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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Accessibility Plans

Accessibility Plan 2025–2028

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Accessibility Plan [PDF - 2.3 MB]

Message from the deputy ministers of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

We are pleased to present Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC’s) 2025–2028 Accessibility Plan, marking the beginning of the department’s second accessibility cycle under the Accessible Canada Act.

IRCC’s new accessibility plan outlines practical actions to drive meaningful impact across the organization. With a strategic focus on learning and culture, the accessibility plan seeks to promote inclusive behaviours by strengthening awareness, knowledge and skills at every level. These efforts reaffirm IRCC’s commitment to accessibility and help embed accessibility and disability inclusion as core organizational values.

We take pride in the collaborative efforts and progress achieved through our first plan, while recognizing that significant work remains. IRCC is making important organizational and fiscal changes so that we remain sustainable and well positioned to meet our commitments. These adjustments are part of adapting to evolving priorities and resources. Despite these changes, accessibility remains a priority for IRCC.

The 2025–2028 Accessibility Plan builds on existing initiatives while introducing new measures to strengthen accessibility and support across IRCC. Our approach includes leveraging cross-governmental initiatives, guidance and tools, such as the Better Accommodation Project, the GC Digital Workplace Accessibility Passport and standards developed by Accessibility Standards Canada.

Many Canadians experience disability directly or through family members, friends or colleagues. In 2022, Statistics Canada reported that approximately 8 million Canadians—27% of the population aged 15 and older—had one or more disabilities. Many people face unique and specific barriers. Through leadership commitment, shared accountability and sustained efforts, we will realize IRCC’s vision of being a department where everyone is respected and included, and where barrier-free, accessible services are the norm.

United in purpose, IRCC will continue advancing toward a barrier-free Canada.

Thank you,

Dr. Harpreet S. Kochhar
Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Scott Harris
Associate Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Executive summary

The Accessible Canada Act requires federal departments and agencies to publish an accessibility plan every three years that describes how they will remove barriers to accessibility within their organizations. This document presents IRCC’s second accessibility plan for 2025 to 2028, building on lessons learned from our first plan and previous accessibility cycle.

The plan reaffirms IRCC’s commitment to advancing accessibility and disability inclusion. In a context of fiscal restraint and limited resources, we have prioritized realistic and impactful actions to drive progress over the next three years. The plan also explains how we consulted persons with disabilities (PwD) and summarizes our feedback process.

In addition to the seven priority areas established under the Act, IRCC keeps culture as a strategic focus area and introduces learning in this updated plan. These areas emphasize the importance of building awareness, knowledge and skills at all levels to promote inclusive behaviours and support lasting change. In our first plan, accommodation was included alongside culture as an additional priority area. Experience from that cycle showed that accommodation barriers are found across multiple areas. Accommodation is now integrated throughout the plan, ensuring it remains a key focus and allowing for a more comprehensive approach.

This new plan identifies nine priority areas, including key barriers and actions to take over the next three years. The priority areas are as follows:

  1. Culture
  2. Learning
  3. Employment
  4. Built environment
  5. Information and communication technologies (ICT)
  6. Communications, other than ICT
  7. Procurement of goods, services and facilities
  8. Design and delivery of programs and services
  9. Transportation

To measure progress, IRCC will develop key performance indicators for all nine areas and report on results in accessibility progress reports to be released in 2026 and 2027.

General

Background on IRCC

IRCC is responsible for overseeing immigration, refugee protection, citizenship and passport services. Its primary role is to facilitate the arrival and integration of immigrants, protect refugees, promote Canadian citizenship values and manage passport issuance. To carry out this mandate, IRCC develops policies and programs to support Canada’s economic growth and humanitarian commitments while ensuring the safety and security of Canadians. Additional information on the department’s mission and vision can be found online.

Contact us

To provide feedback or ask questions about the accessibility plan or any other accessibility-related matter, please contact the IRCC Accessibility Officer.

You may also request this plan and/or the description of our feedback process in an alternate format, including print, large print, braille, or an audio or electronic format that is compatible with adaptive technology.

