Departmental Results Report
For the period ending March 31, 2021

ISSN: 2561-1984

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Table of contents

• Minister's message
• Results at a glance
• 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
• Corporate information
  • Organizational profile
  • Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
  • Operating context
  • Reporting framework
• Supporting information on the Program Inventory
• Supplementary information tables
• Federal tax expenditures
• Organizational contact information
• Appendix: definitions

Minister’s message

I am pleased to present the 2020–21 Departmental Results Report.

The movement of people around the world decreased abruptly in early 2020, and Canada was no exception. In a matter of days, flights were grounded, borders closed, and offices shuttered, forcing government departments to deliver services in new ways. In this unprecedented situation, immigration has continued to play a critical role in nurturing Canada’s diversity, culture, and economy. Despite numerous COVID-19 pandemic related challenges, Canada was still able to welcome more than 184,000 permanent residents last year.

The Department achieved this through flexibility and innovation. It introduced measures to keep Canada’s health care, agriculture and agri-food sectors working, and adjusted requirements to ensure international students could continue their studies, in person and online. It made great strides to move away from paper-based processes toward a modern, digital immigration system.

As in so many other aspects of day-to-day life, the Department quickly pivoted to a virtual approach wherever possible, including virtual interviews, virtual admissions, virtual settlement services, and virtual citizenship testing and ceremonies. In 2020–21, over 56,700 newcomers took their Oath of Citizenship virtually and became Canadian citizens online.

Working in partnership with hundreds of resettlement and settlement organizations across Canada, as well as with provinces and territories, the Department’s Settlement Program provided over 379,000 newcomers with access to at least one settlement service to help them and their families feel welcomed and supported in the communities they now call home.

Looking ahead, the Department will continue to adapt to the evolving challenges posed by the pandemic, finding opportunities to improve and innovate for applicants, immigrants, and all Canadians. As part of this work, we will continue to advance reconciliation and tackle systemic racism by identifying and reducing barriers to equality. We know that newcomers continue to face anti-immigrant sentiments and racism when trying to settle in Canada, and we will strive to identify and remove barriers to their integration.

With a focus on short-term economic recovery, while supporting long-term population and economic objectives, the Immigration Levels Plan will welcome newcomers to fill necessary labour market gaps and foster post-pandemic growth, address regional needs, reunify families, and bring refugees and protected persons to safety.

I invite you to learn more about the Department’s progress, challenges and achievements over the past year in the Departmental Results Report.

Results at a glance

Adapting to a new reality: innovative measures to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19

Responding to the needs of communities and key industries

In 2020–21, IRCC continued to support temporary foreign workers and engage with provinces/territories and industries across Canada to fulfill the needs of local communities, attract newcomers, and fill gaps in the labour market. The Department reacted quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic so that temporary workers in Canada could transition to new jobs more quickly, remain in and restore their legal status, and support labour market needs in critical sectors. IRCC also created policies and implemented measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on international students, so that they could continue to undertake their studies online, both in and outside of Canada.

Although the Department was affected by pandemic-related delays, IRCC continued to welcome immigrants through permanent economic programs such as the Provincial Nominee Program and the Canadian Experience Class. IRCC also continued to develop the Atlantic Immigration Pilot towards a permanent program, and implemented other economic immigration pilot programs such as the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and the Agri-Food Pilot in order to help address regional and key industry needs, increase the retention of newcomers, support newcomers’ economic independence, and offer targeted settlement services. IRCC also created, in close collaboration with Quebec, a temporary public policy to provide a pathway to permanent residency for certain refugee claimants working in the health care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. This one-time initiative recognized the extraordinary contribution of refugee claimants working in Canada’s healthcare sector during a time where there was an urgent need for help.

