I heard that the Re-Settlement Assistance Program (RAP) rates increased September 1, 2024. Do these new rates apply to refugees sponsored by the Private Refugee Sponsor (PSR) and the Blended Visa Office Programs (BVOR)? Will it affect a budget created at the time of a submission well over a year ago?
These rates are established by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as the minimum level of financial support that sponsors must provide to sponsored refugees during their first year in Canada. The new rates apply to refugees sponsored via the Private Sponsors of Refugees (PSR) and the Blended Visa Office Referred (BVOR) program. If you have an arrival that begins in late 2024 or had an earlier arrival where the 12-month sponsorship period includes September. 1, 2024, then you will have to adjust your sponsorship budget. Sponsors are required to meet or exceed the prevailing RAP rates and also adhere to RAP financial policies.
RAP has two components:
- Start-Up Costs which are the same across Canada, and
- Monthly Income Supports: Rates vary by province and are based on the prevailing RAP rates of the community where the refugees will settle
The Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP.ca) website provides an excellent resource for developing a sponsorship budget. The Minimum Financial Support Calculator can help you calculate the minimum level of financial support based on the new RAP rates.