2024-2025 Annual Report on the Access to Information Act

PDF version: Annual Report on the Access to Information Act, 2024–2025 (PDF, 708 KB)

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• I. Overview of IRCC’s ATIP Program
  • Organizational structure
  • Client Records Division
  • Corporate Records, Complaints and Informals Division
  • Privacy Program Management Division
  • Delegation order
• II. Performance
  • Compliance rate and completion times
  • Active requests from previous reporting periods
  • Reasons for extensions
  • Disposition of completed requests
  • Consultations received from other government departments and institutions
  • Summary of key issues and actions taken on complaints
  • Active complaints from previous reporting periods
• III. Training programs and awareness initiatives
  • ATIP course catalogue and sessions given
• IV. Proactive publication under Part 2 of the ATIA
  • Corporate Secretariat (CS)
  • Communications Sector (COMMS)
  • Chief Financial Officer, Finance Sector (CFO)
  • Settlement, Integration and Francophone Affairs Sector (SIFA)
  • Strategic Policy Sector (SPP)
  • Corporate Services and Chief Human Resources Officer Sector (CSS)
  • Proactive publication under section 78 of the ATIA
• V. Monitoring compliance
  • Time taken to process ATI requests
  • Accuracy and completeness of proactively published information under Part 2 of the ATIA
  • Right of public access to information in contracts, agreements and arrangements
  • Contracts
  • Information-sharing agreements and arrangements
• VI. Initiatives and projects to improve access to information
  • IRCC’s new Online Account
  • Proactive release of Officer Decision Notes (ODN)
  • Client correspondence project
  • TBS ATIP Online Request Service (ATIP Online)
  • Technological assistance and upgrades
• Moving forward
• Annex A: Copy of the signed delegation order in effect March 31, 2025
• Annex B: Copy of the Delegation of Authority under the Access to Information Act and Regulations in effect March 31, 2025
• Annex C: Statistical Report on the Administration of the Access to Information Act
• Annex D: Supplemental Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

Introduction

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is pleased to present to Parliament its annual report on the administration of the Access to Information Act (ATIA).

The purpose of the ATIA, as outlined in its section 2, is to promote accountability and transparency within federal institutions by granting Canadians the right to access records under the control of government institutions. The ATIA establishes the principles that government information should be accessible to the public, exceptions to the right of access should be limited and specific, and decisions concerning the disclosure of government information should be subject to review by an independent authority.

This report is tabled in Parliament in accordance with section 94 of the ATIA. It outlines how IRCC administered its obligations under the ATIA during the reporting period beginning on April 1, 2024, and ending on March 31, 2025.

IRCC was created to facilitate the entry of temporary residents, manage the selection, settlement integration of newcomers, grant citizenship and issue passports to eligible citizens. IRCC’s mandate is derived from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act. The Minister of IRCC is responsible for the Citizenship Act of 1977 and shares responsibility with the Minister of Public Safety for the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Effective July 2, 2013, the primary responsibility for Passport Canada and the administration of the Canadian Passport Order and the Order Respecting the Issuance of Diplomatic and Special Passports moved from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to IRCC.

IRCC does not have non-operational (“paper”) subsidiaries at the end of the reporting period.

I. Overview of IRCC’s ATIP program

Consistent with recent reporting periods, IRCC received and processed a significant volume of Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests, totaling 270,528. Of these, 168,987 requests were submitted under the ATIA. The majority of access requests pertain to client immigration applications, while the remaining requests relate to corporate records pertaining to departmental policies and procedures.

The IRCC ATIP program continued to refine and adjust its strategies, established in the previous reporting period, to effectively manage the high volume of ATIP requests while further improving its compliance rate. Additionally, the program continued to support efforts to advance departmental initiatives focused on increasing access to information and improving client service.

Organizational structure

The IRCC ATIP program is structured around its main lines of business. As shown in Figure 1 below, the program is administered by three divisions: the Client Records Division, the Corporate Records, Complaints and Informals Division, and the Privacy Program Management Division. The Director of the Corporate Records, Complaints, and Informals Division also holds the title of ATIP Coordinator.

