Departmental Results Report for the period ending March 31, 2020

For the period ending
March 31, 2020

ISSN: 2561-1984

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Table of contents

• Minister's message
• Results at a glance and operating context
• Results: what we achieved
  • Core Responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers
  • Core Responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration
  • Core Responsibility 3: Citizenship and Passports
  • Internal services
• Analysis of trends in spending and human resources
  • Actual expenditures
  • Actual human resources
  • Expenditures by vote
  • Government of Canada spending and activities
  • Financial statements and financial statements highlights
• Additional information
  • Organizational profile
  • Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
  • Reporting framework
  • Supporting information on the Program Inventory
  • Supplementary information tables
  • Federal tax expenditures
  • Organizational contact information
• Appendix: definitions

Minister's message

As the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, I am pleased to present the 2019–20 Departmental Results Report.

As Canada and the rest of the world continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reminded of how vital immigration is to our country’s economic recovery and prosperity.

Immigration’s fundamental role in our country’s identity and history is indisputable. Immigration will continue to not only play a critical role in our economy, but it will also continue to shape our country’s increasingly diverse society and culture. Indeed, immigration remains critical to Canada’s current and future success as a nation. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada aims to foster these many benefits of immigration across all of our country’s communities.

At the centre of the Department’s achievements for the past fiscal year was attaining the highest level of permanent resident admissions in recent history and the recognition that our many diverse regions and communities have unique needs in terms of immigration. In 2019, we welcomed 341,180 permanent residents into Canada, an increase of 6% from 2018. In addition, to help better meet regional labour market needs, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot. The Department also launched the Agri-Food Pilot, which will help to attract and retain agricultural workers and fill labour shortages in this industry.

To ensure all newcomers to Canada feel welcomed and supported in the communities in which they choose to settle, the Department recognizes the need for quality settlement and resettlement services. In collaboration with our provincial/territorial partners and a network of service providers, the Department is committed to the continuous improvement of the services that we fund. This past fiscal year, organizations provided services to over half a million newcomers, including groups with unique needs such as women, youth, seniors, refugees, newcomers with a disability, and LGBTI individuals. As well, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada launched a unique partnership of francophone organizations, to foster connections with minority francophone communities and improve access to French settlement services.

Indeed, the Department continuously strives to improve all of its services for newcomers and Canadians. The Passport Program issued approximately 2.5 million passports, and over 253,000 citizenship grant applications were processed this fiscal year, the latter representing a 15% increase from the previous year.

For the second year in a row, Canada is once again a global leader in the resettlement of refugees. In 2019, Canada resettled 30,087 refugees. We are proud of this distinction, but we are equally aware that it points to a worrying increase in the total number of displaced people in the world.

With the key achievements outlined in this report, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada helped to create a strong Canadian economy, while upholding its commitments to reunite families and maintain Canada’s strong humanitarian tradition. I invite you to read about our progress, challenges and accomplishments over the past year in the Departmental Results Report.

Results at a glance and operating context

1. Supporting newcomers with settlement and resettlement services

2. Responding to the needs of communities and industries

In 2019–20, IRCC continued to work with community partners to fulfill the needs of local communities, attract newcomers and fill gaps in the labour market. IRCC created the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, and continued to support the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, which encourage newcomers to settle in rural, Northern, and Atlantic communities. IRCC also launched the Agri-Food Pilot, which helps attract and retain agricultural workers and fill labour shortages in specific industries and occupations.

In 2019–20, through the Global Skills Strategy, the Department provided dedicated service to 56% more businesses in Canada compared to the last fiscal year, making a significant impact on the Canadian economy. IRCC also participated in the Collision Conference 2019 to promote the Global Skills Strategy and economic immigration programs, facilitating access to international talent and showcasing Canada as an attractive and welcoming destination for global investment.

3. Modernizing the Passport Program

In 2019–20, IRCC modernized its Passport Program to better serve Canadians by helping them access passport services in a timely manner. As part of the Passport Program Modernization Initiative, IRCC tested and deployed a new passport platform, which increases the access that Canadians have to passport services by providing consistent in-person services at more locations in Canada.

4. Engaging in international leadership

In 2019–20, Canada continued to provide guidance and leadership on global migration issues. The Canadian government worked with international partners to help develop strong programs, policies, and practices related to refugee resettlement, community sponsorship, and border issues. Canada led several international fora and conferences, including the 2019–20 Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees, the International Metropolis Conference, and the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement. Additionally, Canada chaired the Migration 5 (M5) group of nations. Within the International Civil Aviation Organization, Canada facilitated the development of strong travel documents and effective border inspection services. At the January 2020 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Ministerial Meeting and High-Level Policy Forum on Migration and Integration, Canada chaired a discussion on integration. Canada participated actively throughout the meetings to promote the importance of international dialogue and best practices regarding migration and integration.

For more information on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.

Operating Context

Annually, through its key lines of business, IRCC interacts with millions of individuals, including those seeking temporary or permanent resident entry into Canada and subsequently settling into Canadian society, and those pursuing Canadian citizenship. The Department is also responsible for passport services in support of individuals seeking to obtain or renew a Canadian passport or other travel document such as a certificate of identity or a refugee travel document.

IRCC works to facilitate the legitimate entry of visitors, economic immigrants, sponsored family members and those seeking protection in Canada, while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians. The Department balances competing pressures, notably: responding to domestic labour market demands and an increasingly mobile work force; contributing to overall economic growth; and addressing efforts to streamline service delivery and enhance the client experience, while responding to increasingly complex safety and security challenges. In addition, to support the successful integration of newcomers into the Canadian economy and society, IRCC engages regularly and extensively with federal partners, provinces and territories, as well as other stakeholders on a variety of key immigration-related topics, such as immigration levels planning, economic immigration, and settlement and integration of newcomers, including refugees and protected persons.

IRCC has established a wide-ranging transformation agenda that is based on optimizing current operations and building a foundation that sustains a new culture and way of working. This transformation is aimed at augmenting the client experience by improving processing times, generating simpler and clearer processes and reducing inventories.

In recent years, the Department has experienced significant increases in some of its most important lines of business as many around the world seek to enter Canada temporarily or permanently, and as increasing numbers of eligible permanent residents seek to become Canadian citizens. IRCC’s challenge is to effectively manage these requests to enter and remain in Canada, while working with stakeholders so that newcomers have the best opportunities to succeed and that the Canadian economy and society reap the benefits of newcomer success.

Results: what we achieved

Core Responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers

Description

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) facilitates the entry of migrants who wish to come to Canada temporarily, while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians. The Department works with partners to verify that individuals meet admissibility requirements. IRCC processes visas, electronic travel authorizations, and work and study permits for tourists, business travellers, international students and temporary workers, whose spending and presence in Canada benefit the economy.

Key risks to Core Responsibility 1

Unprecedented growth in temporary resident applications in past years, along with pressures to maintain program integrity and processing times and respond to emerging migration events continue to challenge IRCC’s capacity to deliver.

To manage application volume growth, the Department is leveraging more efficient tools, leaner processes and improvements to its digital platform. For example, investments in new technologies, including the use of biometrics, e-applications, digitization, automated functionality, and the introduction of the Student Direct Stream, are creating simplified, more efficient systems that facilitate the legitimate travel of temporary residents and protect the health and safety of Canadians. Also, controlled testing of advanced analytics using predictive models and statistical forecasting support faster processing and enhance foresight of future volume fluctuations, giving officers the time to focus on more complex cases. The Department will continue to advance modernization to ensure that its systems and service offerings keep pace with client expectations and increasing volumes.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 1: Entry to Canada of eligible visitors, international students and temporary workers is facilitated

Expediting study permits processing and temporary resident visitor applications

In 2018, the Department formalized the Student Direct Stream, an expedited study permit process. Originally, this stream was offered to applicants living in India, China, the Philippines and Vietnam. In 2019, the Department extended the program to applicants living in Pakistan, Senegal and Morocco, who are destined to a post-secondary designated learning institution, and who provide upfront proof they meet specific language, medical and financial requirements.

Expanding the network of Visa Application Centres

To facilitate biometric expansion and management of the increased temporary resident application volumes in 2019–20, the Department continued to expand the Visa Application Centres (VACs) network. IRCC opened eight new VACs in Bahrain, Finland, Kazakhstan, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: The total number of visas and eTAs issued each year to eligible visitors, international students and temporary workers continues to be significant. In 2019, this number was 5,774,342, a 4.3% decrease from the previous year. It is possible that the 2018 volumes were higher than normal as applicants may have sought to submit applications before the implementation of the expanded biometrics requirements at the end of 2018. However, the 2019 total exceeded the Department's expected outcome of 5.6 million.

Indicator 2: The percentage of temporary visitor, student and worker applicants who were found inadmissible on health grounds or had a condition on their visa to undergo health surveillance increased slightly from 1.6% in 2017 to 1.8% in 2019. This indicator remained consistently well below target (<3%) each year.