Contact information

Mail:
c/o IRCC Accessibility Officer
365 Laurier Ave West
Ottawa, ON  K1A 1L1 Canada

Email: IRCC.Accessibility-Accessibilite.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

Telephone: 1-833-411-6166 or 613-437-6949

Online: Accessibility feedback form

Accessibility feedback

IRCC welcomes feedback on accessibility barriers, our accessibility plan or any related matter.

Anyone may contact IRCC’s Accessibility Officer using the information above. Feedback will be acknowledged in the same format it’s received, unless submitted anonymously.

We review all feedback and take steps to remove barriers. Information on feedback received and how it was taken into consideration will be shared in our departmental accessibility progress reports.

For more information, please consult our accessibility feedback process.

Updated accessibility plan

Overview

IRCC’s second accessibility plan builds on the foundation of our 2022–2025 plan and lessons learned from putting it into action. Our approach was guided by three years of data, feedback, consultations and partner engagement.

Recognizing the current fiscal constraints and limited resources that will affect this three-year accessibility cycle, we focused on practical, high-impact actions to advance accessibility. Our work is shaped by two key principles:

IRCC’s second accessibility plan aligns with the Accessible Canada Act and its seven priority areas, with two additional focus areas: culture and learning. For each area, the plan outlines key barriers and actions for this cycle. Unlike our first plan, where Accommodation had its own section, this plan embeds accommodation-related barriers and actions across multiple priority areas. This change reflects lessons learned and ensures accommodation stays a key focus through a more comprehensive approach.

To track progress, we will establish performance indicators across all nine priority areas and report results in future departmental accessibility progress reports.

Consultations

IRCC values the lived experience of persons with disabilities (PwD) and sees their engagement as essential to advancing accessibility. The IRCC Persons with Disabilities Employee Network (PwDN) has played a key role throughout the first planning cycle by collaborating with partners to raise awareness and advocate for workplace inclusion.

In developing this second plan, IRCC relied on the PwDN and consulted other employees, including those with disabilities, their allies and internal partners. We analyzed input from various sources to identify priority barriers to address in the plan, along with possible solutions and actions.

Once the plan had taken shape, we shared commitments with the PwDN and key partners engaged in advancing accessibility at IRCC. Their feedback was carefully considered and integrated.

More details on our consultations with PwD and partners are available in Annex A.

Priority areas

The next sections describe IRCC’s priority areas. They identify key accessibility barriers across the department and the actions IRCC will take over the next three years to address them, helping to make the department more accessible for everyone.

Culture

Building a department-wide culture of accessibility and inclusion is central to IRCC’s long-term success. The department’s Persons with Disabilities Employee Network (PwDN) plays a key role in raising awareness and advocating for inclusion. With the support of the PwDN and a growing community of allies at all levels of the organization, we strive to change attitudes and behaviours toward persons with disabilities (PwD) and create a workplace where everyone feels respected, supported and valued.

Priority barriers – Culture

  1. Lack of consistent leadership engagement and accountability in addressing barriers and challenges faced by PwD
  2. Ableism in the workplace – where beliefs, practices and structures exclude or disadvantage PwD by prioritizing non-disabled norms and ways of working
  3. Attitudinal barriers – a form of ableism experienced by employees with disabilities, expressed through mindsets and behaviours that reflect negative attitudes, stereotypes or assumptions about PwD
Key planned actions – Culture
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A
  1. Engage senior leadership across all sectors to secure their commitment to advocating for disability inclusion and integrating concrete actions into management practices.
B & C
  1. Promote awareness and understanding of ableism and its impacts in the workplace through education, storytelling and inclusive dialogue—empowering both employees and leadership to recognize, challenge and actively dismantle ableist attitudes and practices.
  2. Develop and carry out targeted initiatives to help shift attitudes and behaviours regarding disability—moving away from judgment, bias and prejudice, and toward a culture of respect, accessibility and inclusion for PwD.
A, B & C
  1. Promote the adoption of the social model of disability—which emphasizes removing barriers, rather than focusing on individual limitations—by raising awareness of its benefits and supporting the creation of practical tools and processes for its application.