Supporting settlement and resettlement Service Provider Organizations

Settlement and resettlement Service Provider Organizations (SPOs) have faced complex challenges resulting from restrictions related to COVID-19. Given the importance of these services^{Footnote 1} in ensuring that newcomers have the support they need to establish themselves and feel welcome in Canada, the Department introduced new flexibilities and tools for SPOs, such as expanding the availability of online language classes and making the purchase of laptops an eligible expense for clients to meet the needs of clients and ensure essential services continued to be provided during this period. Despite the pandemic environment, in 2020–21 more than 379,000 newcomers to Canada accessed at least one direct settlement service from over 500 organizations funded by IRCC.^{Footnote 2}

International engagement

In 2020–21, Canada continued to provide guidance and leadership on global migration and refugee protection issues, notably by chairing the Migration Five, where issues of shared concern in the migration space were discussed, and by chairing Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees, where Canada shared innovative solutions related to migration management, including on migration responses to the COVID-19 pandemic that contribute to states’ recoveries. Although the pandemic significantly reduced the number of in-person international meetings, Canadian delegations continued to effectively engage with international partners to collaborate on a range of migration and refugee protection issues and promote the important work undertaken by the Government of Canada.

Over the past year, Canada has taken on a key international leadership role in advancing the dialogue about public narratives on migration. In 2020–21, the Department contributed to the development and launch of a global social media communication campaign called It Takes a Community, which highlights how migrants and refugees can enrich communities around the world. This initiative is a key component of Canada’s role as a “champion” country of the Global Compact for Migration.

Supporting our clients

IRCC understands that access to client support is an important part of ensuring that individuals who choose to come to Canada (temporarily or permanently) or obtain Canadian citizenship feel respected, welcomed and valued. The IRCC Client Support Centre provides support to clients by telephone and email (via the online web form). In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC’s client support operations rapidly shifted to a remote work environment by creating a virtual call centre. In 2020–21, the Client Support Centre received over 4.2 million calls and 1.5 million email enquiries.

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

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.

Gender-based analysis Plus

IRCC’s new Sex and Gender Client Identifier Policy (introduced in January 2021) sets out how a client’s sex or gender information should be collected, recorded and displayed in the administration of IRCC programs. Beginning in 2020–21, temporary residents and temporary resident applicants could request a change to their gender identifier that includes the options of Female (“F”), Male (“M”), and Another Gender (“X”) on their temporary resident document (e.g., visitor visa, study permit, work permit, temporary resident permit). By capturing more inclusive data, IRCC is able to better monitor program outcomes, incorporate Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) throughout the work of the Department, and serve the needs of its clients.

IRCC also facilitated workshops to raise awareness of how to incorporate GBA Plus analysis and diversity considerations in their work. For example, as part the Department’s goal of eliminating systemic racism in our policies, programs, and service delivery, IRCC held a series of internal bias and anti-racism workshops in 2020–21 to discuss how institutional systems may create different outcomes for racialized visitors, international students and temporary workers as they access IRCC programs. The Department will also continue to ensure that risk analyses effectively incorporate evidence-based GBA Plus and diversity considerations. Further details about IRCC’s commitment to working toward racial equity and the creation of the Anti-Racism Task Force can be found under Internal Services.

Experimentation

In September 2020, IRCC finalized the Open Work Permit Design Challenge, a human-centred design project that aimed to understand how people experience the open work permit and use these insights to recommend client-centric policy, operational and/or service improvement ideas. This project led to the launch of an official letter from the Department recognizing the implied status of clients and made it easier for temporary foreign workers to prove their authorization to work while their applications were being processed.

A subsequent project was launched to deliver specialized training to officers who review open work permits for vulnerable workers to identify and respond to cases of abuse in a trauma-informed and evidence-based way while continuing to uphold the integrity of the Canadian immigration system.

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Throughout 2020–21, IRCC continued to support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 (promoting inclusive and sustained economic growth, productive employment and decent work for all) and SDG 10 (reducing inequality within and among countries) in part by tabling the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan. This Plan supports productive employment and decent work for newcomers to Canada by providing temporary and permanent pathways for work, study, and family reunification, as well as protecting the most vulnerable populations. IRCC continued to support the employability of newcomers by working with provinces and territories to streamline and improve foreign credential recognition, while acknowledging that pandemic related disruptions have had an uneven impact on different groups, (e.g., women, temporary foreign workers, and recent immigrants).