Indicator 3: In 2019, the number of applicants found to be inadmissible on safety and security grounds was consistent at 0.03%. The Department continues to monitor and review its programs regularly and addresses new risks or issues as they arise.

Indicator 4: In the past fiscal year, the Department met targeted service standards for eight out of ten (80%) temporary resident business lines. Service standards were not met for temporary resident visas and work permit applications for International Experience Canada. The Department continues to implement and explore measures to respond to higher volumes, and improve services and processing times.

Indicator 5: In 2019–20, 91% of visitor, international student and temporary worker applicants reported that they were satisfied overall with the services they received, which is consistent with the previous year’s result. This remains closely linked to the overall high level of satisfaction of electronic travel authorization clients. The Department will continue its efforts to solicit applicant feedback on potential service delivery improvements.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 2: Facilitation of temporary entry helps to generate economic benefits

Giving opportunity of international experience to Canadian and international youth while filling labour market gaps

The International Experience Canada (IEC) program contributes to the Canadian economy by issuing work permits to international youth. These work permit holders often work in regions with low unemployment rates and in jobs that are temporary, shorter in duration and sometimes hard for Canadian employers to fill. Through the program, each year roughly 20,000 young Canadians also take advantage of work and travel experiences provided by youth mobility arrangements between Canada and more than 30 partner countries.

In July 2019, IRCC signed a new agreement with Luxembourg. This new agreement allows youth aged 18 to 30 to work and travel for up to 12 months, providing Luxembourgian youth an opportunity to travel and work in Canada, and Canadian youth an opportunity to travel and work in Luxembourg.

Attracting talent to Canada

Launched in June 2017 to attract top global talent to Canada, the Global Skills Strategy introduced short-term work permit exemptions for certain highly skilled workers and faster processing for eligible applicants.

IRCC participated in the Collision Conference 2019 in collaboration with Invest in Canada to promote the Global Skills Strategy and economic immigration programs that facilitate competitive access to international talent, showcasing Canada as an attractive and welcoming destination for global investment. The Collision Conference hosted 25,000 investors and entrepreneurs from over 120 countries, and was an opportunity for IRCC to promote Canada’s immigration advantages to hundreds of business leaders at the forefront of the technology sector.

In 2019–20, the Department, in partnership with GAC, successfully renegotiated the trade-related labour mobility provisions within the North American Free Trade Agreement. The new agreement, renamed the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, came into force July 1, 2020. These provisions ensure that Canadians continue to benefit from wide-ranging access to the U.S. and Mexican labour markets, while providing Canadian employers with a critical tool to facilitate the movement of highly skilled North American talent and expertise into domestic operations.

Strengthening protection for foreign workers

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: In 2019, international students and visitors injected $39.7 billion to Canada’s economy. Most recent estimates indicate international students spend approximately $21.6 billion in Canada annually. This surpasses the International Education Strategy goal of attracting more than 450,000 international students to Canada, and $16.1billion in expenditures by this population (by 2022). IRCC works closely with GAC to inform and support Trade Commissioner activities abroad, including international student recruitment and marketing efforts.

Indicator 2: In 2019, the total number of work permits issued under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program was 98,310. This increase from previous years reflects the increase in labour market needs for which Canadians are unavailable.

Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers

Spending for this core responsibility is used to facilitate the entry of migrants who wish to come to Canada temporarily, while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians.

The Department processes visas and eTAs for visitors, business travellers, temporary workers and international students; work permits for business travellers and temporary workers; and study permits for international students, all of whose spending and presence in Canada benefit the economy. To protect the health, safety and security of Canadians, IRCC also works with federal government partners to verify that individuals meet admissibility and eligibility requirements.

The difference between planned and actual spending is mainly due to additional resources received through Budget 2019 for helping travellers visit Canada, improving immigration client services, and implementing Canada's new international education strategy.

These additional resources were not included at the planning stage as financial authorities were granted through Budget 2019 during 2019–20.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Core Responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Description

IRCC facilitates the admission and economic and social integration of immigrants and refugees who intend to stay in Canada permanently, while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians. The Department selects economic immigrant applicants to contribute to the Canadian economy, processes family member applicants to reunite families, and processes refugee and protected person applicants to provide a safe haven for those facing persecution. IRCC works with partners to verify that individuals meet admissibility requirements before they enter Canada. In order to support immigrants and refugees in integrating into Canadian society, IRCC offers a variety of settlement support services through a network of service providers.

Key risks to Core Responsibility 2

Considering continued increases in levels of immigration in past years, the Department must continue to make available sufficient supports to prospective and newly arrived immigrants. In response, IRCC continued to advance enhancements to client service, and to support the delivery of high-quality settlement services that are aligned with a shared national vision for settlement and integration.

Since 2017, Canada has experienced historic highs of asylum claim volumes, partly driven by the increase in irregular migration. While it remains a challenge to predict the number of asylum claims for the foreseeable future, there is a continued risk that demand may outstrip processing capacity for the in-Canada Asylum System.

In 2019–20, the Department moved forward on Budget 2019 commitments to strengthen the integrity of Canada’s borders and asylum system, and to process an increased number of asylum claims in a timely manner. Innovative measures are being tested to triage and prioritize asylum cases through the Integrated Claims Analysis Centre to find efficiencies to the centre’s processes while advancing broader structural reforms and measures to discourage unfounded claims.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 3: Potential permanent residents are selected for immigration to Canada

Increasing immigration levels

After extensive engagement with provinces and stakeholders, in March 2020 IRCC released the Multi-year Immigration Levels Plan for 2020–2022, increasing the number of potential permanent residents selected to immigrate to Canada. The plan is based on driving economic growth, helping employers access the talent they need to thrive, addressing the demographic challenges of an aging population and giving Canada a strong position in a competitive global marketplace.

The plan provides for increased admissions space in programs such as the Provincial Nominee Program and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot and includes new initiatives and pilots such as the Agri-Food Pilot and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot. These programs address provincial and local labour market needs, including those in the Canadian agri-food sector and communities, so that businesses can get the talent they need and in regions where they need it.

The plan continues to grow the number of permanent residents admitted to Canada each year, with planned admissions between 320,000 and 370,000 in 2020, between 330,000 and 380,000 in 2021, and between 340,000 and 390,000 in 2022 (please see the Multi-year Immigration Levels Plan for 2021–2023 for updated targets). By increasing the number of protected persons and refugee resettlement spaces, as well as facilitating the reunification of families for better integration into Canadian society, the plan affirms Canada’s humanitarian leadership in the fulfillment of IRPA’s objectives related to refugee protection. The resettled refugee target increased to 31,700 admissions for 2020.

Target achievement for 2020, however, will likely be significantly affected by the COVID-19 response measures.

Family Reunification: Parents and Grandparents Program

In 2019, 22,011 parents and grandparents were admitted to Canada. In addition, 21,400 new applications to sponsor parents and grandparents were accepted into processing as a result of the implemented 2019 intake process, almost four times the number of applications received in 2015. The 2020 application intake process was postponed to October 2020 due to the Department’s focus on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting Francophone immigration in Francophone minority communities

The Government of Canada and IRCC are committed to supporting the vitality of francophone minority communities across Canada by increasing immigration of French-speaking newcomers outside Quebec. This commitment is anchored in the priorities of the Government of Canada and in the objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Official Languages Act. In addition, the Department continues to focus on achieving its target of 4.4% for francophone immigration outside Quebec by 2023.

In support of this commitment, in 2019 the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the Meeting Our Objectives: Francophone Immigration Strategy, a comprehensive plan to achieve the Department’s goal of attracting and retaining more French-speaking newcomers. This strategy is strengthened by the Government of Canada’s Action Plan for Official Languages — 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future, providing nearly $500 million over five years in support of official languages, including $40.8 million for francophone immigration initiatives.

The Department also pursues year-round targeted promotional activities across the globe to attract and recruit qualified French-speaking foreign nationals in order to help expand the pool of potential candidates. In 2019, the Department delivered 408 promotional activities worldwide. It also held 183 recruitment events in Canada, including the annual promotional flagship event Destination Canada Mobility Forum connecting Canadian employers and organizations with skilled French-speaking candidates.

Managing higher asylum claims volumes and irregular migration

Asylum seekers make important contributions to Canadian society and the economy, and effectively managing asylum claims is essential to ensure the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. In 2019–20, Canada experienced high levels of asylum claims, including from sustained volumes of irregular migration. The overall volume of claims exceeded 60,000 for the fiscal year, of which almost 17,000 were made by those who entered Canada between ports of entry.

The Department worked with partners to deliver on Budget 2019 investments to: increase the capacity at the IRB to process 50,000 asylum finalizations and 13,500 appeals by 2020–21, and increase Canada Border Services Agency removals capacity; improve system-wide efficiencies, including investing in information technology upgrades, and pilot the Integrated Claim Analysis Centre to improve case tracking and pre-hearing and post-decision functions; and implement the Government’s Border Enforcement Strategy to better manage and discourage irregular migration, including activities to detect and discourage misuse of Canada’s visa system.

