Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) Presentation

ARAISA – St. John’s, Newfoundland

September 2010

Ron Parent, CIC, IPMB, Refugee Resettlement Program Delivery

Targets and Populations – 2010

• 7500 GARs (1900 for Quebec); 5000 PSRs• ~70 different nationalities• Largest numbers:

– Iraq– Bhutanese– Afghanistan– Colombia– Iran– Various African populations (Somalia, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia)– Burmese (Karens)

2

3

4

Matching Centre/Destining

• SPO capacity surveys helping to better inform destining

• 2010 challenging :– Domestic (Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Charlottetown)

– International (BA strike, volcano, Bangkok violence)

5

High Needs GARs

• No decrease in numbers• Impacts being felt nationally – particular challenges

for smaller centres• Medical escort cases• Disabilities/wheelchair cases• Trustee/Guardian • Longer term care cases

High-needs GARs

• “Resettlement Needs Assessment Form” is being piloted in Singapore, Damascus and Nairobi– Form provides additional information about refugees’ needs during

travel and upon arrival in Canada

– Needs Assessment form is key in making sure POE and final destination are aware and can prepare.

• JAS Working Group– Brings together CIC, SPOs and sponsors

– Will work toward developing better communications and increasing the sponsorship of JAS cases

6

RAP Budget – Contributions/Conversions

8

High-Needs GARs

• “Case Management” type initiatives ongoing:– Ontario Client Support Services program

– Edmonton

– Vancouver

– Halifax

– Others

9

Issues/Challenges from Case Management

• Primary GAR gaps being identified:– Physical & emotional/mental health

– Interim Federal Health (IFH)

– Language and interpretation

– Financial/budgeting

– Education

– Employment

– General settlement

10

Top challenges after one year of resettlement

• As self-identified by GAR clients during exit interviews:1. Adapting to a new country and culture

2. Finding a job

3. Learning English

4. Shopping on a low budget

5. Accessing health care services

6. Budgeting and managing money

7. Filing income tax return

8. Understanding and following up with mail/correspondence

9. Interpretation

10.Finding appropriate housing accommodations

11

RAP Developments

• IP3, Part II finalized• RAP training for CIC officers - CBT:

– Introduction to RAP

– Preparing to meet the client

– Calculating support and benefits

– Client intake interview

– Managing the client file

• RAP officer mandatory learning plan (CIC)

RAP Income Support Administration Review

• Ensures national consistency• Activities completed in the past year

– Compared SA rates with RAP rates in each centre

– Reviewed NCBS provincial policies and related RAP administration

• Atlantic Region – implementation of changes• Direct deposit pilot

13

Canadian Orientation Abroad

• 11 COA facilitators visited Canada in 2009• IOM organized observation visits for RAP SPO staff

to COA sites overseas• Visits to Nairobi, Damascus and Damak/Kathmandu• Final report to be shared widely

GAR-RAP Evaluation

• Overall goals of the evaluation• Consultant/CIC R&E have started work• Report anticipated in late 2010

RAP Terms and Conditions

• Linked to GAR-RAP evaluation• Existing Ts&Cs received continuation until September

2011 - unchanged• Concurrent process – Ts&Cs being reviewed while

evaluation is ongoing• RAP WG was consulted; work ongoing

16

Performance Management Framework

• The renewed RAP Ts&Cs will include a PMF• Potential outcome indicators have been developed

following an extensive literature review and in consultation with SPOs, CICs, SAHs

• Final indicators selected will consider current data collection and will align with Departmental PMF and the Settlement PMF (under development)

Refugee Reform

17

Canada has two refugee program streams:

• Refugee Resettlement Program– This program is founded on Canada’s humanitarian traditions.

– Refugees are referred by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or are privately sponsored for resettlement to Canada.

– Canada accepts a specific number of refugees each year through this program.

• In-Canada Asylum System― People arrive in Canada and make an asylum claim either at a port of entry or at a CIC

office.― No annual targets – virtually all claims made on Canadian territory are considered.― Eligible claims are decided by the independent Immigration and Refugee Board of

Canada (IRB).

• In 2009, Canada resettled over 12,400 refugees from abroad and received over 33,200 asylum claims.

18

Refugee Reform

• Bill C-11: the Balanced Refugee Reform Act received Royal Assent on June 29, 2010

• Reforms will improve Canada’s asylum system, resettle more refugees from abroad and increase funding for in-Canada support to resettled refugees

Enhancing Overseas Protection

• To complement changes to the in-Canada asylum system, measured have also been taken to enhance the resettlement of refugees from overseas by:

– Increasing the annual target for resettled refugees by 2,500 for a total target of 14,500. This would include up to:

• 500 additional government-assisted refugees and

• 2,000 additional privately sponsored refugees

– Increasing funding under the Resettlement Assistance Program to help refugees from abroad settle in Canada (except Quebec).

19

Implementation Timelines

20

2010-11 2011-12 2012-2013

GAR increase 125 300 500

PSR increase 500 1500 2000

• Phased-in approach• Minimal increases for 2010-2011• Time now for provincial engagement

Provincial Engagement: Government-Assisted Refuges (GARs)

• GAR targets have remained the same since before the creation of the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) in 1998

• Levels were determined through consultations between CIC and provinces

• Currently, there are 23 GAR receiving centres across Canada outside of Quebec

21

Questions for Provinces Regarding GARs

• Interest in taking new GARs?• Rebalance existing GAR centres?

– Includes receiving GARs in new centres; capacity required

– Rebalance must be cost neutral

• Taking fewer GARs?

22

23

Refugee Reform – Impacts on RAP

• Funding• Increased numbers

RAP Budget - Overall