Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation, sections 10(2)(c) and 10(2)(e)

POLICY

If a person with immigration status other than Family Class status (i.e., Refugees, Temporary Resident Permit Holders, etc.) applies for Income Support (IS), the worker must verify the applicant’s status and assess eligibility based on the criteria below.

Temporary Resident Permit Holder
Only Temporary Resident Permit Holders who

• have been approved for entry into Alberta by the Government of Alberta (GOA), or
• been identified by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as a Victim of Human Trafficking 
  
  

may be eligible for IS if they meet all other eligibility criteria.

If a Temporary Resident Permit is cancelled, a direction to leave or a removal order may be issued to the person, or an inquiry may be initiated. If this occurs, they are responsible for their own support.

Ineligible Spouse/Partner
If a spouse/partner of an applicant or recipient does not qualify for IS benefits, the ineligible person is not added to the IS file. However, income and assets belonging to the ineligible person are used to determine ongoing IS eligibility for the household, with applicable income and earnings exemptions applied.

Example
A client gets married and makes a request to add their spouse to their IS file. The spouse entered Canada under a Temporary Resident Permit; however, the person is not a Victim of Human Trafficking, nor does the GOA approve them for entry into Alberta. The spouse is not eligible for IS benefits and is not added to the IS file. However, the IS program considers the spouse’s income and assets when determining ongoing IS eligibility for the client.