In addition, to discourage multiple claims being made in different countries by a single claimant, legislative changes were made to bar access to the IRB for those who have previously applied for asylum in another country with which Canada has an information-sharing agreement. Instead, these individuals have access to a pre-removal risk assessment prior to their removal so that they are not returned to a risk situation.

Lastly, in recognition of the interim housing pressures being felt in a number of provincial and municipal jurisdictions as a result of increased asylum claims, the Department provided $342.5 million to partners over the last fiscal year through the Interim Housing Assistance Program. Through collaboration with provinces and other federal departments, IRCC continues to work to protect the most vulnerable while maintaining the integrity of Canada’s borders.

Adjusting the Interim Health Program for eligible beneficiaries

In 2019–20, the Department continued to conduct health screening to help protect public health and safety in Canada, and to provide asylum claimants, resettled refugees and other eligible beneficiaries with health care coverage through the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP).

In line with changes to the asylum claim intake process in July 2019, the Department adjusted the timing of IFHP eligibility for asylum claimants. IFHP coverage is now issued to claimants immediately upon making their claim for refugee protection to an officer in Canada, rather than waiting until their claim has been determined to be eligible for referral to the IRB.

The Department continues to work toward the modernization of the IFHP to provide coverage to asylum claimants earlier in the refugee protection process, group discretionary coverage for victims of domestic violence, remove administrative barriers, update supplemental benefits and improve service delivery to providers and beneficiaries.

Supporting LGBTI refugees

LGBTI populations around the world face ongoing challenges due to discrimination and criminalization based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. Canada recognizes the specific vulnerabilities that LGBTI people may face and supports them by creating safer immigration programs and encouraging welcoming communities for LGBTI refugees fleeing persecution.

Providing international leadership on refugee resettlement and asylum

In December 2019, IRCC participated in the Global Refugee Forum, aimed at bringing the international community together to demonstrate solidarity with the world’s refugees and the countries and communities that host them, and to translate objectives of the GCR into concrete actions. At the forum, the Minister, who led the discussion for the Department, pledged $3 million on behalf of IRCC to the UNHCR to support its resettlement activities. Also, IRCC shared its intention to establish a refugee stream for human rights advocates, journalists, and humanitarian workers at risk, and to increase focus on protection responses for refugees with specific needs.

Through IRCC’s partnership with the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative, Canada contributed to the advancement of community refugee sponsorship around the globe. Developments in 2019–20 included assisting Portugal with the development of a new pilot program as well as providing ongoing support in the form of training and expertise for existing programs or pilots in Germany, Argentina, Ireland, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Spain. Furthermore, IRCC continued to serve with the United Kingdom Home Office as co-chair of the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative States Network. The network provides a forum for states with existing programs or pilots, or with an interest in developing community sponsorship, to communicate and share best practices with the goal of increasing refugee protection spaces around the globe, building more welcoming and inclusive host communities, and positively influencing the global refugee narrative.

Canada also continued to play an international leadership role on refugee resettlement, resettling the largest number of refugees of any state. The refugee resettlement program also set an international example in 2019 by focusing on resettlement from regions where the need is greatest, namely Africa and the Middle East. In 2019, IRCC met a commitment to resettle 10,000 refugees from the Middle East over three years. In 2019, IRCC also met a commitment to resettle 1,000 refugee women and children at risk over two years.

All these efforts align with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.^{Footnote 12}

Working with international partners

In 2019–20, IRCC continued to engage with international partners such as the International Organization for Migration and the UNHCR and assume leadership roles in international fora to advance international migration priorities. These include, but are not limited to protecting refugees, in particular vulnerable women and children; encouraging a gender-responsive approach to migration management; promoting well-managed migration systems, with a focus on deterring irregular migration; and promoting a robust international dialogue on integration and social cohesion.

In May 2019, Canada assumed the role of Chair for the 2019–20 Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees Forum under the theme of “Game-Changing Solutions: Applying Innovation to the Migration Management Continuum.” This forum was an excellent opportunity for Canada to lead and direct discussions on pertinent international migration issues.

In June 2019, Canada hosted the International Metropolis Conference to increase Canadian visibility and demonstrate leadership on migration issues, as well as to discuss effective global cooperation and to strengthen relationships with international organizations and migration practitioners. Departmental priorities included shaping the agenda to reflect Canada’s migration-related policy priorities and create new ties with academics and government officials. The conference successfully leveraged the Canadian and global experience to capture best practices on a broad range of topics from demystifying the Global Compact to irregular migration.

In November 2019, IRCC, together with the Canada Border Services Agency, assumed the role of Chair for 2020 of the Migration 5 (M5) under the theme of “Innovative Solutions for the Future.” The M5 consists of migration and border agencies from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States as well as Canada. Chairing this forum provided the opportunity to guide collaboration between key allies in response to current migration opportunities and challenges.

Throughout 2019 and early 2020, IRCC played a significant role within the Global Forum for Migration and Development by leading the dialogue on migration narratives and developing a communications guide on “Promoting a Balanced Narrative on Migration.” Canada’s leading role in support of efforts to balance communication on migration has strengthened Canada’s position as a hub of expertise on managed migration and contributed to IRCC’s endeavour to further advance its international leadership on migration issues.

In addition, IRCC represented Canada at the January 2020 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Ministerial Meeting and High-Level Policy Forum on Migration and Integration, where Canada actively supported the importance of international dialogue and best practices on migration and integration.

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: Canada's immigration levels plan has three broad objectives: first, furthering Canada's long-term economic interests; second, providing shorter-term support to employers and communities; and third, operating a well-managed immigration system overall. These objectives encompass the implementation of Government mandate commitments.

Canada welcomed 341,180 permanent residents in 2019, achieving admissions within the target range of 310,000 to 350,000.

This increase in immigration contributed to economic growth, family reunification, and the Government’s humanitarian commitments. Furthermore, the Department made progress towards the mandate commitment to welcome more than a million immigrants over three years; making the Atlantic Immigration Pilot permanent; and created admissions space for a new refugee stream.

Indicator 2: Recent changes to selection tools, including changes in 2017 to assign additional points to candidates with strong French-language skills under Express Entry, have been increasing French-speaking admissions outside of Quebec. The Department is also pursuing year-round targeted promotion and recruitment support activities to attract a growing number of qualified French-speaking candidates. As of 2019, a more accurate and inclusive definition has been used to count French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec, resulting in a notable impact on admissions data. The new definition moves away from the concept of “mother tongue” and focuses instead on first Canadian official language for which they are most at ease.

Indicator 3: In 2019, 0.2% of permanent resident applicants were found to be inadmissible on health grounds and 1.9% were admitted to Canada with a condition on their visa related to health surveillance. These measures have been consistent over time, which demonstrates that even with increasing levels of immigration, the general health profile of these applicants has been stable. The proportion of applicants admitted with a health condition requiring surveillance is notably higher than the proportion found inadmissible on health grounds. Protecting public health is an integral part of Canada’s immigration system, and these results demonstrate that IRCC’s health screening program is achieving the parallel goals of protecting the health of Canadians while facilitating the arrival of newcomers.

Indicator 4: In 2019, 0.19% of permanent resident applicants were found inadmissible on safety and security grounds. This total was consistent with the percentage of applicants found inadmissible on the same grounds in 2018 and well below the projected rate of 4%. In comparison to the refusal rates from 2015 to 2017, the percentage of cases refused for inadmissibility on safety and security grounds is much lower.

Indicator 5: Substantial efforts were made to reduce Express entry (EE) applications that took more than 6 months to process. While service standards are being met for a higher number of applications compared to previous years, this was offset by an increase in applications and the processing of older applications. Early results showed progression towards higher admission targets in EE; and efforts to encourage higher intake caused slowing in the processing continuum, having an impact on to service standards.

IRCC remained committed to finalizing the higher number of cases and made adjustments to the production environment, but cases near finalization were older than expected and the time to train employees and adjust the workflow did not produce results as planned.

IRRC does not control intake for Provincial Nominee Program (paper applications) and Quebec-selected Skilled Workers (QSW) and inventories remain larger than can be accommodated within standards; and for QSW, IRCC does not control output.

Indicator 6: After falling below target in 2018–19, the overall client satisfaction rate for the Permanent Resident Program improved in 2019–20, reaching 92%. The Department will continue its efforts to solicit applicant feedback on potential service delivery improvements.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 4: Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports

Supporting newcomers and local communities with settlement and resettlement services

Following the 2019 National Call for Proposals for the Settlement Program and Resettlement Assistance Program, IRCC signed more than 750 agreements for settlement and resettlement services to be delivered by more than 500 service provider organizations across Canada outside of Quebec. This includes 20 newly selected francophone organizations to support integration into francophone minority communities. IRCC confirmed funding for 32 organizations to deliver Resettlement Assistance Program services to government-assisted refugees in communities across Canada outside of Quebec, including one new francophone service provider organization in Cornwall, Ontario.

