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The short answer
Ontario Works is for Ontario residents aged 16 or over in financial need whose assets are within the limits: $10,000 for a single person, $15,000 for a couple and $500 more per dependant. By status, Ontario's policy directives say refugee claimants can be eligible from the date they make their claim, while visitors, including people on tourist visas, study permits or work permits, are not eligible unless they have made a refugee claim or applied for permanent residence. Sponsored family members may be eligible if their sponsor is not meeting the support obligation (Ontario, updated April 2026).
The basic tests
Ontario's eligibility page sets out the core conditions. You must:
- be at least 16 years of age;
- be an Ontario resident;
- have assets no greater than the limits: $10,000 for a single person, $15,000 for a couple, plus $500 for each dependant;
- be in financial need;
- agree to take part in employment activities, working out a plan with a caseworker that is updated regularly.
Some assets are exempt, including your home and your primary vehicle. You must report money from all sources, including employment, tax benefits, pensions, Employment Insurance, spousal support and sponsorship support. The amount you receive depends on your situation.
Eligibility by immigration status
Ontario Works Policy Directive 3.1, updated 14 April 2026, sets out how status affects eligibility.
| Status | What the directive says |
|---|---|
| Refugee claimant | Eligible from the date the claim was initiated, if holding official claim documents such as the IMM 1442 |
| Visitor, including tourist visa, study permit or work permit | Not eligible unless they have made a refugee claim or applied for permanent residence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act |
| Tourist | Not eligible |
| Convention refugee under RAP, PSR or JAS | Not eligible during the federal or private sponsorship period; may become eligible when it ends or breaks down |
| Person under a removal order | Eligible only in limited situations, such as a pending pre-removal risk assessment or a stayed removal |
For Nigerians on study or work permits this is the key point: a temporary permit on its own does not open Ontario Works. If you lose a job on a work permit, look first at Employment Insurance, which is based on your insured hours; see whether a work permit holder can claim EI.
Sponsored family members
Many Nigerians in Ontario have sponsored a spouse or parents, or were themselves sponsored. When you sponsor someone, you sign an undertaking to support them. Directive 3.11 explains how Ontario Works treats that.
- Sponsor resources first. Sponsored immigrants must use sponsor support and exhaust other financial resources before eligibility is considered.
- When the sponsor is not paying. A family class sponsored immigrant may be eligible while the sponsorship is in effect if the sponsor is not meeting support obligations. You cannot be refused because a sponsor refuses to help, but you can be refused if you are unwilling to give information about the sponsor.
- Partial support. Support actually received from a sponsor is treated as income and deducted dollar for dollar.
- Waivers. A temporary waiver of three to twelve months can apply where the sponsor is on social assistance or there is a breakdown because of abuse or family violence. A permanent waiver can apply where, for example, the sponsor has died with no co-signer.
What it means for the sponsor
Once assistance is paid, the ministry notifies the sponsor that a debt is building up. If the sponsor does not respond within 15 days or resume support, a Notification of Sponsorship Debt goes to IRCC and the case is referred for collection. The directive says the amount of the debt is not negotiable, and IRCC sends warning letters to sponsors in default; sponsors in default are not allowed to sponsor again unless they meet their obligations. Where abuse is alleged, the default letter is not sent and the debt is not pursued.
Sponsoring parents or a spouse from Nigeria is a long financial commitment; see the income test for sponsoring parents and supporting a spouse while sponsorship is processed.
Common misunderstandings
- "Owning anything rules me out." Assets count only above the limits, and some are exempt, including your home and primary vehicle. Property in Nigeria is a separate question: declare it and ask your caseworker how it is treated rather than leave it off the form.
- "Study permit holders can apply after losing a part-time job." The directive treats study permit holders as visitors, who are not eligible unless they have made a refugee claim or applied for permanent residence.
- "My sponsor's refusal means I am refused." The directive says a sponsor's refusal to support you is not a reason to find you ineligible.
How to apply
Ontario directs applicants to its social assistance pages at ontario.ca/socialassistance, with an online application through the province's MyBenefits intake. Have your status documents, details of income and assets for everyone in your household and, if you were sponsored, your sponsor's details ready. Your caseworker will build the employment plan with you.
What to check first
- What is your current status, and does it fall into an eligible category?
- Are your assets within the limit for your household size?
- Were you sponsored, and is the undertaking still in effect?
- If you are on a work permit, have you applied for EI?
- Do you have details of all income, including any sponsor support?
Questions people ask
Can work permit holders get Ontario Works?
Ontario's directive treats people on work permits as visitors, who are not eligible unless they have made a refugee claim or applied for permanent residence.
Are refugee claimants eligible for Ontario Works?
Yes, from the date the claim was initiated, if they hold official claim documents.
What are the asset limits for Ontario Works?
$10,000 for a single person, $15,000 for a couple and an additional $500 per dependant, with exemptions such as your home and primary vehicle.
Can a sponsored spouse get Ontario Works if the sponsor stops paying?
A family class sponsored immigrant may be eligible if the sponsor is not meeting obligations, and the sponsor then owes a sponsorship debt.
Sources
- Ontario: Eligibility for Ontario Works financial assistance (updated 14 Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Ontario Works Policy Directive 3.1, Residency requirements (updated 14 Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Ontario Works Policy Directive 3.11, Sponsored immigrants (updated 14 Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.