These three divisions report directly to the Director General of the Access and Privacy Management Branch within the Corporate Services and Chief Human Resources Officer Sector. The Director General also fulfills the role of Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) and provides strategic leadership and guidance on privacy initiatives across IRCC. This includes advising senior management on complex privacy issues, promoting privacy awareness throughout the Department, and reporting to senior leadership on the overall privacy program and compliance status.

At the end of the reporting period, the IRCC ATIP program had a total of 170 full-time employees.

Text version: Structure of the ATIP Program

• Corporate Services and Chief Human Resources Officer Sector

  • Access and Privacy Management Branch

    • Client Records Division
    • Corporate Records, Complaints and Informals Division
      • Innovation and Support Unit
    • Privacy Program Management Division
      • Privacy Policy and Planning Unit
      • Privacy Guidance and Assessments Unit
      • Incident Management Unit

Client Records Division

The Client Records Division consists of 96 employees responsible for managing all requests for client immigration records at IRCC. This includes overseeing the entire process from initial receipt to the issuance of final responses. Additionally, the division manages disclosures under paragraphs 8(2)(d), (e), and (f) of the Privacy Act. The majority of access to information and privacy requests received by IRCC relate to client records and are processed within this division.

Corporate Records, Complaints and Informals Division

The Corporate Records, Complaints, and Informals Division is responsible for processing requests for departmental records. Supported by a team of 40 employees, the division also handles informal requests for information and oversees ATIP corporate reporting within IRCC. Additionally, it manages complaints submitted to the Offices of the Information Commissioner and the Privacy Commissioner, with the objective of ensuring timely and effective resolution of the issues raised.

• The Innovation and Support Unit within the Corporate Records, Complaints and informals Division comprises 7 employees. The unit develops departmental training programs and conducts training sessions for both ATIP and non-ATIP employees. It ensures that training materials are regularly reviewed and updated to meet the needs of different audiences and leadership levels within IRCC. Additionally, the division supports the Department’s operational efficiency initiatives by providing ATIP-related insights on proposed new or revised internal procedures and processes.

Privacy Program Management Division

The Privacy Program Management Division has a total of 27 employees and is tasked with overseeing all facets of IRCC’s privacy program. This includes developing privacy policies, tools, and guidance documents, as well as providing expertise and insights on privacyrelated issues. The division conducts privacy assessments, offers support, manages and reports on privacy breaches, and handles disclosures under paragraph 8(2)(m) of the Privacy Act. Furthermore, it is responsible for governance planning and reporting related to the privacy program.

The Division consists of three distinct teams:

• The Privacy Policy and Planning Unit develops, implements and maintains privacy policies, guidance and tools to assist employees in managing personal information. The unit develops privacy training, coordinates departmental responses to public consultations, reviews departmental policy papers and provides program officials with high-level privacy policy advice.
• The Privacy Guidance and Assessments Unit manages the privacy impact assessment (PIA) process by reviewing departmental PIAs, assessing privacy risks and recommending mitigation strategies. The unit also provides senior management with privacy advice, guidance and recommendations on identified privacy issues, and it routes and manages all proposed public interest disclosures for decision within the Department.
• The Incident Management Unit manages the life cycle of all privacy breaches. The unit assess the risk of harm to affected individuals and to the Department as a result of a privacy breach and provides guidance and direction to program areas on containment, notification and prevention of breaches. Additionally, they report material breaches to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS), and respond to official complaints submitted by the OPC as a result of privacy incidents.

In addition to these designated employees responsible for implementing ATIP legislation, approximately 550 ATIP liaison officers across the Department support the program’s operations by coordinating record collection, reviewing materials, and offering branchspecific recommendations. While these officers are integral to the program’s operations, their funding is managed through their respective program areas.

The responsibility for the proactive publication of information is shared between the Proactive Disclosure Unit, which operates within the Deputy Minister’s Office, and other branches and sectors within IRCC. Each unit, division, and sector is responsible for overseeing the proactive publication of materials relevant to their respective areas of expertise. For a breakdown of the groups or positions responsible for meeting each applicable proactive publication requirement under Part 2 of the ATIA, see the section “Proactive publication under Part 2 of the ATIA,” below.

During the reporting period, IRCC had no service agreements under section 96 of the ATIA.