Learning

IRCC’s second accessibility plan makes learning a key focus. The first cycle revealed that insufficient awareness and understanding of accessibility were the main barriers to progress across all priority areas. Making learning a standalone priority highlights its strategic importance and allows us to better coordinate efforts and progress on two fronts: building accessibility-related knowledge and developing skills, and improving the accessibility of learning materials and services. This will encourage the adoption of inclusive behaviours, and benefit both IRCC employees and the clients they serve.

Priority barriers – Learning

  1. Limited employee engagement in accessibility learning activities
  2. Competing priorities in IRCC’s operational environment impacting the time available to learn and limiting leadership support
  3. Lack of awareness of available resources

In addition, barriers related to learning are found across priority areas, including in the following areas:

  1. Culture – Lack of awareness about accessibility and disability inclusion
  2. Employment – Managers lack the knowledge and confidence to manage employees with disabilities.
  3. Built environment – Lack of knowledge about the services and support available in national headquarters and regional offices
  4. ICT – Lack of knowledge of available digital tools to facilitate accessibility practices
  5. Communications – Lack of knowledge of accessible communications (oral and written), and time and support to learn
  6. Design and delivery of programs and services – Training sessions delivered to employees and learning materials are not consistently fully accessible.
Key planned actions – Learning
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A & B
  1. Engage senior management to promote accessibility as a strategic priority and commit to allocating time for staff learning across all levels.
A, C to I
  1. Develop an accessibility learning strategy and roadmap for the department that supports the needs of all employees, and helps supervisors and managers build disability confidence using existing resources from IRCC and across government.
I
  1. Enhance the accessibility and usability of employee training services:
    1. Integrate accessible delivery principles into trainer training and facilitation materials for learning providers.
    2. Update learner communications to indicate that accommodations can be requested to support participation in training.
    3. Implement a quality assurance process to ensure the accessibility compliance of new online courses before they are released into IRCC’s Learning Portal.

Employment

In 2025, IRCC updated its employment equity baselines using projected 2029 national labour market data. This ensures fair representation goals across all regions and sets more ambitious targets. IRCC’s representation target for persons with disabilities (PwD) increased from 9.5% to 15.3% by 2029, reflecting Canada’s growing demographic of working-age individuals with disabilities. According to IRCC’s Human Resource Management System, at the end of 2025, IRCC’s PwD representation was 7.2%, highlighting the need for renewed efforts. Despite fiscal constraints, IRCC remains committed to being an employer of choice for PwD. To ensure sustainable progress, we aim to foster an inclusive, psychologically safe and accessible workplace where employees with disabilities are treated fairly and supported throughout their careers.

Priority barriers – Employment

  1. Limited mechanisms to monitor and maintain equitable representation of PwD in our workforce, especially during periods of fiscal restraint, workforce adjustment and organizational change
  2. Insufficient measures to ensure fair and unbiased treatment throughout the employment lifecycle, especially when accommodations are requested
  3. Higher work-related stress levels reported by PwD than the general employee population at IRCC
  4. Accommodation process is complex and lacks clear and flexible guidance, making it difficult for employees to navigate and for managers to respond effectively
Key planned actions – Employment
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A & B
  1. Monitor the representation of PwD, analyze trends in workforce shifts, identify potential systemic barriers and implement strategies to support progress toward the newly established baseline of 15.3%.
C
  1. Deliver activities aimed at promoting a psychologically healthy workplace, strengthening stress management skills, and preventing discrimination and harassment toward PwD.
D
  1. Streamline support and improve responsiveness for accommodation requests:
    1. Strengthen IRCC’s accommodation support model by maintaining the Employee Support Office’s (ESO’s) role in guiding complex cases and expanding efforts to help managers build confidence in supporting employees with disabilities.
    2. Develop and share barrier-focused guidance materials that help employees and managers handle accommodation requests using existing internal and interdepartmental tools, such as the Better Accommodation Project.
    3. Pilot the Digital GC Workplace Accessibility Passport—a tool that helps employees document and engage managers on their accommodation needs—and collect and assess usage data and feedback to make a recommendation on its adoption.