Key risks to Core Responsibility 1

The Department’s capacity to deliver in the area of visitors, international students and temporary workers was significantly challenged by the pandemic in 2020–21. As only limited cohorts of travellers who met border exemptions were able to be processed, a backlog of travel document applications continued to risk overburdening the system.

More information on how IRCC addressed this risk is provided in the sections below.

Results Achieved

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

Facilitating entry to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020–21, travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on visitors, temporary workers, and international students. In addition, IRCC faced significant disruptions to its processing capacity, due to the temporary closure of most of its domestic and international offices. In response, IRCC created policies and implemented measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on visitors, temporary workers, and international students, which are further elaborated below.

To manage the inventory of overseas applications, the Department created the Rapid Response Operations Centre. Through its integrated processing networks, IRCC focused on processing priority applications, particularly in-Canada extensions, seasonal agricultural workers, essential and vulnerable workers, and students. IRCC also leveraged more efficient tools and leaner processes, and improved its digital platforms to better respond to client needs throughout the pandemic. For example, IRCC introduced automated triaging of Post-Graduation Work Permits and applications by returning workers from Mexico under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program. Additionally, investments in advanced analytics and predictive modelling were made to support processing times and forecast future applications.^{Footnote 3}

To alleviate the growing demands and pressures that the COVID-19 pandemic put on day-to-day operations and to ensure border restrictions allowed those essential to Canada to travel, the COVID-19 Border Re-opening Team (the Team) was formed in September 2020. The Team provided ongoing policy advice and coordination to support the Department’s efforts in managing Canada’s border restrictions and day-to-day guidance related to how Canada’s border restrictions and reopening affect IRCC’s key cohorts (e.g., international students, foreign temporary workers, resettled refugees, families of Canadians) including advocating for the facilitation of these cohorts in a way that both guards immigration as a key component to economic recovery and protects the health and safety of Canadians.

The Travel Restrictions and Exemptions Secretariat (TRES) was established in February 2021 to ensure robust interdepartmental operational alignment regarding both the application of COVID‑19 pandemic travel restrictions and the operationalization of new restrictions. The TRES also coordinates with other key partners (Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)/Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)/Global Affairs Canada/Public Safety Canada) on issuing National Interest Exemptions especially important in the context of current and proposed health measures and evolving travel restrictions on Canada’s borders.

Exemptions for International Students

In 2020–21, IRCC implemented new exemptions to facilitate the entry of international students throughout the pandemic. As of October 2020, all study permit holders, as well as those approved for a study permit, were exempt from travel restrictions as long as they were attending a Designated Learning Institution that had implemented a COVID-19 pandemic readiness plan approved by the province or territory. Between October 2020 and March 31, 2021, over 121,000 study permit holders arrived in Canada.

In addition, key program eligibility requirements for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program were temporarily adjusted in light of the increased reliance on online education. In particular, changes were made to allow students to undertake or continue their studies online, both in and outside of Canada, and still be eligible for the post-graduation work permit.

Many international students and temporary foreign workers from designated countries were unaware that their medical assessment was only valid for 12 months and arrived at Canadian ports of entry with expired medical exams. This rendered them inadmissible and generated additional processing work for CBSA. In response, IRCC developed a system to automatically identify clients with expired or soon-to-expire medical assessments to pre-emptively notify them before travelling to Canada. IRCC de-activated the electronic travel authorization/temporary resident visa for international students and temporary foreign workers with expired medicals, and re-activated it when a new medical assessment was passed.

Providing more flexibility to facilitate access to biometrics

In 2020–21, the Department implemented facilitative measures, such as exemptions to biometrics^{Footnote 4} collection requirements for in-Canada foreign nationals applying for temporary residence. Further measures to support flexibility included exempting temporary foreign workers in key industries, such as the agriculture, health care, and transportation sectors, from biometrics enrollment overseas, and in some instances collecting these biometrics at select ports of entry.