Delegation order

The Minister of IRCC is responsible for administering requests made to the Department under the ATIA and under the Privacy Act (PA). In accordance with section 95(1) of the ATIA and section 73(1) of the PA, the Minister delegates authority to departmental senior management, including the ATIP Coordinator, to carry out the Minister’s powers, duties, and functions under these Acts.

For more information, refer to “Annex A: Copy of the signed delegation order in effect March 31, 2025”, and “Annex B: Copy of the Delegation of Authority under the Access to Information Act and Regulations in effect March 31, 2025”.

II. Performance

During the 2024-2025 reporting period, IRCC received a total of 168,987 requests under the ATIA, representing a slight decrease of 7.6% compared to the previous year. Conversely, privacy-related requests saw an increase of over 45%, indicating a continued shift from access to information requests toward requests submitted under the PA. Table 1 shows that the majority of requests originated from the private sector (51.9%), primarily from immigration lawyers and consultants, followed by the public (34.8%).

Compliance rate and completion times

The IRCC ATIP program successfully processed and completed 178,668 requests, exceeding the number of new requests received during the reporting period by 9,600. Approximately 5.4 million pages of records were reviewed by program officials.

The compliance rate for ATIA requests—defined as the percentage of requests responded to within the legislated timeframes—was 80.7%, reflecting an improvement from the 77% rate observed in 2023-2024. As illustrated in Table 2, over 70% of IRCC’s ATIA requests were processed and completed within 30 days.

Active requests from previous reporting periods

At the end of the reporting period, IRCC had 41,521 pending requests carried over from previous reporting periods. The majority of these outstanding requests (85.4%) were received within the last two years.

Reasons for extensions

Section 9 of the ATIA allows for the extension of statutory time limits when a request generates a large volume of records that cannot be processed within the original time limit without unreasonably interfering with the operations of the Department, or if consultations are required to complete the processing of a request.

When necessary, IRCC carries out consultations, particularly, but not exclusively, in situations involving potential litigation, investigations, or security concerns. The details of extensions claimed by IRCC pursuant to section 9 of the ATIA are as follows:

• 9(1)(a) to search a large volume of records or to respond to the influx of requests or both, which interfered with departmental operations: 241 times
• 9(1)(b) to undertake consultations: 868 times
• 9(1)(c) to conduct consultations with third parties: 1 time

Disposition of completed requests

As illustrated in Table 4, IRCC released records in their entirety for 31% of completed requests. The Department claimed one or more exemptions for 104,191 requests (59% of the requests). Only 17 requests were completed with the disposition “All exempted” and 16 requests were closed with the disposition “All excluded.” The remaining requests were either abandoned, transferred, had no existing records, or the existence of records could neither be confirmed nor denied as doing so could reveal information that is protected under the ATIA.

The following exemptions under the ATIA were most frequently applied by IRCC:

• Section 19(1) – personal Information: invoked 82,694 times
• Section 15(1) – international affairs and defence: invoked 25,485 times
• Section 16 (1)(c) – injury to law enforcement or investigation: invoked 19,270 times

Consultations received from other government departments and institutions

IRCC received 95 consultation requests from other government departments under the ATIA. Table 5 details the number of days taken by the IRCC ATIP program to complete these consultations. Overall, IRCC responded to 78 consultations (82%) within 60 days.

Summary of key issues and actions taken on complaints

During the reporting period, IRCC received 914 notices of new complaints, representing 0.54% of the total access to information requests received. The majority of these complaints (83%) were related to processing delays.

IRCC responded to 888 complaint investigations. The majority of these cases (854 complaints, or 96%) were subsequently discontinued, deemed to be unsubstantiated, or closed following the cessation of the investigation. The outcomes for the remaining 34 complaints that progressed to the investigation stage are as follows:

• 18 complaints were determined to be not well-founded
• 3 complaints were successfully resolved
• 13 complaints were found to be well-founded

To address the 13 substantiated complaints, IRCC conducted additional searches for records, reviewed the exemptions previously applied, and reassessed its initial processing of the requests in light of the Department’s duty to assist. As a result of these efforts, IRCC issued one fee refund and located, processed and released an additional 396 pages of records.

Active complaints from previous reporting periods

At the end of the reporting period, 148 complaints remained outstanding, of which 117 (79%) were received during that same period. By comparison, at the end of 2023-2024, IRCC was carrying 180 active complaints under the ATIA.