Built environment

IRCC operates more than 40 worksites across Canada, including 26 client-facing offices. We are committed to creating inclusive, accessible spaces that support employees and clients alike. Building on recent improvements—such as all-access washrooms, automatic door openers and ergonomic equipment—we will continue collaborating with partners and suppliers to make sure our shared workspaces meet accessibility standards and foster comfort and efficiency, especially as on-site presence requirements increase.

Priority barriers – Built environment

  1. Limited access to quiet and sensory-friendly workspaces that consider light, sound and scent sensitivities
  2. Insufficient ergonomic office equipment to accommodate people with varying abilities
  3. Insufficient storage space for assistive equipment in unassigned work environments
Key planned actions – Built environment
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A
  1. Improve IRCC work environments to accommodate sensory sensitivities:
    1. In national headquarters, offer low-light zones and/or low-light quiet room options, as well as access to a sensory room aimed at supporting emotional and sensory regulation.
    2. In regional offices, offer dimmable lighting systems and access to wellness rooms aimed at supporting mental well-being.
    3. Collect and assess user feedback and data related to sensory and wellness rooms to inform future projects.
B
  1. Continue installing ergonomic equipment—such as sit-stand desks, monitor arms and ergonomic chairs—across IRCC offices to better support the diverse needs of employees.
A & B
  1. Provide ongoing individualized support in a timely manner to employees with accommodation needs.
A, B & C
  1. Develop and carry out a communication strategy with the following objectives:
    1. Promote and encourage the use of quiet and sensory-friendly rooms and spaces.
    2. Raise awareness of the availability of storage space for assistive equipment.
    3. Promote and improve workplace etiquette by encouraging best practices.

Information and communication technologies

IRCC is committed to establishing an environment where employees and clients with disabilities can fully access the systems, software and tools they need to work and interact with the department. This includes ensuring all digital tools are accessible. For employees, this also means ensuring assistive technologies are provided quickly and effectively to support their work.

Priority barriers – Information and communication technologies

  1. Some digital tools and software widely used in the department are not fully accessible, for example, IRCC’s current case management system and messaging application.
  2. There can be long delays for employees in getting assistive technology for accommodation purposes.
Key planned actions – Information and communication technologies
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A
  1. Verify that requirements in accessibility standards WCAG 2.1 and CAN/ASC – EN 301 549:2024 are correctly and consistently included and evaluated throughout procurement processes for Information and communication technologies (ICT) products and services.
  2. Regularly assess software and electronic applications to ensure new releases and updates meet accessibility guidelines.
  3. Improve the accessibility of the digital tools and software used by IRCC employees:
    1. Monitor and address accessibility issues in Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 by sharing workarounds with employees and escalating unresolved problems to Microsoft support.
    2. Develop and promote training sessions in both official languages to help employees understand and use built-in accessibility features effectively.
    3. While focusing efforts on the new case management system being developed through the Digital Platform Modernization (DPM) program, explore targeted solutions to resolve accessibility concerns in the current system when they arise.
B
  1. Improve efficiency and responsiveness to employee accommodation needs:
    1. Continue to review and streamline the current workflows for accessibility hardware and software requests related to accommodations and/or ergonomics.
    2. Compile a list of frequent accommodation requests and recommended solutions to help develop “fast track” procedures that speed up approvals and procurement for recurring needs.

Communications, other than ICT

As Canada’s primary contact for immigration, citizenship and passport services for both foreign nationals and Canadians, IRCC considers it important to show leadership by adopting inclusive and accessible practices in its communications. This includes information and materials shared internally and externally, through various channels and formats. In this cycle, we are focusing efforts on modernizing tools and templates, and providing clear guidance to support consistent accessibility across all platforms.