Adapting digital services

Travel restrictions and physical distancing measures have highlighted the importance of continuing to develop leaner processes and digitally enabled approaches to operate more efficiently in a remote service delivery environment. In 2020–21, IRCC innovated by implementing various digital service enhancements, such as transitioning the Client Support Centre towards a more virtual operation, and training employees to provide client support remotely.

The Department also expanded its use of advanced analytics to help reduce application processing times, improve service delivery, improve program integrity and security, and enhance services offered to clients.^{Footnote 5} In 2020–21, most IRCC temporary resident applications from foreign nationals residing outside of Canada could be submitted electronically. With this change, the Department was able to continue to receive and process applications even though offices were in many cases not accessible. It also facilitated processing in other locations while visa offices abroad and visa application centres remained closed or below capacity due to the pandemic.

IRCC continued to innovate and modernize its digital platforms to enhance the client experience and improve communications. In 2020–21, IRCC offices overseas accelerated the shift towards online events to engage with clients and stakeholders. For example, IRCC Bogota received over 1,000 registrations from Colombians and Ecuadorians from a single Study Permit webinar in 2020, compared to 800 attendees for in-person events during the entire year of 2019. Around the world, IRCC offices continue to actively engage with clients, partners and other stakeholders, despite the challenges introduced by the pandemic.

Results achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: In 2020, the total of number of visas and electronic travel authorizations (eTAs) issued to visitors, international students and temporary workers decreased to 906,119, representing a shift in historic trends (including an approximate 84% decrease from 2019). This can be attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global travel. Similar to previous years, eTAs made up the majority of authorizations in this result (approximately 72% in 2020). While 2020 volumes did not meet the expected target, processing focused on those that were eligible to enter Canada under border restrictions.

Indicator 2: In 2020, a very small percentage (0.1%) of visitors, international students and temporary workers were found to be inadmissible on health grounds and 1.7% of those admitted to Canada overall had a condition on their visa related to health surveillance. Results have been consistent over time, which demonstrates that even with the unpredictable nature of temporary residence applications in terms of volumes and country of origin this reporting year, the general health profile of 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 foreign nationals for temporary residence.

Indicator 3: In 2020, 0.02% of temporary resident applicants were found inadmissible on safety and security grounds, representing a small decrease from 0.03% in 2019. The Department continues to monitor and review its programs regularly and addresses new risks or issues as they arise.

Indicator 4: In 2020–21, the Department met targeted service standards for four out of ten (40%) temporary resident business lines. Lines of business that did not meet the Department's service standards were primarily permit and visa applications from outside of Canada, which can be attributed to offices being temporarily closed due to the pandemic and the focus on processing applications for those eligible to travel to Canada. The Department will continue to implement and explore innovative measures to improve services and processing times by leveraging automation and advanced data analytics, where appropriate.

Indicator 5: In 2020–21, 88.8% of visitor, international student and temporary worker applicants reported (through the IRCC Client Experience Survey) that they were satisfied overall with the services they received. This represents only a slight decrease (less than 3%) from previous years and, while it did not meet the Department’s expected target, it is consistent with historical trends. IRCC will review the survey results in more detail to better understand the impacts of the pandemic on clients’ experiences with IRCC services in Canada and abroad, with a view to continuing to improve the client experience with IRCC services.

Results achieved

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

Minimizing the impact of the pandemic on temporary foreign workers

The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) trying to maintain their legal authorization to work and resulted in delays in receiving their work permits. IRCC responded to these challenges by developing policies that allowed TFW in Canada to stay and work, while alleviating barriers for those who applied from outside of the country. For example, in 2020–21 IRCC implemented a public policy that allowed temporary foreign workers in Canada who lost their job to begin working while their work permit applications were being processed. IRCC also implemented changes for agricultural workers by introducing digital applications for the seasonal agricultural stream in Mexico, which streamlined the approval process in 2020–21.