III. Training programs and awareness initiatives

IRCC is committed to fostering a culture that values transparency and promotes access to information through its training programs and awareness initiatives. The Department continues to prioritize ongoing learning and professional development for its workforce.

The specialized Training Project and ATIP Support Team within the Innovation and Support Unit offers a comprehensive selection of training opportunities for both ATIP and non-ATIP officials. The ATIP training curriculum covers various aspects of access to information and privacy management, including modules on the Department’s proactive publication obligations and courses focused on the collection, use, and protection of personal information.

ATIP course catalogue and sessions given

As outlined in Table 9, the ATIP program conducted a total of 152 training sessions, reaching 4,016 employees. The vast majority of participants (over 99%) were employees outside the ATIP program. The training sessions employed diverse formats, including formal and informal methods, as well as self-directed and instructor-led approaches.

IV. Proactive publication under Part 2 of the ATIA

The responsibility for implementing proactive publication requirements at IRCC falls to branches within the following areas and sectors: the Corporate Secretariat in the Deputy Minister’s Office, the Communications Sector, the Chief Financial Officer, Finance Sector, the Settlement, Integration and Francophone Affairs Sector, the Strategic Policy Sector, and the Corporate Services and Chief Human Resources Officer Sector.

This structure allows executives within each branch or unit to integrate proactive disclosure requirements into their internal procedures. It helps support the timely identification and publication of information as it becomes available, thereby promoting ongoing compliance. The procedures are tailored to align with each division’s or unit’s information management lifecycle, resources, and other relevant considerations.

The paragraphs below describe how IRCC’s sectors fulfilled their proactive publication responsibilities during the reporting year.

Corporate Secretariat (CS)

The Proactive Disclosure Unit (PDU) is part of the Corporate Secretariat in the Deputy Minister’s Office. PDU is responsible for coordinating and ensuring the proactive publication of briefing material, memoranda titles, Question Period (QP) Notes, committee appearances and transition binder notes. This reporting year, PDU met its proactive publication requirements at a compliance rate of 100%.

PDU has established Standard Operating Procedures that are consistently followed for the processing of briefing notes and memo titles, as well as for the proactive publication of these items on the Open Government Website. A monthly report is generated from the departmental tracking system and delivered to the Proactive Disclosure Unit team on the first day of each month. This report details all briefing notes and memo titles provided to the deputy head during the previous month, supporting the efficient management and publication of these documents. Standardized email templates have also been developed to facilitate task assignments within the Department and ensure that deadlines are met.

Communications Sector (COMMS)

The Parliamentary Affairs Unit (PAU) is part of the Communications Sector. This sector provides strategic communications advice, messaging, and support to the Minister, the Deputy Ministers, the Department’s senior leadership team, and other federal departments to inform Canadians and IRCC employees about departmental priorities, initiatives, and activities. It also connects with people internally and externally to facilitate the achievement of the Department’s mandate. PAU coordinates IRCC’s obligations and accountabilities to Parliament and oversees the proactive publication of reports that have been tabled to Parliament. The compliance rate for PAU during this reporting year was 100%.

PAU receives and processes reports that have been prepared by the responsible sectors and approved by their Director General. The unit coordinates the review and routing of these reports through subsequent approvals from the relevant Associate Deputy Ministers (ADMs), the Deputy Ministers’ Office (DMO), the Minister. The timeline for proactive publication is documented within PAU’s Critical Path, a document outlining the necessary steps and approvals prior to tabling. Following the report’s tabling in Parliament, the report is published on the Government of Canada website.

Chief Financial Officer, Finance Sector (CFO)

The Financial Operations and Procurement Branch (FOPB) is a branch within the Chief Financial Officer, Finance Sector. The CFO sector leads departmental financial management, ensuring responsible handling of public resources and facilitating sound decision-making for effective policy and program delivery. It ensures program compliance with legislative, regulatory, and financial authority requirements, spearheads integrated planning, and offers support for procurement, project oversight, and investment management. One of FOPB responsibility is to monitor and proactively publish contracts over $10,000, as well as travel and hospitality expenses. FOPB met its proactive publication requirements at a compliance rate of 100%.