From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC engaged the settlement and resettlement sector, working jointly to safely and effectively deliver immediate and essential services to government-assisted refugees and other vulnerable newcomers.

Facilitating integration through pre-arrival services

Pre-arrival settlement services are a key element of IRCC’s Settlement Program. They provide prospective newcomers, including refugees, with the information and settlement support they need to make informed decisions about their new life in Canada before they arrive, such as how to find a job in Canada. In 2019–20, over 36,000 newcomers, including refugees, accessed pre-arrival settlement services prior to landing in Canada. This number represents 19% of all eligible newcomers.

In 2019–20, 41% of French-speaking immigrants settling outside of Quebec received pre-arrival settlement services. New initiatives launched in 2019–20 include a unique national partnership of francophone organizations, Connexionsfrancophones.ca, aimed at streamlining access to settlement services in French and fostering early connections with francophone communities across Canada. This national partnership will also have an important role in IRCC’s efforts to strengthen the Francophone Settlement Pathway.

Responding to specific needs of client groups

IRCC efforts to advance gender equality and address inequities, such as gender-based violence, align with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.^{Footnote 16} They also contribute to the broader gender equality goal to eliminate gender-based violence and provide access to justice as outlined in Canada’s Gender Results Framework.

Supporting visible minority newcomer women

Visible minority newcomer women often face more challenges to successfully enter the workforce: their incomes are generally lower and their unemployment rates are higher. Recognizing the specific barriers they may face, in December 2018, the Department launched the Visible Minority Newcomer Women Pilot. Participants in the pilot engaged in a variety of employment-related services including work placement, mentorship and employment counselling, to support them in acquiring knowledge, skills, and connections to prepare for the Canadian labour market and improve economic opportunities.

In addition, seven organizations from across the country were selected to provide language training that is adapted to the needs of French-speaking newcomers who often require proficiency in both official languages (e.g., knowledge of English for work and of French for social connections) to achieve their economic and social settlement and integration goals.

Experimentation: Improving our service delivery of settlement services

Service delivery improvement funding continues to test innovative ways to improve the efficiency of settlement services. For example, the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association Health Literacy Partnership project has developed online tools and resources to support newcomer women’s interaction with the health care system, and to allow healthcare professionals to better serve newcomers. The Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization project called Digital Messaging for Settlement & Integration provides relevant information to newcomers in real time through the use of existing digital media platforms. In 2019–20, IRCC facilitated the collection and analysis of interim results from funded projects. The Department continues to monitor and report on the results of the service delivery improvement agreements already in place.

Developing tools and strategies for the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program

Private sponsors are an integral part of Canada’s resettlement programs and continued to make significant contributions in 2019–20. Together with private sponsors, Canada has maintained its position as the top resettlement country in the world. In 2019, Canada resettled over 30,000 refugees, including more than 19,000 privately sponsored refugees.

In 2019–20, the Department continued to work closely with civil society representatives to promote the continued success of the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program. For example, the Department engaged with the sponsorship community on a range of activities, including training, program guidance, and communications. IRCC also conducted a series of in-person meetings with private sponsors between February and March 2020, in collaboration with the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program. The objective of these meetings was to provide information on the PSR Program and offer sponsors the ability to share their experiences, including their challenges. The Department was also able to learn from sponsors and gain new perspectives.

The growth in the PSR Program has come with a rise in reported and confirmed integrity issues. In response, the Department has implemented and expanded program integrity activities throughout the resettled refugee continuum to ensure that those most in need are protected and receive support. This includes prioritizing the detection of cases where refugees are not receiving adequate post-arrival supports from their sponsors and addressing them.

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: Results from IRCC’s 2019–20 Annual Tracking Study of 2,000 Canadians show that 66% of Canadians feel that the target of 341,000 immigrants per year is either about right or too few. While this result exceeds the target of 65%, it is not uncommon for this figure to fluctuate, and in recent years it has ranged from 57% in 2013–14 and 2018–19 to 66% in 2017–18 and 2019–20. Despite these fluctuations, current support for the number of immigrants coming to Canada is significantly higher than it was in the mid-1990s, as measured in public opinion research conducted separately by IRCC and Environics Institute. It has remained generally consistent for the past 15 years, following a significant increase between 1996 and 2004. The 2019–20 result was collected prior to the announcement of the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.

Indicator 2: The November 2017 Evaluation of the Settlement Program showed that higher-need clients progress at a slower pace. The growing number of clients in basic settlement language training classes who have low language and literacy skills is due in part to the Department’s goal to reduce waitlists for priority clients at basic levels and to the increase in admissions of vulnerable newcomers. There are many learners in part-time classes who, compared to those in full-time classes, may not progress as quickly. This could explain why the number of clients who improved one of their skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) by one level has declined.

Indicator 3: The data shows that, of the clients who received employment-related settlement services, half reported increased knowledge of several topics related to participation in the labour market, such as looking for/applying for a job, establishing contacts, connections, networks, getting educational and/or professional qualifications assessed, starting a business and/or using soft skills at work. Although the target has been met, two years of data is not sufficient to confirm a trend or to analyse and explain variations in results from year to year. As more data becomes available, IRCC will be in a better position to provide more fulsome analyses on trends.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 5: Immigrants and refugees achieve economic independence and contribute to labour force growth

Responding to the agri-food sector and rural communities labour shortages

The Department recognizes that regions, communities and economic sectors have unique needs when it comes to immigration. In past years, IRCC designed and implemented innovative programming to address regional labour market needs, such as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP).

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot continues to support employers using immigration to fill key labour market vacancies and increase newcomer retention in Atlantic Canada. A distinguishing feature of the pilot is the increased role of the employer in supporting the settlement and retention of newcomer employees and their family. Since its launch in 2017, participating employers in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot have made over 6,500 job offers in key sectors including manufacturing and health care. In 2019, this has resulted in over 5,600 permanent resident admissions already in the Atlantic region.

In support of the Minister’s mandate commitment, and to further link immigration to the region’s economic development needs, IRCC is working with the Atlantic Provinces to transition the pilot to a permanent Atlantic Immigration Program, drawing upon the lessons from the roll out of the pilot, stakeholder consultations and the evaluation of the pilot.

Rural communities are essential to Canada’s economic growth by employing over 4 million Canadians and accounting for almost 30% of the national Gross Domestic Product. To address the specific labour market needs of smaller communities, in January 2019 IRCC announced the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, which is testing a new community driven approach to immigration by tailoring immigration selection to local economic development priorities. The program design is focused on long-term retention of immigrants and requires concrete efforts at the community level to welcome, settle and integrate newcomers. Eleven rural communities^{Footnote 19} across Western Canada and Ontario were selected in June 2019 to recruit newcomers who, with their families, will fill key labour market needs and settle in these local communities in the long-term. The first communities began recommending candidates for immigration in November 2019. In addition, IRCC worked collaboratively with the Yukon Government on its Yukon Community Pilot, which applies the same community economic development approach to the unique realities of the Far North.

Complementing this approach, IRCC launched the Agri-Food Pilot on May 15, 2020. This 3-year economic immigration pilot will help address persistent labour shortages in the agri-food sector, particularly in the meat processing, mushroom and greenhouse crop production, and livestock raising industries. The Agri-Food Pilot will attract and retain experienced workers by providing them with an opportunity to become permanent residents and help to contribute to Canada’s ambitious export targets. The agriculture and agri-food industry is an important contributor to Canada’s economic growth, supporting 1 in 8 jobs across the country.

Helping caregivers transition to permanent residence

In an effort to improve the life of immigrant in-home caregivers and help them transition to permanent residence, IRCC launched the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots in June 2019. The new five-year pilot programs test an innovative two-step process for permanent residency for caregivers. They provide a clearer pathway to permanent residence by assessing select eligibility criteria — education, language proficiency, and job offer — for permanent residence prior to issuing work permits for in-home caregiving occupations to qualified foreign nationals. Consultations leading up to the launch of the new pilots confirmed the vast majority of foreign caregivers working in Canada are hoping to stay permanently. The new pilot programs aim to improve the working conditions of caregivers, the majority of whom are women, through occupation-restricted open work permits (instead of employer-specific work permits) to address issues of abuse, and the option for family members of caregivers to work or study in Canada, during the temporary residence stage. IRCC is currently monitoring these two initiatives to help inform future programming.

In 2019, the Government also launched the Interim Pathway for Caregivers to provide another opportunity for caregivers in Canada to stay permanently. The pathway required reduced work experience and education criteria compared to the previous and current caregiver pilot programs. As a short-term public policy, the pathway was implemented as two three-month windows and was closed to applications in October 2019.

These efforts support Canada’s commitments under the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all.^{Footnote 20} They also contribute to the broader gender equality goal to eliminate gender-based violence and provide access to justice as outlined in Canada’s Gender Results Framework.

