Government Assistance and Financial Assistance

refugee family: Privately sponsored refugees are not entitled to government assistance during the period of their sponsorship . Their income support must be provided by their sponsors — volunteer community groups, according to The Chronicle Herald. In both cases, the exact rate of support depends on the size of the family and is tied to social assistance rates. Government-assisted refugees have access to financial assistance from the federal government through the Resettlement Assistance Program . This financial assistance is generally for one year, maximum, and is received only if they do not have their own financial resources or income. In Nova Scotia, a refugee family of four will receive about $20,000 for support for a year, plus start-up costs of $7,000; a family of five, about $22,500, plus $7,200 to start up. Nabiha Atallah, communications and outreach, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia Nova Syria idea brilliant Re: Give Syrian refugees land, and they’ll land on their feet. For newly arrived refugees, as for all Nova Scotian families living on social assistance, it is a huge challenge to support a family on this income. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.