Allowing more work hours for International Students occupying essential services

Under normal circumstances, international students are only permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week in an off-campus job during an academic term. This restriction was lifted between March 18, 2020 and August 31, 2020 to allow international students working in essential services, such as health care or critical infrastructure, to fill gaps in the labour market and help meet the needs of Canadians.

Youth mobility through International Experience Canada

The pandemic had a significant impact on the International Experience Canada (IEC) program, affecting the number of youth coming to Canada and Canadian youth traveling abroad. Despite these challenges, in June 2020 Canada signed an arrangement (Memorandum of Understanding or MOU) with the country of Andorra in the first-ever virtual signing ceremony of a youth mobility arrangement. Canada also signed a bilateral youth mobility agreement (treaty) with Italy in December 2020, which replaces the previous MOU and will expand opportunities for youth to gain professional work experience with the addition of two new streams – International Co-op (Internship) and Young Professionals.

Owing to nonessential travel being discouraged and the borders with the United States being closed to discretionary travel, IRCC also facilitated the activation of work permits for eligible foreign nationals already in Canada, including IEC participants, through a Letter of Introduction (LOI). The IEC program extended the LOI's validity for a cumulative duration of up to 12 months, granting youth up to 24 months to come to Canada to activate their IEC work permits. In addition, it facilitated the targeted processing of foreign youth bound for critical economic sectors, such as the agriculture and food processing industries, and continued to support stakeholders and partners expand Canadian outbound youth mobility opportunities, with a “plan now, travel later” engagement strategy.

Results achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: Latest available data (2018) indicate that international students and visitors contributed $44.6 billion to Canada’s economy. Most recent estimates for 2018 indicate that international students spent approximately $22.3 billion in Canada on tuition, accommodation, and discretionary spending. IRCC works closely with Global Affairs Canada to inform and support Trade Commissioner activities abroad, including international student recruitment and marketing efforts.

Indicator 2: The number of workers entering through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program was within the target range as a result of the Department's efforts to facilitate the entry of foreign workers needed to fill labour shortages.

Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers

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

The difference between planned and actual spending for 2020–21 is mainly attributed to lower than anticipated biometrics enrollment costs due to travel restrictions as well as border and office closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

Consistent with its commitment to GBA Plus, Canada seeks to engage in a more inclusive and participatory manner at home and abroad. Internationally, Canada engages bilaterally and multilaterally to promote dialogue and collaborative responses to migration management and refugee protection, and offers opportunities for learning and exchange.

For example, the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) identifies gender-responsiveness as a crosscutting and guiding principle in migration. Canada is a GCM Champion and in 2020–21 used this platform internationally to share best practices related to gender-responsive migration management. Canada also funded migration capacity building projects and research to support gender-responsive migration management.

Further, Canada is increasingly taking steps to ensure additional voices are heard in the context of international dialogue on migration. In the 2020 EU-Canada Migration Platform Event on the Integration of Migrant Women jointly organized by Canada and the European Commission, migrant women shared their expertise and led the conversation at the concluding high-level panel with Canada and EU Minister-level participants. Such engagements help support greater inclusion and the empowerment of migrant women.

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Throughout 2020–21, IRCC advanced the implementation of SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) and SDG 5 (gender equality) by continuing to resettle refugees, promoting balanced migration narratives domestically and internationally by launching social communication campaigns such as “Immigration Matters”, “It Takes a Community,” and Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership to support the private sponsorship of up to 50 LGBTI ^{Footnote 12} refugees in addition to those already resettled by the United Nations Refugee Agency. IRCC supported SDG 16 (Peaceful Justice and Inclusive Societies) by implementing Canada’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking and its official development assistance projects, which are guided by Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy.