Helping newcomers finding and retaining employment

Labour market attachment is both a key indicator of and an important contributor to newcomers’ successful integration to Canada. Employment-related settlement services help newcomers find and retain employment, and typically include one, or a combination of: work placements, mentorship, preparation for licensure/certification, networking opportunities, job search skills, employment counselling services and job matching services.

In 2019–20, 62,036 unique clients received employment-related settlement services designed to help them maximize their contributions to the Canadian economy.

In 2019–20, newcomers were provided with temporary work experience, training and mentorship through the Federal Internship for Newcomers (FIN) Program. Through IRCC-funded service provider organizations, participants received information on integrating into the Canadian workplace, job readiness training, interview preparation, core skills development, and knowledge to support them when applying for jobs in government in Canada. In 2019–20, approximately 1,480 candidates who met the program eligibility criteria received employment-related services to support their integration into public sector workplaces.

Spreading the economic benefits of immigration

The Provincial Nominee Program continues to focus on spreading the economic benefits of immigration across Canada and meeting the unique labour market needs of provinces and territories. Starting in 2019, 2,000 new immigration spaces were provided to provinces and territories to bring intermediate skilled workers into sectors experiencing chronic labour market shortages through their nominee programs. This three-year initiative will end in 2021. A key activity in 2020–21 will look at the implementation of this initiative, as well as monitoring its impact.

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: In 2019, 70% of newcomers who were aged 25 to 54 and who landed within the last one to five years, were employed. This high percentage demonstrates the success of economic immigration programs in selecting newcomers based on human capital characteristics such as education, work experience and language skills, which facilitate integration into the Canadian economy and labour force.

Indicator 2: In 2019–20, 55% of immigrants and refugees were in the middle-income range or above. This percentage has remained relatively consistent over the previous three years. As with the percentage of newcomers who are employed, this demonstrates that IRCC’s economic programs are selecting newcomers with characteristics that facilitate their integration into the labour force and enable them to achieve earnings in the middle-income range.

Indicator 3: In 2019, immigrants represented 28% of the Canadian labour force. Over the past few years, changes to federal and regional economic immigration programming have placed greater importance on human capital characteristics such as education, work experience and language skills, which has had a positive impact on the immigrant share of the labour force. Gradually increasing permanent resident immigration levels to 1% of the Canadian population is an effective strategy to counter the slowing of labour force growth over the next decade.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 6: Immigrants and refugees feel part of and participate in Canadian society

Supporting Francophone Communities

Launched in 2018–19, the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative supports the creation of spaces across the country where French-speaking newcomers feel welcome. In 2019–20, under the leadership of the Réseaux en immigration francophone, 14 communities were selected to participate in this pilot project where they created local governance structures, identified priorities and developed a community plan based on local needs. Community plans will be implemented over the next 3 years, supported by a budget of $12.6 million. In addition, the Department studied the initiative to examine, document and understand the most successful activities that make participating communities more “welcoming.”

Strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities

Canada’s future can also be strengthened by building relationships of respect and solidarity between Indigenous peoples and newcomers. At IRCC, reconciliation is a key mandate letter commitment, reaching Canadians and newcomers across their unique immigration, settlement, and citizenship journeys.

The 2019 Call for Proposals for the Settlement Program invited service provider organizations to submit proposals that create meaningful dialogue and connections between newcomers and Canadian citizens, including Indigenous people, recognizing that cross-community interactions are an important part of the settlement and integration process for newcomers and their receiving communities.

In 2019–20, IRCC continued to engage with a number of settlement language training experts and stakeholders as well as service provider organizations to inform the Department’s work on strengthening Indigenous content in language training program design so that newcomers to Canada, who are learning English and French, also have the opportunity to improve their knowledge of Indigenous communities and Canada’s historic plurality.

Connecting newcomers

As part of the Settlement Program, Canada Connects is facilitating increased connections between newcomers, long-time Canadians, established immigrants and Indigenous peoples by providing opportunities for cross-cultural engagement through one-on-one exchanges, family matches focused on addressing needs, exploring interests, and supporting informal language learning. Matching activities have been shown to support the two-way street of integration by fostering inter-cultural awareness and acceptance, supporting volunteers to better understand the contributions of immigrants and the challenges they face in Canada, and helping immigrants and refugees build meaningful relationships and establish networks. In 2019–20, 153 organizations delivered matching activities.

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: Results from the last Newcomers Survey suggest that the majority of immigrants and refugees have a strong sense of belonging to Canada, and actual results surpassed the expected target. Through the Settlement Program, IRCC-funded Community Connections programming seeks to build bridges between newcomers and communities across Canada to create inclusive spaces, promote social cohesion and ultimately enhance newcomers’ sense of belonging.

Indicator 2: Results from the last Newcomers Survey show that 29% of immigrants and refugees volunteered in the last 12 months which is very close to the expected target of 30%. Through the Settlement Program, IRCC-funded projects support newcomers’ participation in all dimensions of Canadian life. This includes providing newcomers with information on community engagement and volunteer opportunities in their community.

Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Operational requirements

A portion of financial resources for this core responsibility is used for operational purposes in selecting economic immigrant applicants, processing family member applications to reunite families, and processing refugee and protected person applications to provide a safe haven for those facing persecution, while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians. IRCC works with federal government security partners and third-party health professionals to verify that individuals meet admissibility requirements. These financial resources also include a special purpose allotment to fund temporary and limited health coverage for eligible beneficiaries, including resettled refugees and asylum claimants.

Grants and contributions

To support immigrants and refugees integrate into Canadian society and the economy, IRCC funds a variety of settlement support services through a network of organizations. Services offered by these organizations help improve immigrant and refugee official language abilities and help newcomers acquire knowledge and skills necessary to integrate into Canadian society and the labour market.

Total operational requirements and grants and contributions

Overall, the vast majority of actual spending for this core responsibility, accounting for $1.8 billion, was related to grants and contributions spending, which is mainly associated with settlement support and resettlement assistance services. This spending also includes $0.6 billion for the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration grant and $0.3 billion to support provinces and municipalities for temporary housing with respect to increased volume of asylum claimants. The remainder of the spending in the amount of $0.5 billion was used to support IRCC’s operational requirements mainly for the implementation of the multi-year immigration levels plans, as well as to provide interim federal health care coverage for eligible recipients.

The difference between planned and actual spending for 2019–20 is mainly due to additional resources received through Budget 2019 to support enhancing the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system, as well as providing health care to refugees and asylum seekers.

These additional resources were not included at the planning stage, as financial authorities were granted through Budget 2019 and the 2019–20 Supplementary Estimates.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Core Responsibility 3: Citizenship and Passports

Description

IRCC promotes the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship, and issues secure and internationally recognized Canadian citizenship and travel documents so that Canadians can participate fully in civic society and so that travel is facilitated across borders while contributing to international and domestic security.

Key risks to Core Responsibility 3

Demand for citizenship grant applications continues to increase, which has the potential to hinder IRCC’s capacity to deliver timely and dependable client-centred services. Citizenship plays a key role in Canadian society and IRCC continued its modernization efforts in this regard.

The Passport Program must continue to advance its modernization agenda to ensure that its systems and service offerings keep pace with international standards and client expectations. The Passport Program is pro-actively positioning its modernization efforts to align with the start of the next business cycle in 2023, when volumes are expected to increase as the first wave of 10-year passports expire. Once such effort is the Passport Program Modernization Initiative (PPMI), the Program’s largest investment, which requires regular and effective coordination and collaboration among multiple federal departments. In 2019–20, IRCC advanced PPMI by piloting and deploying the solution within IRCC. The Passport Program will continue to focus on implementing the new issuance platform in Canada that will improve efficiency, strengthen security, and increase Canadians’ access to passport services.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 7: Eligible permanent residents become Canadian citizens

Building a more inclusive Canada

In 2019–20, over 247,000 people were granted Canadian citizenship, an 18% increase over the previous fiscal year. This is a significant increase of over 39,000 new citizens. Changes in application volumes tend to respond to citizenship legislative and policy changes and reflect changes in the Immigration Levels Plan. Recent legislative changes, which came into force in Fall 2017, reduced the amount of time a permanent resident has to spend in Canada before being eligible for citizenship. Gradual increases in the Immigration Levels Plan also contributes to higher demand in applying for Canadian citizenship.

Demonstrating the Government of Canada’s commitment for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

In 2019–20, legislation to amend the Oath of Citizenship was re-introduced in Parliament to reflect Indigenous treaty rights and respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #94. The proposed amendments, similar to those introduced in May 2019, reflect consultations with National Indigenous organizations and citizenship stakeholders.

If adopted by Parliament, the changes to the Oath of Citizenship will raise awareness among newcomers and emphasize the importance of Indigenous and treaty rights in Canada. It will be an important step towards reconciliation by encouraging new Canadians to fully appreciate and respect the significant role of Indigenous peoples in forming the Canadian fabric and identity.