IRCC has centralized travel-related activities to ensure increased compliance to the TBS Guide to the Proactive Publication of Travel and Hospitality Expenses, Special Travel Authorities, Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures, and the National Joint Council Travel Directive.

FOPB has developed standardized templates and orientation materials, as well as established approval procedures to promote consistency and streamline the tasks associated with proactive publication activities. These processes may involve the use of tools such as PowerPivot, pivot tables, VBA (a programming language integrated within Microsoft applications), and formulas to systematically organize and analyze data. The reports issued and accompanying briefing notes, which incorporate input from the Communication branch, are then submitted to the ADM for approval and shared with the DM for informational purposes.

For contracts exceeding $10,000, FOPB extracts relevant data from SAP on a quarterly basis. The Procurement Monitoring and Compliance team conducts a quality assurance review of this data, which is then reviewed and endorsed by the Director of Procurement and Contract Management. Final approval is obtained from the Director General of the Financial Operations and Procurement Branch. The resulting report and accompanying briefing note, including relevant communications input, are submitted to the ADM for approval and provided to the DM for informational purposes.

Settlement, Integration and Francophone Affairs Sector (SIFA)

The Settlement Network (SN) is an operations branch within the Settlement, Integration and Francophone Affairs Sector. The Sector encompasses policy development and program operations for the Settlement Program and the Resettlement Assistance Program, facilitating newcomers’ integration and assisting Government-assisted refugees, as well as offering policy guidance on francophone immigration, settlement, and integration. SN proactively publishes grants and contributions over $25,000 that relate to their core activities. Proactive disclosure now includes Grants and Contributions agreement data from additional programs such as the Francophone Immigration Support Program (FISP). The compliance rate for SN this reporting year was 100%.

IRCC’s Grants and Contributions System (GCS) enables SN to efficiently generate reports on all grant and contribution agreements signed by the Department within a specific quarter. SN retrieves the report for the previous quarter at the start of each new quarter to allow sufficient time for translation and to ensure compliance with publication deadlines. To improve accessibility to proactively published information via the Government of Canada online portal, SN has adopted standardized language to be uniformly used across all contribution agreements for similar services.

Strategic Policy Sector (SPP)

The Research and Data Branch (RDB) led by the Chief Data Officer is part of the Strategic Policy Sector. SPP oversees horizontal linkages and program policy integration through long-term strategic policy development and analysis. The Sector manages levels planning, provides evidence from strategic research, supports engagement with provinces and territories, oversees enterprise-wide governance and strategic data utilization, leads corporate planning and reporting, and serves as a focal point for cabinet and regulatory processes. RDB publishes Grants and Contributions over $25,000 for settlement activities but this responsibility lies primarily with the Settlement Network. This reporting year, RDB did not identify any information requiring proactive publication.

Corporate Services and Chief Human Resources Officer Sector (CSS)

The People Management Operations Branch (PMOB) is a branch within the Corporate Services Sector which is led by the Chief Human Resources Officer. CSS offers comprehensive support for people and workplace management, departmental culture, learning, and change management. The sector also ensures compliance with all relevant legislation and TBS policies.

PMOB oversees the proactive publication of information relating to reclassification of positions at IRCC. The branch’s compliance rate this reporting year is 100%, an increase from 75% for the last reporting period. This progress is attributed to the identification of certain gaps and opportunities for improvement that led to the development and implementation of new procedures.

PMOB employs a structured, multi-layered approach to ensure the accurate and timely publication of information. The process is managed collaboratively by the administrative team responsible for content publication and overseen by the Manager of Corporate Classification. Regular discussions are held to review publication workflows and address any issues related to delays, data integrity, or reporting gaps. A monthly dashboard serves both as a performance monitoring tool and as a mechanism for identifying and addressing recurring issues.

Proactive publication under section 78 of the ATIA

IRCC is subject to the proactive publication requirement of the Minister’s Office expenses set out in section 78 of the ATIA. In order to satisfy this requirement, a consolidated report is published by TBS on behalf of all institutions.

V. Monitoring compliance

IRCC employs standardized and comprehensive reporting and monitoring practices to ensure compliance, promote accountability, and facilitate continuous process improvement.