Priority barriers – Communications

  1. Communications products across the department are not consistently produced or shared in accessible formats.
  2. Employees lack guidance on how to ensure the accessibility of communications products.
Key planned actions – Communications
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A & B
  1. Enhance accessibility in corporate and daily communications:
    1. Revise IRCC’s corporate visual identity to reflect modern, inclusive and accessible values.
    2. Redesign corporate Word and PowerPoint templates to meet accessibility standards, with clear user instructions.
    3. Consult employees to identify other commonly used templates and create accessible versions with user guidelines.
    4. Create updated and accessible templates for internal products published on the department’s intranet.
    5. Develop and carry out a communications strategy to promote the adoption of the revised templates.
A
  1. Regularly assess web content to ensure plain language and compliance with accessibility standards, using the Canada.ca Content Style Guide and templates for all new publications.
  2. Monitor upcoming changes to accessibility standards and guidelines to ensure publishing methods are reviewed and updated as needed and in a timely manner.

Procurement of goods, services and facilities

The procurement of goods and services is an essential function that supports IRCC’s operations. Focusing on accommodation materials in this cycle, our goal is to make purchasing processes simpler and more consistent. We want to ensure quick turnaround on requests, provide clear guidance and create a positive experience for employees who need support.

Priority barriers – Procurement

  1. Low priority and long delays for the procurement of some accommodation materials, including ergonomic equipment
  2. Lack of guidance on processes to purchase accommodation materials
Key planned actions – Procurement
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A
  1. Map the current procurement processes for purchases below $10,000 and identify where and why delays are experienced.
  2. Develop and test potential solutions to optimize processes.
B
  1. Develop and promote guidance materials (for example, workflows or job aids) to support employees responsible for purchasing accommodation items and to help promote more consistent and standardized application of the processes.

Design and delivery of programs and services

IRCC delivers a wide range of programs and services to clients in Canada and around the world. We recognize the importance of making these services inclusive and accessible. A key part of this work is the department’s multi-year digital transformation through the Digital Platform Modernization (DPM) program, which is introducing a new online platform for clients and modern tools for employees. While DPM is a major focus, IRCC is also committed to embedding accessibility in the design and delivery of all programs and services by strengthening accountability and responsibility across the organization, and ensuring a consistent approach across programs for receiving and responding to client accommodation requests.

Priority barriers – Programs and services

  1. Lack of clarity on roles, responsibilities and accountability for the design and delivery of accessible programs and services
  2. Lack of a streamlined and centralized process for clients to request accommodations
Key planned actions – Programs and services
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A
  1. Develop an accessibility policy or framework for IRCC to clarify roles and responsibilities, and establish accountability for removing barriers. The policy will align with other departmental frameworks, including Gender-Based Analysis Plus, to support lasting culture change toward disability inclusion.
  2. Oversee the delivery of IRCC’s DPM program to make sure services are easy to use and accessible for everyone—clients and employees alike:
    1. Integrate accessibility principles at every project phase—from design to final delivery—and ensure alignment with recognized standards.
    2. Monitor compliance with accessibility standards using a structured approach to ensure accessibility is integrated at every phase of DPM projects, including testing.
    3. After launch, use client surveys and feedback to identify any accessibility barriers and improve future projects.
B
  1. Implement a client-centered, digitally enabled accommodation request process:
    1. Design and launch a self-serve, digital accommodation request feature in the new online account, integrating a user-friendly tool to allow clients with disabilities to flag accommodation needs.
    2. Develop a centralized framework for responding to client accommodation requests. This will include a process guide for IRCC employees, with protocols for timely, equitable and consistent responses.
    3. Engage persons with disabilities throughout the design, testing and refinement phases to ensure solutions reflect lived experiences and varied accessibility needs.

Transportation

In 2025, IRCC decentralized its travel support services and adopted the government’s new travel booking platform. Branches now manage their own travel arrangements and expense claims. This shift revealed travel-related barriers for employees with disabilities. IRCC also took the opportunity to examine the travel experience of clients visiting our offices in person, identifying gaps in office information available online. We will work to provide clear information for clients and proactive support for employees with disabilities to make travel easier, safer and more accessible for everyone.

