REFUGEE CASH ASSISTANCE
ISSUE DATE: 09/2025
The Minnesota Department of Human Services provides Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) to persons with eligible status who are ineligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or MFIP. Refugee Employment Services (ES) and Refugee Social Services (RSS) are available to assist eligible persons to attain self-sufficiency within this period of time. RCA participants may continue to receive Refugee Employment and Social Services after their RCA eligibility ends. For information about assistance programs for persons with refugee and other eligible status, see 0030 (Refugee Assistance Programs). For a list of funded ES and RSS providers in Minnesota, see the Resettlement Network Agency list.
RCA eligibility is based on the person’s ORR eligibility date, which is either the:
● | Date of entry into the United States with an ORR-eligible status, OR |
● | Date an ORR-eligible status is granted. |
A person who had ORR eligibility prior to May 5, 2025, is eligible for RCA for up to 12 months.
A person whose date of ORR eligibility is on or after May 5, 2025, is eligible for RCA for up to 4 months.
RCA is a six-month budget period. All RCA cases must be prospectively budgeted for six months or up to the end of the RCA eligibility period, whichever comes first.
The 30-day state residency requirement does not apply to RCA applicants.
Only persons with the following status, as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), are eligible for RCA:
● | Admitted as refugees under section 207. See 0031.01.24 (Refugees). |
● | Granted asylum under section 208. See 0031.01.09 (Asylees). |
● | Cuban and Haitian entrants, in accordance with requirements in 45 CFR part 401.2. |
● | Certain Amerasians. See 0031.01.06 (Amerasians). |
● | Iraqi or Afghan Special Immigrants Visa Holders. See 0031.01.03 (Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Holders) or 0031.01.18 (Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa Holders). |
● | Trafficking victims who have been certified by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). People under age 18 who are trafficking victims are not required to be certified but are issued letters of confirmation (Interim Assistance Letters) by ORR. See TRAFFICKING VICTIMS in 0002.67 (Glossary: Thrifty...). Also see 0031.01.21 (Trafficking Victims). |
● | Certain Afghan Humanitarian Parolees. See 0031.01.01 (Afghan Humanitarian Parolees). |
● | Certain Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees. See 0031.01.27 (Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees). |
● | Count the month they entered the United States, OR the month the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) granted eligible status, whichever is earlier, as month 1 of the RCA eligibility time limit. |
To be eligible, applicants must also:
● | Have not voluntarily quit employment, or have refused an offer of suitable employment, without good cause, within 30 days prior to application. |
● | Register for and participate in Refugee Employment Services (ES) within 30 days of approval of RCA eligibility, unless exempt or have a good cause reason for failure to participate. See 0030.12.06 (RCA Employment Services Good Cause Claims). See 0030.12 (Refugee Employment Services) for information on employment referrals in locations where RES are not available. |
● | Not attending school full-time. |
● | Not enrolled in the Matching Grant (MG) Program with the local resettlement agency. For more information about the Matching Grant Program, see 0029.39 (The Matching Grant Program). |
● | Not enrolled in any public assistance cash programs such as MFIP or GA. |
To better coordinate services, if the client is already working with a local resettlement agency obtain a release of information from the client. If the client is not working with a local resettlement agency, provide the local resettlement agencies information to the client. For the definition of a local resettlement agency see 0002.37 (Glossary: Learning…). Also see 0030.01 (Local Resettlement Agencies) for a list of local resettlement agencies.
People with potential RCA eligibility may receive resettlement case management services from a local resettlement agency. See 0030 (Refugee Assistance Program), 0030.01 (Local Resettlement Agencies).
As a condition for RCA, the participant must:
● | Accept at any time, from any source, an offer of suitable employment. Follow MFIP provisions in 0028.18.03 (Suitable/Unsuitable Work). Unless good cause is claimed. |
● | Cooperate with monthly check-ins. See 0030.18 (RCA 6-Month Reviews and Monthly Check-Ins). |
For information on who may be included in an RCA assistance unit, see 0030.03.03 (RCA Assistance Units).
RCA participants are eligible to apply for SNAP benefits. See 0031 (Non-Citizen Guidance). 
PREVIOUS REVISIONS
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 07/2024 | updated to include links to the immigration section guidance for each of the immigration classifications/statuses listed. Minor additional updates to reflect changes in the resettlement landscape. |
| 05/2024 | updated throughout and Deletes link to 0011.03.30 and replaces it with link to 0031.01.21 (Trafficking Victims). |
| 05/2023 | clarifies that if an RCA client comes to the county first, they are not required to provide a resettlement agency when they don't have nor know of such info yet. |
| 08/2022 | added Afghan Humanitarian Parolees and Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees as an eligible status, added not enrolled in PA cash programs as additional eligibility criteria |
| 11/2019 | in 3rd paragraph adds new NOTE that Cuban/Haitian entrants who are in Pending Removal Proceedings, who have not been granted parole, remain eligible for federal benefits & services, including RCA, as long as there is no final order of removal. |
| 01/2017 | updates information throughout. |
| 01/2017 | updates section throughout. |
| 09/2016 | updates the name and link of the Minnesota Health Care Programs Eligibility Policy Manual. No policy was changed. |
| 04/2015 | changes the link title to Insurance Affordability Programs/Health Care Manuals due to manual name change. No policy was changed. |
Report this page