IRCC also created, in close collaboration with Quebec, the temporary public policy to provide a pathway to permanent residency for certain refugee claimants working in the health care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. This one-time initiative recognized the extraordinary contribution of refugee claimants working in Canada’s healthcare sector when there was an urgent need for help.

Key risks to Core Responsibility 2

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the Department’s ability to meet admission targets, processing times and service standards in 2020-2021, however this also provided IRCC with many opportunities for innovation to meet the challenge. As immigration levels admission targets increase and asylum claim volumes continue to risk overburdening the system, the Department will continue to monitor the impacts of the pandemic, implement innovative measures and explore efficiencies in asylum processing, while advancing broader structural reforms.

More information on how IRCC has addressed these risks is provided in the sections below.

Results achieved

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

Reducing the shortfall of IRCC’s levels target

Due to global travel restrictions and capacity constraints resulting from COVID-19, the Department faced significant inventories and increased processing times for applications for permanent residency, as well as a shortfall in permanent resident admissions for 2020. The 2021–2023 multi-year levels plan, announced in 2020, aims to reduce the shortfall and support Canada’s economic and social recovery following the pandemic. The plan aims to welcome 300,000 to 410,000 permanent residents in 2021, 320,000 to 420,000 in 2022 and 330,000 to 430,000 in 2023.

Express Entry action plan

Most of the increase in planned immigration levels for 2021–23 will be allocated to economic immigration, including under the federal high-skilled category through Express Entry (EE), Canada’s online application management system. An evaluation of EE was published in 2020 to assess the early economic outcomes of economic principal applicants screened in using Express Entry. The evaluation found that early economic results were generally positive and, based on these findings, proposed a number of recommendations for Express Entry.

In 2020–21, the Department implemented an action plan to address these recommendations, namely, monitoring the Comprehensive Ranking System, making improvements to the electronic application system, establishing a more systematic approach to managing integrity and addressing gaps in information collection. These measures will help Express Entry continue to be an effective mechanism to screen candidates with higher potential for economic integration in Canada.

Recognizing the importance of Francophone immigration

The Government recognizes that immigration is key to supporting the vitality of Francophone minority communities across the country. Francophone immigration plays an important role in upholding the bilingual nature of Canada. From 2003 to 2020, more than 67,000 French-speaking immigrants were admitted to Canada in communities outside of Quebec.

In 2020–21, IRCC continued work to increase Francophone immigration to reach the target of 4.4% of French-speaking immigrants outside of Quebec, by 2023. In particular, the Department increased the number of points awarded to French-speaking and bilingual candidates under Express Entry, which increased the likelihood of these candidates receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

The Department also pursued targeted promotional activities in Canada and abroad to attract, recruit and retain qualified French-speaking foreign nationals to Canada. Throughout 2020, IRCC organized over 230 promotion events on Francophone immigration abroad, the majority of which were virtual information sessions and webinars due to the pandemic. IRCC also delivered over 800 outreach activities in Canada where Francophone immigration tools and policies were promoted to key stakeholders, such as international students, Canadian employers and minority language community groups. The Department also held the annual promotional event Destination Canada Mobility Forum in an entirely virtual setting for the first time, connecting Canadian employers and organizations with skilled French-speaking candidates.

IRCC continued to collaborate with its federal, provincial and territorial partners to implement the Francophone Immigration Strategy as well as the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Action Plan for Increasing Francophone Immigration. In 2020, French-speaking admissions represented 3.61% of all immigrants admitted to Canada outside of Quebec, an increase from 2.82% in 2019.

Family reunification

Throughout 2020–21, IRCC implemented several measures to facilitate the entry of immediate and extended family members of Canadian citizens, persons registered under the Indian Act, permanent residents, and immediate family members of temporary residents of Canada in order to reunite families who might have otherwise been separated due to travel restrictions. The importance IRCC placed on family reunification during the pandemic was evidenced by the Department’s priority processing of visa and electronic travel authorizations for those clients who self-identified as meeting a family member exemption.