Priority barriers – Transportation

  1. IRCC’s public web pages don’t include information on parking or public transit options for clients visiting IRCC offices in person.
  2. The department’s travel booking system may be difficult to use for employees with disabilities who need to arrange travel.
  3. Managers may be unaware of their employees’ specific needs when they travel, which could create a lack of support or security.
Key planned actions – Transportation
Barrier(s) Associated actions
A
  1. Explore ways to improve client-facing web pages by adding office-specific information.
B
  1. Promote existing support services for the new travel booking platform, and assess the need for alternate support measures that offer assistance to PwD.
C
  1. Develop and implement an awareness campaign for supervisors and managers to highlight the importance of travel safety, especially for employees with disabilities or mobility barriers.

Conclusion

While we have made meaningful progress toward accessibility since IRCC published its first accessibility plan in 2022, we recognize there is still much to do. As our department—like many others across the Government of Canada—continues to navigate fiscal constraints, we remain committed to moving forward to remove barriers for persons with disabilities through collaboration and innovation.

Our immediate priority is to begin implementing the actions in this plan, and establishing processes to track our progress. We are hopeful that these efforts will have a significant and lasting impact, and contribute to the Government of Canada’s vision of a barrier-free Canada by 2040.

Thank you to everyone involved across the department for your ongoing dedication and support in advancing accessibility at IRCC. Together, we are creating an environment where barriers are actively identified, addressed and removed so that all employees and clients can fully participate.

Annex A – Consultations

To inform IRCC’s second accessibility plan, we analyzed all information collected throughout the first cycle, including from the following trusted sources:

This allowed us to identify the most frequent, damaging and persistent barriers for each priority area. We sent an online survey to a group of 20 volunteers identified through a department-wide employee call-out, emphasizing that the consultation would be conducted confidentially and offering support to complete the survey if needed. Seventeen volunteers answered the survey and identified the top two or three barriers for each pillar, based on their lived experience or what they observed at IRCC.

With the survey results in hand, we engaged internal partners to secure commitments on actions the department could undertake in the next three years to address the identified barriers. Partners also provided input related to ongoing accessibility initiatives and elements from the first plan to be brought forward.

We shared a draft of our plan, including commitments and actions, with PwDN members and key partners for a final round of consultations. These partners included teams in employee support services, human resources, facilities, IT, communications and client service delivery. We carefully reviewed their feedback and made changes to the plan. For example, PwDN members recommended adding a section on key definitions. Partners asked us to strengthen the link between planned actions and the barriers they address, and suggested wording changes in several areas to improve clarity and make the plan easier to read. Partners also stressed the importance of creating a strong way to track and measure progress, while keeping in mind the department’s limited resources. This will remain a priority as we move into the implementation phase of the plan.

Annex B – Definitions and key terminology

Ableism
Discrimination in favor of able-bodied people, which creates discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities.
Accessibility
Accessibility refers to how services, technology, locations, devices, environments and products are designed to accommodate persons with disabilities. Accessibility means giving people of all abilities equal opportunities to take part in life activities. The term means that there has been conscious planning, design and effort to make sure something is barrier-free to persons with disabilities. Accessibility also benefits the general population by making everything more usable and practical for all people.
Accommodation
Accommodation refers to actions that remove disadvantages resulting from barriers.
Ally
A person who actively seeks to learn about the challenges of a person or group of people experiencing discrimination and who works in solidarity with them to fight against oppression.
Barrier
According to the Accessible Canada Act (2019): “Barrier means anything—including anything physical, architectural, technological or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice—that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with a physical, mental, intellectual, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation.”
Bias
A preconceived judgment that is held by a person and that influences their perception of or their behaviour toward another person or group of people.
Disability
According to the Accessible Canada Act (2019), a disability is “[a] physical, mental, intellectual, learning, communication or sensory impairment—or a functional limitation—whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.” Anyone can identify as a person with a disability if they experience one or more of these impairments or functional limitations that, in interaction with a barrier, hinder their full and equal participation in society.
Gender-Based Analysis Plus
An analytical approach used to assess the potential effects policies, programs and initiatives may have on diverse groups of people.

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2026-02-27