In 2019–20, the Department continued to include Indigenous peoples in citizenship ceremonies by acknowledging Indigenous territory, delivering special remarks during National Indigenous History Month and on National Indigenous People’s Day, and by inviting Indigenous peoples to participate actively in several enhanced ceremonies throughout Canada.

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: Overall naturalization rates in Canada are among the highest in the world. The last census measuring naturalization rates took place in 2016. The census findings demonstrated a slight growth in overall uptake rates from 85.6% to 85.8% between 2011 and 2016. As this indicator relies on the Census, new data are available on a five-year cycle. The next Census will be conducted in 2021. Between fiscal year 2016–17 and 2019–20, over 568,000 permanent residents applied and met the requirements and were thus granted Canadian citizenship. The ultimate goal of the Citizenship Program is to support eligible permanent residents to become Canadian citizens.

Indicator 2: In 2019–20, a total of 65% of citizenship grant applications were processed within the 12-month service standard. The absolute volumes of citizenship applications continue to increase year after year. The number of citizenship applicants who became Canadian citizens has increased by 118%, from 112,969 in 2017–18 to 247,139 in 2019–20. Growing application volumes have strained the operational processing model causing increased processing times. The citizenship applications process is heavily paper-based and relies on manual data entry. The program is also facing a large increase in demand and the current funding levels are outpaced by application volumes. The program is exploring ways to transform the processing model to increase speed and efficiency and develop digital tools for improved client service.

Indicator 3: In 2019–20, a total 95% of the permanent residents who became Canadian citizens were satisfied with the services they received. The rate of client satisfaction has remained steady over the last three fiscal years. IRCC strives to make the services as efficient as possible to provide full assurance to clients.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 8: Canadians’ international travel is facilitated

Modernizing the Passport Program

In 2019–20, IRCC continued to work on the PPMI. In December 2019, the new passport issuance platform was deployed internally at IRCC. Over 900 passport applications have been processed using the solution. In March 2020, the IRCC deployment phase was successfully concluded as planned, and the project has begun transitioning towards preparation for pilots at Employment and Social Development Canada.

With improved business processes and a new service delivery model, PPMI will be better positioned to: respond to fluctuating demand, evolving global security requirements, and evolving client expectations; increase efficiency in application processing while supporting the maintenance of service levels across the country; support program integrity and security through stronger identity management, in areas such as facial recognition and the electronic validation of specific client data against provincial databases; and support increased access to passport services for Canadians by providing consistent in-person services at more locations in Canada.

In 2019–20, the Department also led the implementation of amendments to the Canadian Passport Order to support PPMI objectives. These changes provide the necessary legal authority for the future use of automation in processing passport applications.

Engaging Internationally

In 2019–20, the Department actively engaged with a range of international partners, including active participation in various fora and working groups of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Leveraging Canada’s investments in the Epassport and facilitating the international travel of Canadian passport holders are key driving factors of this engagement with bilateral and multilateral partners. Accordingly, the Department contributed to the development of a new passport technology, the Digital Travel Credential, aimed at simplifying a traveller’s journey through the airport departure and arrival processes. The Department also actively participated in ICAO-led workshops aimed at promoting the use, by all member States, of internationally-compliant and secure travel documents and effective border inspection systems, which also supports smooth processing at international borders for Canadian passport holders.

IRCC also participated in the Group of Seven Roma-Lyon Group, exchanging information and approaches with Group of Seven countries with respect to travel document integrity issues. These activities support Canada’s interest in a strong international passport system.

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: In 2019–20, Canada continued to comply with international standards related to travel documents set out in Annex 9 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation. Canadian passports continue to be designed with globally interoperable features and are issued using secure and internationally recognized practices. Canada is committed to maintaining compliance with these standards and further strengthening the design of Canadian passports as it transitions to the next generation of travel documents in 2020–21.

Indicator 2: In 2019–20, a total of 99% of Canadian passport and other travel document applications were processed within service standards. In Canada, almost all (99.7%) Canadian passports were processed within service standards. Abroad, 97.7% of Canadian passports were processed within service standards.

Indicator 3: In 2019–20, survey results suggest that 94% of passport applicants were satisfied with the services they received. This includes applicants who applied from within Canada and applicants who applied abroad. The Department will continue its effort to solicit applicant feedback on potential service delivery improvements.

Citizenship and Passports

Citizenship Program

Resources for the Citizenship Program are mainly used for assessment activities, administration of tests, checks to confirm applicants do not have a criminal record, activities to detect and prevent fraud, citizenship ceremonies, and development of tools such as citizenship tests and guides.

Financial figures associated with the Citizenship Program alone include $64 million in planned spending and $67 million in actual spending, for a variance of $3 million (or 5%), mainly due to the additional resources received through Budget 2019 for improving immigration client service.

These additional resources were not included at the planning stage as financial authorities were granted through Budget 2019.

Passport Program Operations

IRCC collaborates with Service Canada and GAC to facilitate travel for Canadians and contribute to a safe and secure travel regime by issuing Canadian travel documents that are internationally recognized and respected.

The Passport Program operates on a full cost-recovery basis from fees charged for travel document services.

The difference of $77 million between planned and actual spending for 2019–20 is explained by a combination of factors: less spending materialized than was anticipated mainly due to unused project contingencies for the Epassport and Passport Program Modernization Initiative, as well as lower than anticipated operating costs to administer the program. As the program continues to operate in the second half of its 10-year business cycle, fiscal year 2019–20 is the second year marked by a reduction in revenue. Similar to 2018–19, the revenue reduction in 2019–20 was expected and is the result of a reduction in passport demand due to the transition from the 5-year passport to the 10-year passport.

The Passport Program collected more revenues in the first half of the 10-year business cycle than the program required. It is anticipated, however, that the accumulated surplus collected in the preceding years will compensate for future deficits.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Internal services

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct services categories that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:

• Acquisition Management Services
• Communication Services
• Financial Management Services
• Human Resources Management Services
• Information Management Services
• Information Technology Services
• Legal Services
• Material Management Services
• Management and Oversight Services
• Real Property Management Services

Results achieved

Recognizing IRCC as one of Canada’s top employers

In 2019–20 IRCC earned a coveted spot on the list of National Capital Region’s Top Employers (2020) and placed 78th on the Forbes 2020 list of Canada’s Best Employers. IRCC’s selection was based on the importance put on employee well-being (including mental health) as well as being very supportive of employee development by providing diverse training options and managing a Professional Development Network.

Supporting a high-performing, diverse and equipped workforce and promoting a modern, healthy and enabling workplace

In 2019–20, IRCC continued to support a high-performing, adaptable, diverse and well-equipped workforce within a modern, healthy and enabling workplace where employees are valued and engaged.

IRCC advanced its strategies and priorities within the context of its commitment to excellence in people management including fostering a culture founded on: inclusion, diversity and linguistic duality; sound wellness and mental health; successful orientation and departure practices; organizational stability and effectiveness; and ongoing performance management including learning and development.

For example, IRCC enhanced its recruitment efforts to reach a more diverse workforce by participating in recruitment fairs targeting persons with disabilities; recognized the importance of gender inclusion by providing diversity coaching to departmental representatives and designing and offering two new courses dedicated to gender diversity and inclusivity; and investing in continuous learning to enhance employee skillsets and knowledge to deliver on IRCC’s Core Responsibilities and internal programs by standardizing and modernizing learning curricula, including those for the Settlement Program, the Citizenship Program and the IRPA Certification.

Recognizing that the working environment is a key enabler to attract and retain employees, IRCC also accelerated its plan to introduce digital tools and equipment, including collaboration tools, laptops and increased Internet capacity. In addition, IRCC continued to implement mechanisms to reduce potential pay impacts on employees further promoting a welcoming work environment.

Improving efficiencies across all lines of business

In 2019–20, IRCC continued to implement digital initiatives to better manage workloads and processing pressures while reducing printing devices and paper consumption. For example, IRCC transitioned to a paperless procurement process by leveraging existing technologies such as digital repositories, electronic signatures and electronic vendor proposal submissions. By March 2020, IRCC achieved its goal of a 100% paperless procurement business process while contributing to Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Improving how clients are informed on the status of their applications

Clients contact the IRCC Client Support Centre via phone and email to seek the status of their application. In 2019–20, IRCC invested in improving the accessibility and quality of client support, notably by significantly increasing the call answer rate and introducing a call-back feature. Now when clients contact the Client Support Centre via phone, they can request a call back instead of waiting on the phone to speak with an agent. In 2019–20, Client Support Centre agents answered over 250,000 more calls than the year before (increasing the overall call answer rate from 25% in 2018–19 to 44% in 2019–20) and reduced the processing times of email responses from 10 business days in 2018–19 to 3 business days in 2019–20.

