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What federal or provincial settlement funds are available to newcomers to Canada and how much are they?
Executive summary
Federal settlement services for newcomers are funded and delivered through IRCC’s Settlement Program, which recently provided over $65 million in funding extensions and introduced new streams such as an Equity Stream; funding agreements were renewed as of April 1, 2025 and resources are tied to expected arrivals so funding may decline in 2025–27 [1] [2] [3]. Separate from service funding, Express Entry “proof of funds” (minimum settlement funds applicants must show) was updated in 2025 with new amounts effective July 7, 2025; specific per‑family figures appear across practitioner sites summarizing IRCC guidance [4] [5] [6].
1. How federal settlement services are funded and what that means for newcomers
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) operates a national Settlement Program that pays service providers to offer pre‑arrival and in‑Canada supports—language training, employment help, referral services and community integration—and the department announced more than $65 million in extensions to continue those services nationwide [1]. IRCC put new three‑year funding agreements in place as of April 1, 2025 following a 2024 Call for Proposals, and in 2025 introduced targeted measures (for example, an Equity Stream and well‑being navigation supports) to shore up grassroots and mental‑health‑related supports [7] [3]. However, IRCC ties the size of settlement funding to arrival volumes: because the 2025–27 Levels Plan projects fewer newcomers, IRCC documents say available resources for settlement services will decrease in those years [3] [2]. That means service availability and program emphasis could shift regionally as funding and local provincial/municipal investments change [3].
2. Which newcomers are eligible for federally funded settlement services
IRCC’s materials and coverage note that many categories of newcomers—permanent residents, refugees, protected persons and certain temporary residents (including specific temporary cohorts) —are eligible for most settlement services; IRCC also extended temporary eligibility for some groups (for example, select family members or people evacuated from Gaza/West Bank) through March 31, 2027 in special cases [8] [9]. Eligibility details vary by program and provider, and IRCC advises contacting settlement service providers to confirm individual service eligibility [9].
3. Provincial settlement funds vs. federal service funding — different concepts
There are two different money concepts in the reporting: (A) funding that governments give to service providers to run settlement programs (federal contracts/grants), and (B) the “proof of funds” or settlement funds that immigration applicants must personally hold to show they can support themselves on arrival. IRCC’s Settlement Program refers to category A—government investments in service delivery, which include the $65 million extensions and new funding streams announced in 2023–2025 [1]. The “proof of funds” requirement is a personal minimum asset test used in some federal economic immigration streams (Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker/Federal Skilled Trades) and is an applicant’s own money, not government assistance [4] [10].
4. How much money newcomers must personally show (proof of funds)
IRCC updated Express Entry proof‑of‑funds amounts in 2025 (effective July 7, 2025), increasing the minimums applicants must demonstrate; media and immigration practitioners report the new figures and stress they change annually and differ by family size [4] [5]. Multiple secondary sources list specific 2025 amounts for various family sizes (for example, practitioner pages quote figures such as CAD$15,263 for one person in some 2025 summaries), but the authoritative IRCC table is what applicants should rely on for exact totals and verification [6] [11] [5]. Available sources do not reproduce the full official table text here; consult IRCC directly for the precise current numbers and for exemptions (for example, applicants with arranged employment or already authorized to work in Canada may not need to show these funds) [6] [4].
5. Provincial/municipal cash assistance or one‑time settlement payments — what reporting shows
The provided search results discuss federal program funding to service providers and IRCC’s departmental plans but do not document a nationwide, provincially delivered “settlement cash payment” for newcomers in the sources shown. Available sources do not mention province‑wide guaranteed one‑time cash grants to all newcomers in 2025; they instead describe funded services, targeted pilots, and conditional funding linked to housing investments for asylum claimants in 2026–27 [3] [7]. If you’re asking about province‑level newcomer income supports or transition payments, that is not found in these sources and would require checking individual provincial government sites.
6. Practical takeaways and next steps for newcomers
For services: reach out to local IRCC‑funded settlement providers listed by IRCC to learn what supports (language, employment, housing navigation) are available in your community and whether you qualify, because program availability can vary with new funding agreements and local investments [1] [7]. For immigration‑application finances: check IRCC’s official proof‑of‑funds table for exact minimums and rules (funds must be liquid and accessible; some applicants with job offers are exempt) and update any Express Entry profile if amounts have changed [4] [12]. Finally, be aware reporting shows federal funding will shift with arrival targets and new priority streams, so both services and funding levels may change over 2025–27 [3] [2].