Time taken to process ATI requests

All requests and complaints are systematically documented to monitor processing times, and the intake data is closely monitored by program officials. IRCC Managers and Team Leaders within the IRCC ATIP program routinely oversee responses to internal taskings, monitor extensions claimed for processing requests, and track ongoing internal and external consultations to proactively address potential issues.

Relevant data is collected from the ATIP case management system on a daily, weekly, biweekly, and quarterly basis. This data encompasses request volumes and processing outcomes, compliance rates, backlog levels, and other key performance indicators. The information is integrated into various reports tailored for different leadership levels: daily updates for managers, weekly reports for directors and the Director General and Chief Privacy Officer, and biweekly reports for Deputy Ministers. Additionally, quarterly reports are provided to Assistant Deputy Ministers, along with a monthly compliance report outlining sector and branch responses to internal ATIP taskings.

While the primary purpose of the IRCC ATIP program’s statistical reporting is to ensure compliance, the program utilizes this data to analyze workflow efficiency, address ongoing challenges, and identify emerging trends in ATIP requests.

Accuracy and completeness of proactively published information under Part 2 of the ATIA

As outlined in the preceding section concerning proactive publication under Part 2 of the ATIA, various sectors have been assigned specific responsibilities to ensure compliance with proactive publication requirements. To monitor their progress and compliance rates, the designated branches and units within these sectors have implemented processes that typically incorporate one or more of the tools and steps described in Table 10 below.

Right of public access to information in contracts, agreements and arrangements

IRCC contracts include essential provisions, and its information-sharing agreements and arrangements are designed to promote transparency and ensure ongoing public access to information.

Contracts

IRCC contracts and contractual agreements incorporate a clause emphasizing the contractor’s obligation to adhere to the requirements of ATIA, as outlined in the Contract General Terms and Conditions:

“Records created by the Contractor, and under the control of Canada, are subject to the Access to Information Act. The Contractor acknowledges the responsibilities of Canada under the Access to Information Act and must, to the extent possible, assist Canada in discharging these responsibilities. Furthermore, the Contractor acknowledges that section 67.1 of the Access to Information Act provides that any person, who destroys, alters, falsifies or conceals a record, or directs anyone to do so, with the intent of obstructing the right of access that is provided by the Access to Information Act is guilty of an offence and is liable to imprisonment or a fine, or both”.

Information-sharing agreements and arrangements

IRCC’s Departmental “Directive on Information-Sharing for ISAs” mandates that all information-sharing activities comply with the requirements of the ATIA and the PA, ensuring a balanced approach between transparency, public accessibility, and the safeguarding of personal information.

• Summaries of ISAs must be made publicly accessible in accordance with section 4.2.36 of TBS’s Directive on Privacy Practices.
• The development of ISAs should include consultation of the TBS Guidance on Preparing Information-Sharing Arrangements Involving Personal Information and its associated templates, which provide sample provisions to ensure that privacy considerations are appropriately addressed in the agreements.

Once drafted, ISAs undergo a thorough review process prior to signature. Any necessary revisions are subsequently incorporated to ensure full compliance with the requirements specified in sections 4.2.33 to 4.2.37 of the TBS Directive.

VI. Initiatives and projects to improve access to information

The IRCC ATIP program provides support and strategic guidance for ongoing projects and initiatives, including the Department’s efforts to implement the items outlined in the Management Action Plan (MAP). The MAP was developed following a thorough review conducted by the Office of the Information Commissioner in 2021, which evaluated the Department’s procedures for handling ATIP requests and offered relevant recommendations.

The projects described below focus on addressing the remaining items in the MAP and aim to increase information accessibility for clients beyond the ATIP system. Additionally, these initiatives seek to improve both internal and external services through technological advancements and system upgrades. Ongoing feedback from the ATIP team emphasizes the importance of maintaining transparency while safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive client information.

IRCC’s new Online Account

As part of an enhanced online experience for clients being gradually rolled out through IRCC’s Digital Platform Modernization (DPM) initiative, a new online account is being implemented that includes functionality to allow clients to have increased access to information.

Enhancements include near real-time application status updates, access to officer decision notes, and summarized communications of information and documents received at the time of submission of clients’ application. Clients will also have the ability to view and update details of their profile information through this secure account, as well as access a message centre that maintains a record of correspondences and communications exchanged with IRCC.

