income-support-sis#eligibility. ↩︎
25. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎
26. Yukon, “Who can receive social assistance?” in “Apply for social assistance”, n.d., online: https://yukon.ca/en/legal-and-social-supports/supports-adults-and-seniors/apply-social-assistance. ↩︎
27. Maytree, 2023 “Adequacy of welfare income”. ↩︎