Many clients also use the access to information and privacy (ATIP) process to seek the status of their applications. As a result, IRCC continued to experience a significant increase in the volume of ATIP requests. In 2019–20, the volume increased to 132,141 requests from 98,041 in 2018–19 (a 35% increase). While this volume exceeded the Department’s capacity to respond to all requests within legislated deadlines, IRCC was still able to process 80,267 requests within legislative requirements compared to 69,671 last year.

IRCC aims to offer more meaningful information to clients to reduce their use of the ATIP process to seek their application status. Several other initiatives are underway to reduce the volume of ATIP requests, such as engaging stakeholders (the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants, and the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council) to raise awareness of ATIP best practices and implementation of technologies to facilitate the processing of requests.

Recognizing gender diversity in IRCC-issued documents and in communication with clients

Internal Services

The difference between planned and actual spending is mainly due to increased efforts from the different service categories under internal services to support operations and projects for major initiatives that took place in 2019–20.

IRCC made investments in its Global Case Management System to increase overall capacity to support the different lines of business, meet volume increases, and ensure that application processing will continue should an information technology disaster occur. In addition, the Department invested in accommodation projects, security services, and furniture required to support additional efforts to enhance the integrity of Canada's borders and the increase of asylum seekers, help travellers visit Canada and improve immigration client service. Resources were also reallocated to support program planning activities related to project management functions and digital services initiatives across the department.

These additional requirements were not included at the planning stage as financial authorities were realigned internally with a portion granted through Budget 2019 mainly for enhancing the integrity of Canada’s borders and the increase of asylum seekers, and the 2019–20 Supplementary Estimates.

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

Departmental spending trend graph

The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory spending) over time.

Text version: Departmental spending trend graph

Fiscal year	Statutory ($ millions)	Voted ($ millions)	Total ($ millions)
2017–18	-162	2,079	1,917
2018–19	66	2,338	2,404
2019–20	189	2,872	3,061
2020–21	218	2,623	2,841
2021–22	152	2,451	2,603
2022–23	85	2,460	2,545

Due to changes in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reporting framework effective April 1, 2018, expenditures by these core responsibilities for 2017–18 are not available.

Analysis of trends in spending

Analysis — 2019–20 Planned spending versus 2019–20 Available authorities for use

2019–20 planned spending is based on a set of assumptions made in Fall 2018, as well as on the availability of funding at the planning stage. The total increase of $1.7 billion (or 61%) between the 2019–20 planned spending and total authorities available for use is mainly attributable to the cumulative unused surplus associated with the Passport Program as more revenues were collected in the first half of the 10-year business cycle than the program required. It is anticipated that the accumulated surplus collected in the preceding years will compensate for future deficits.

The increase is also due to the additional funding received by the Department through Budget 2019 ($300.7 million) and the 2019–20 Supplementary Estimates ($166.1 million).

Budget 2019 announcements included funding to help support enhancing the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system, providing health care to refugees and asylum seekers, helping travellers visit Canada, improving immigration client services, and implementing Canada's new International Education Strategy. Through the Supplementary Estimates, the Department also received funding for items including supporting provinces and municipalities for temporary housing related to asylum seekers, and the adjustment made to the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration.

Trend analysis — Actual spending from 2017–18 to 2019–20

2019–20 actual spending increased by $1.1 billion (or 60%) in comparison with 2017–18. The increase is mainly due to expenditures associated with increased levels in permanent resident admissions, increased volumes in temporary resident applications, and an increased number of asylum seekers, along with the related support to provinces and municipalities for temporary housing.

Furthermore, investments were made to ensure IRCC operations met all aspects of security, policy and legal requirements, and to uphold commitments made to IRCC’s partner departments and government bodies.

Trend analysis — Planned spending from 2020–21 to 2021–22

It is important to note that the planned spending for 2020–21 and 2021–22 was published in the 2020–21 Departmental Plan. These figures were prepared based on funding approved up until December 2019.

The downward fluctuations from $2.8 billion in 2020–21 to $2.6 billion in 2021–22 results from a decrease in funding for the Interim Federal Health Program, as well as the end of funding for Budget 2019 measures to help travellers visit Canada and improve immigration client services. This is partially offset by increased resources for settlement and integration of permanent residents into Canadian society.

Through its activities, the department collects revenues on behalf of the government. Of these collected revenues, the department has respendable revenues authorities for the Passport Program and International Experience Canada Program.

The International Experience Canada Program operates on a vote-netted revenue basis. Its revenues are generated through a participation fee.

The Passport Program operates on a full cost-recovery basis and generates revenue through fees paid for passports and other travel documents.

Actual human resources

Analysis of trends in human resources

Analysis — 2019–20 Planned versus Actual FTEs

The increase in the number of 2019–20 actual FTEs in comparison with the 2019–20 planned FTEs is mainly attributable to Budget 2019 announcements that provided additional resources to help support enhancing the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system, helping travellers visit Canada, improving immigration client service, and implementing Canada's new International Education Strategy.

Trend analysis — Actual FTEs from 2017–18 to 2019–20

The increase in the number of FTEs from 2017–18 to 2019–20 is mainly due to the additional resources required to support the processing of increased levels of permanent resident admissions, address the increased volume of temporary resident applications, support enhancing the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system, and to support government efforts related to Phoenix.

Trend analysis — Planned FTEs from 2020–21 to 2021–22

It is important to note that planned FTEs for 2020–21 and 2021–22 were prepared in Fall 2019, and as such do not include new resources to be received through future years’ Budget announcements or the Supplementary Estimates process.

From 2020–21 to 2021–22, the number of FTEs has decreased mainly due to the downward fluctuation in planned spending associated with the ending of funding for Budget 2019 measures for helping travellers visit Canada and improving immigration client service, as well as the decrease in spending to support enhancing the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system.

Expenditures by vote

For information on IRCC’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2019–20.

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of the IRCC’s spending with the Government of Canada’s spending and activities is available in the GC InfoBase.

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

IRCC’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2020, are available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website.

Financial statements highlights

The financial highlights presented within this Departmental Results Report are intended to serve as a general overview of IRCC’s Consolidated Statement of Operations and Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. These statements are prepared in accordance with accrual accounting principles and are therefore different from the information published in the Public Accounts of Canada, which are prepared on a modified cash basis.

Expenses

Total expenses of $3,699.6 million in 2019–20 included $1,824.8 million (49.3%) in transfer payments and $917.8 million (24.8%) in salaries and employee benefits.

Total expenses increased by $590.8 million (19%) as compared to the previous year. This variance is mainly attributable to the following:

• an increase in transfer payments, mostly for asylum claimants’ temporary housing and under the Canada-Quebec Accord;
• an increase in salaries and employee benefits mostly due to a higher number of employees; and
• an increase in professional and special services expenses, mostly explained by an increase under the Interim Federal Health Program providing temporary and limited health coverage for eligible beneficiaries.

Total expenses for 2019–20 are $256.2 million (7.4%) higher than the planned results. This variance is mainly attributable to the following:

• an increase under the Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration core responsibility mainly explained by additional in-year funding received for enhancing the integrity of Canada’s border and asylum systems and for providing health care to refugees and asylum seekers;
• an increase in internal services expenses, which was funded by resources carried over from the previous fiscal year to support operations and projects for major initiatives that took place in 2019–20, such as information technology services related to GCMS to increase overall capacity to support the different lines of business, meet volume increases, and ensure that application processing will continue should an information technology disaster occur; and
• a decrease under the Passport Program expenses, mainly due to unused contingencies set aside to support project activities related to Epassport and the Passport Program Modernization Initiative, as well as a change in a partner department’s human resources strategy due to the decrease in passport volumes in the second half of the 10-year business cycle.

The chart below outlines IRCC’s expenses by core responsibility:

Text version: Expenses by Core Responsibility

Expenses by Core Responsibility	Amount	Percentage
Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration	$2,464.2 million	67%
Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers	$462.0 million	13%
Citizenship and Passports	$460.8 million	12%
Internal Services	$312.6 million	8%

Revenues

Total revenues amounted to $1,350.5 million in 2019–20, of which $1,066.6 million (79%) were departmental revenues earned on behalf of the government and $283.9 million (21%) were departmental respendable revenues, largely composed of Passport Program and International Experience Canada revenues.

Departmental revenues earned on behalf of the government rose by $114.7 million (12%) as compared to the previous year. This result is mainly attributable to an increase in biometrics fees earned as a result of the new regulation to expand the collection of biometric information.

Departmental revenues earned on behalf of the government are $80.7 million (8.2%) higher than the planned results. This variance is mainly attributable to an understatement of the impact of the new regulation to expand the collection of biometric information.

Departmental respendable revenues decreased by $92.8 million (24.6%) as compared to the previous year, mainly due to a significantly lower volume of passport applications received in the current year as a result of the introduction of the 10-year passport in 2013.

Departmental respendable revenues are $2.8 million (1%) higher than the planned results. This variance is mainly attributable to an increase in the volume of approximately 100,000 passport applications.