During the reporting period, IRCC introduced its new online account to subset of eligible temporary resident visa (TRV) clients in June 2024, and then to Canadians wishing to renew their passports online in December 2024. Between launch and the end of the reporting period, approximately 43,000 clients have used the new online account to apply for a service.

The Department recognizes that all IRCC clients, and their representatives, will benefit from the new online account and the functionality it brings. Roll-out to additional client groups is continuing throughout 2025 and 2026.

Proactive release of Officer Decision Notes (ODN)

The Officer Decision Notes (ODN) initiative directly supports IRCC’s strategy to make it easier for clients to access information about their immigration application by eliminating the need for clients to submit an ATIP request to obtain officer notes related to the refusal of an application. This is a key initiative to improve openness and transparency for our clients, and responds directly to feedback from clients, immigration representatives, and parliamentarians, who have consistently identified the need for greater clarity, timely information, and faster access to refusal explanations.

Starting in 2025-2026, ODNs will gradually become available to select Temporary Resident (Study Permit/Work Permit/Temporary Residence Visa) applicants. The release of ODNs will incrementally be rolled out to additional lines of businesses.

Client correspondence project

The Client Correspondence Unit (CCU) was created to review IRCC’s written correspondence in order to provide more clear, concise and simple language that will better meet client needs. All revisions to client-facing communications are informed by usability testing feedback obtained from both clients and officers, as well as inputs from Subject Matter Experts and IRCC Legal Services.

The CCU has supported the review and improvement of over 50 written communications, with the majority of these revised documents now implemented and actively in circulation. To date, 3 key pieces of client correspondence often sought after by ATIP clients have been revised: the Temporary Resident Refusal Letter, the Study Permit Refusal Letter, and the Work Permit refusal Letter. Additionally, the top 14 refusal grounds for Study Permits and the top 15 refusal grounds for Work Permits have also been revised and drafted with an emphasis on reducing complex legal language. The revised Study Permit and Work Permit Refusal Letters are scheduled to be launched in 2025-2026.

TBS ATIP Online Request Service (ATIP Online)

During this reporting period, the IRCC ATIP program migrated requests for corporate records from IRCC’s internal platform to the TBS ATIP Online platform. This platform streamlines the process for submitting ATIP requests and facilitates timely responses from the federal government. IRCC’s objective is to reduce the volume of outstanding requests before onboarding requests for immigration records—the largest category of requests received by IRCC—onto the TBS platform.

Since the migration, requests under the ATIA and the PA have been received through both the TBS ATIP Online platform and the IRCC departmental platform, depending on the nature of the records requested. This transition has presented some operational challenges, including cases where requesters have inadvertently submitted requests to the incorrect platform or to both platforms concurrently. Additional efforts have been undertaken to redirect requests to the appropriate channels and to ensure timely processing. While the transition to the ATIP Online platform is still in progress, requesters will continue submitting their requests for client immigration records via the IRCC ATIP online request portal.

Technological assistance and upgrades

IRCC is utilizing emerging technologies to supports its ATIP processing activities. This includes the deployment of automated solutions to handle routine tasks, allowing the Department to extend operational hours beyond traditional business times. These systems facilitate strategic resource allocation for decision-making processes, enhance data accuracy and timeliness, and minimize disruptions to ongoing operations.

In prior reporting periods, the Department successfully implemented Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to manage high-volume, routine tasks such as data entry and file management. As part of this initiative, a Bot was developed to streamline the processing of informal requests, specifically for previously released documents. The Bot monitors a designated email inbox and automatically processes requests upon receipt. During this reporting period, the RPA has significantly increased the capacity of the ATIP program, allowing for the automatic processing of over 12,000 informal requests, with many requesters receiving documents within minutes.

The IRCC ATIP program is also evaluating the potential for replacing its case management software. The objective is to improve the program’s operational effectiveness while ensuring seamless integration with existing systems and processes, including the RPA.

Moving forward

During this reporting period, efforts were directed towards aligning current processes with departmental changes introduced in the previous reporting period, to maintain operational stability and ensure the seamless execution of business processes.

IRCC recognizes the importance of addressing factors affecting the ATIP program. Going forward, the Department will maintain efforts to advance ongoing initiatives and support new efforts dedicated to improving internal and external service delivery and providing clients with greater access to information. The ATIP program will advance the transition to the TBS ATIP Online platform, while continuously monitoring trends in ATIP requests to adapt and refine processes, update training materials, and promote transparency and increased compliance with the ATIA.

IRCC aligns its funding with the targets in the Immigration Levels Plan, including adjusting staffing levels and processing capacity accordingly. In consideration of the reduction to the Immigration Levels Plan as of 2025-2026, as well as in alignment with the Government of Canada’s Budget Rationalization exercise, over the next three years, IRCC will reduce its current and projected workforce by approximately 3,300 positions; it is estimated that about 80% of these reductions can be achieved by reducing staffing commitments and our temporary workforce. This will have varying impacts across all sectors and branches of IRCC, including to the ATIP program, which has a significant proportion of temporary resources supporting the program. IRCC takes its responsibilities under the Access to information and Privacy legislations seriously, and we remain committed to openness, transparency, and accountability to the public.

Annexes:

• Annex A: Copy of the signed delegation order in effect March 31, 2025
• Annex B: Copy of the Delegation of Authority under the Access to Information Act and Regulations in effect March 31, 2025
• Annex C: Statistical Report on the Administration of the Access to Information Act
• Annex D: Supplemental Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

Annex A: Copy of the signed delegation order in effect March 31, 2025

Text version: Delegation of Authority

Official Document

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada

Delegation of Authority

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act

I, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, pursuant to section 95 of the Access to Information Act and section 73 of the Privacy Act, hereby authorize the officer and employee of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship whose position or classification is set out in the attached Schedule to carry out those of my powers, duties or functions under the Acts that are set in the Schedule in relation to that officer and employee.

Dated at Ottawa

This 14 day of May 2024

Marc Miller, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Annex B: Copy of the Delegation of Authority under the Access to Information Act and Regulations in effect March 31, 2025

Delegation of Authority under the Access to Information Act and the Access to Information Regulations

Legend

(client)

Client records

(corp.)

Corporate records

PM-05

Senior ATIP & Privacy Advisor positions

PM-04

ATIP & Privacy Advisor positions

PM-03

ATIP & Privacy Analyst positions

lim.

Authority limited to the Senior ATIP & Privacy Advisor, Complaints Team Leader

Annex C: Statistical Report on the Administration of the Access to Information Act

Name of institution: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31

Section 1: Requests under the Access to Information Act

1.1 Number of requests

Section 2: Informal Requests

2.1 Number of informal requests

2.3 Completion time of informal requests

2.4 Pages released informally

2.5 Pages re-released informally

Section 3: Applications to the Information Commissioner on Declining to Act on Requests

Section 4: Requests Closed During the Reporting Period

4.1 Disposition and completion time

4.2 Exemptions

4.3 Exclusions

4.4 Format of information released

4.5 Complexity

4.6 Closed requests

4.7 Deemed refusals

4.8 Requests for translation

Section 5: Extensions

5.1 Reasons for extensions and disposition of requests

5.2 Length of extensions

Section 6: Fees

Section 7: Consultations received from other institutions and organizations

7.1 Consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions and other organizations

7.2 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions

7.3 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other organizations outside the Government of Canada

Section 8: Completion time of consultations on cabinet confidences

8.1 Requests with Legal Services

8.2 Requests with Privy Council Office

Section 9: Investigations and Reports of finding

9.1 Investigations

9.2 Investigations and Reports of finding

Section 10: Court action

10.1 Court actions on complaints

10.2 Court actions on third party notifications under paragraph 28(1)(b)

Section 11: Resources related to the Access to Information Act

11.1 Allocated costs

11.2 Human resources

Annex D: Supplemental Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

Name of institute: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31

Section 1: Requests carried over and active complaints under the Access to Information Act

1.1 Requests carried over to the next reporting period

1.2 Open complaints with the Information Commissioner of Canada

Section 2: Requests carried over and active complaints under the Privacy Act

2.1 Requests carried over to the next reporting period

2.2 Active complaints with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Section 3: Social Insurance Number

Section 4: Universal access under the Privacy Act