The chart below outlines IRCC’s revenues by type:

Text version: Revenues by Type

Revenues by Type	Amount	Percentage
Immigration service fees	$766.3 million	57%
Passport fees	$274.9 million	20%
Immigration rights and privileges	$163.5 million	12%
Citizenship service fees	$113.4 million	8%
Other revenues Footnote *	$32.4 million	3%

Assets

Total net financial assets increased by $26.4 million (6.7%) in 2019–20 as compared to 2018–19. This variance is mainly attributable to the following:

• an increase in the loans receivable as a result of the 2018–2020 multi-year levels plan increase; and
• an increase in the amount due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund as a result of the increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities.

The chart below outlines IRCC’s net financial assets:

Text version: Total Net Financial Assets

Net Financial Assets Category	Amount	Percentage
Due from Consolidated Revenue Fund	$305.9 million	72%
Loans receivable	$82.9 million	20%
Accounts receivable and advances	$20.7 million	5%
Inventory held for resale	$13.0 million	3%

Total non-financial assets decreased by $11.3 million (7.4%) in 2019–20 as compared to 2018–19. This variance is mainly attributable to the following:

• a decrease in tangible capital assets, mainly explained by the yearly amortization expense and partly offset by acquisitions, mostly related to internally developed software; and
• an increase in prepaid expenses for biometrics collection services in the United States.

The chart below outlines IRCC’s non-financial assets:

Text version: Total Non-Financial Assets

Non-Financial Assets	Amount	Percentage
Tangible capital assets	$122.9 million	86%
Prepaid expenses	$9.5 million	7%
Inventory held for consumption	$9.4 million	7%

Liabilities

Total net liabilities increased by $14.6 million (3.9%) in 2019–20 as compared to 2018–19. This variance is mainly attributable to the following:

• an increase in accrued liabilities mostly due to holdbacks payable for many contribution agreements ending in 2019–20;
• a decrease in the Immigrant Investor Program due to the timing difference between when the amounts were received from provinces and when they were reimbursed to investors, as at March 31; and
• an increase in the vacation pay and compensatory leave liability, since excess hours are no longer automatically being cashed out at year-end.

The chart below outlines IRCC’s net liabilities:

Text version: Total Net Liabilities

Net Liabilities Category	Amount	Percentage
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$323.0 million	83%
Vacation pay and compensatory leave	$40.3 million	10%
Employee future benefits	$23.2 million	6%
Immigrants Investor Program	$3.2 million	1%

Additional information

Organizational profile

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

“Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do” is available on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website.

Raison d’être

Canada is a country that has been positively impacted by immigration, welcoming 19 million people since Confederation and home to over 200 ethnic communities. Immigration has been crucial in shaping Canada into the diverse and prosperous nation it is today and, looking forward, stands to be equally fundamental to Canada's future social cohesion and economic prosperity. To this end, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada facilitates the entry of temporary residents, manages the selection, settlement and integration of newcomers, grants citizenship and issues passports to eligible citizens. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is responsible for this organization.

Note: Until the establishing legislation is amended, the legal name of the department for the purposes of appropriation acts remains Department of Citizenship and Immigration.

Mandate and role

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) selects and welcomes, as permanent and temporary residents, foreign nationals whose skills contribute to Canadian prosperity. It also reunites family members.

The Department maintains Canada’s humanitarian tradition by welcoming refugees and other people in need of protection, thereby upholding its international obligations and reputation.

IRCC, in collaboration with its partners, conducts the screening of potential permanent and temporary residents to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians. IRCC is also responsible for the issuance and control of Canadian passports and other travel documents that facilitate the travel of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons.

Lastly, the Department builds a stronger Canada by helping all newcomers settle and integrate into Canadian society and the economy, and by encouraging, granting and providing proof of Canadian citizenship.

IRCC offers its many programs either directly or through contract, grant or contribution agreement, or in partnership with other government departments. Immigration services are offered through the IRCC website, by telephone during local business hours within Canada or by email, as well as at 23 in-Canada points of service and 61 points of service in 50 countries. As of January 2020, there were 161 visa application centres in 108 countries, 133 application support centres ^{Footnote 28} in the United States, and a network of just over 2,000 panel physicians operating in 178 countries. Settlement and integration services are offered prior to arrival in Canada and across the country, outside Quebec, through a network of over 500 service provider organizations across Canada. The Department also works with Employment and Social Development Canada to deliver in-Canada biometrics collection and domestic passport service delivery, leveraging the latter’s extensive network of passport processing centres and walk-in sites (34 full service passport offices and over 310 Service Canada sites). IRCC also partners with Global Affairs Canada, which provides passport services abroad in over 210 different locations in 148 countries. For more general information about the department, see the “Supplementary Information” section of this report.

For more information on the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter.

Reporting framework

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2019–20 are shown below:

Text version: Reporting framework

• Core Responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers
  • R1: Entry to Canada of eligible visitors, international students and temporary workers is facilitated
    • I 1. Total number of visas and electronic travel authorizations issued to visitors, international students and temporary workers
    • I 2. Percentage of visitor, international student and temporary worker applicants found inadmissible on health grounds and those who are authorized to enter with a condition on their visa related to health surveillance
    • I 3. Percentage of visitor, international student and temporary worker applicants found inadmissible on safety and security grounds
    • I 4. Percentage of temporary resident business lines that adhere to service standards
    • I 5. Percentage of visitor, international student and temporary worker applicants who report they were satisfied overall with the services they received
  • R2: Facilitation of temporary entry helps to generate economic benefits
    • I 6. Total monetary contribution of visitors and international students to Canada’s economy
    • I 7. Number of temporary workers who fill labour market needs for which Canadians are unavailable
• Core Responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration
  • R3: Potential permanent residents are selected for immigration to Canada
    • I 8. Total number of permanent resident admissions, against the annual immigration levels plan
    • I 9. Percentage of permanent residents admitted to Canada, outside Quebec, who identify as French-speaking
    • I 10. Percentage of permanent resident applicants found inadmissible on health grounds and those who are permitted admission with a condition on their visa related to health surveillance
    • I 11. Percentage of permanent resident applicants found inadmissible on safety and security grounds
    • I 12. Percentage of permanent resident business lines that adhere to service standards
    • I 13. Percentage of permanent resident applicants who report they were satisfied overall with the services they received
  • R4: Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports
    • I 14. Percentage of Canadians who support the current level of immigration
    • I 15. Percentage of settlement clients who improved their official language skills
    • I 16. Percentage of settlement clients who acquired knowledge and skills to integrate into the Canadian labour market
  • R5: Immigrants and refugees achieve economic independence and contribute to labour force growth
    • I 17. Percentage of newcomers who are employed
    • I 18. Percentage of immigrants and refugees who are in the middle income range or above
    • I 19. Percentage of the Canadian labour force that is made up of immigrants and refugees
  • R6: Immigrants and refugees feel part of and participate in Canadian society
    • I 20. Percentage of immigrants and refugees that have a strong sense of belonging
    • I 21. Percentage of immigrants and refugees who volunteer in Canada
• Core Responsibility 3: Citizenship and Passports
  • R7: Eligible permanent residents become Canadian citizens
    • I 22. Percentage of permanent residents who become Canadian citizens
    • I 23. Percentage of citizenship applications that are processed within service standards
    • I 24. Percentage of citizenship applicants who report they were satisfied overall with the services they received
  • R8: Canadians’ international travel is facilitated
    • I 25. Percentage compliance of the Canadian passport with international standards
    • I 26. Percentage of passport applications that are processed within service standards
    • I 27. Percentage of passport applicants who report they were satisfied overall with the services they received

Program Inventory

• Core Responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers
  • Visitors
  • International Students
  • Temporary Workers
• Core Responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration
  • Federal Economic Immigration
  • Provincial Economic Immigration
  • Family Reunification
  • Humanitarian/Compassionate and Discretionary Immigration
  • Refugee Resettlement
  • Asylum
  • Settlement
• Core Responsibility 3: Citizenship and Passports
  • Citizenship
  • Passport
• Internal Services

Supporting information on the Program Inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website.

• Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
• Details on Transfer Payment Programs of $5 Million or More
• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits
• Status Report on Transformational and Major Crown Projects

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis. The tax measures presented in this report are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1
Canada
Telephone: 1-888-242-2100
Email: ParliamentaryReports-RapportsParlementaires@cic.gc.ca.
Website: www.cic.gc.ca

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3 year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental priority (priorité)

A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the Department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

experimentation (expérimentation)

The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.

full‑time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])

An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2019–20 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2019 Speech from the Throne, namely: Fighting climate change; Strengthening the Middle Class; Walking the road of reconciliation; Keeping Canadians safe and healthy; and Positioning Canada for success in an uncertain world.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non‑budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)

The process of communicating evidence based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision-making, accountability and transparency.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the Department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the Department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the Department’s core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

A consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.