Recognizing the importance of bringing families together safely throughout the pandemic, the Department also made significant efforts in 2020–21 to process permanent residence applications made under the Family Reunification Program. For instance, the Department worked to digitize paper-based applications to facilitate processing by staff working remotely, and launched a new intake process for the Parents and Grandparents Program in October 2020, which included the implementation of a random selection process to select sponsors so that the process was fair, transparent, and accessible. Although less than the 84,500 to 96,000 target range, 49,290 sponsored family members were admitted as permanent residents to Canada in 2020 (38,831 sponsored spouses, partners, dependent children and other relatives, and 10,459 sponsored parents and grandparents).

In 2020–21, the Department also continued to welcome children adopted internationally as permanent residents; however, the Department saw a decrease of 44% in 2020 compared to 2019 due to delays or stoppages in many countries of origin, border restrictions preventing travel and reduced capacity or closures of visa offices abroad.

Fulfilling Canada’s humanitarian traditions and commitments by welcoming refugees during the pandemic

Despite challenges caused by the pandemic, Canada has upheld its humanitarian tradition and commitment to resettlement by continuing to receive refugees for resettlement, including those requiring urgent protection, by way of a national interest exemption to allow entry to Canada, or through an exemption for those with family already in Canada. In 2020, Canada safely resettled a total of 9,236 refugees via its Blended Visa Office-Referred, Private Sponsorship of Refugees, and Government-Assisted Refugees programs in 2020.

To ensure the ongoing safety of resettled refugees and to support the private sponsorship community and resettlement service providers in Canada during the pandemic, IRCC established forums with key stakeholders, including the Sponsorship Agreement Holder Council, Refugee Sponsorship Training Program and Resettlement Assistance Program Service Provider Organizations, to provide information on the impacts of the pandemic on resettlement processing and service delivery.

Asylum

In 2020–21, the COVID-19 pandemic caused backlogs for processing asylum claims due to office closures, postponement of hearings, and cancelled asylum appointments. Reduced intake due to border closures led to a temporary reduction in backlogs at the Immigration Refugee Board of Canada, although volumes are expected to return to a level above capacity as borders re-open and eligibility backlogs are cleared.

Nevertheless, IRCC developed temporary public policies and other measures to mitigate the pandemic’s impact upon Canada’s asylum system. For example, asylum claims were allowed to be initiated electronically, and low-risk, eligible in-Canada protected persons and accompanying family members were exempted from additional Immigration Medical Exams in processing their permanent residence applications. In addition, IRCC created, in close collaboration with Quebec, a temporary public policy to provide a pathway to permanent residency for certain refugee claimants working in the health care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. This one-time initiative recognized the extraordinary contribution of refugee claimants working in Canada’s healthcare sector when there was an urgent need for help.

Border closures significantly reduced irregular migration to Canada in 2020–21. In this context, the implementation of the Border Engagement Strategy was put on hold, including associated initiatives to manage irregular arrivals at the border. In April 2020, the Department’s focus shifted to supporting the reciprocal agreement with the United States to temporarily return asylum claimants seeking to enter Canada between land ports of entry back to the United States. Individuals who are directed back will generally have the opportunity to return to make a claim, once the border measures no longer apply. The Safe Third Country Agreement continued to apply at ports of entry. The Department also continued to work to secure and reduce irregular migration at the shared border.

International engagement and leadership

In 2020–21, IRCC continued to actively engage with its key multilateral and regional partners, including the United Nations Refugee Agency, the IOM, the UN Network on Migration, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Global Forum on Migration and Development, the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC), and the Regional Conference on Migration. IRCC, together with CBSA, also chaired the Migration Five (M5), a forum comprising the immigration and border agencies of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, where we advanced collaboration in support of the Department’s priorities.

During Canada’s chairmanship of the IGC in 2020–21, IRCC led collaborative discussions with M5 countries and 13 European Union members on strategic approaches to innovation in migration management, technological innovations in immigration case processing and border management, and innovations to maximize integration outcomes. Canada also facilitated the exchange of best practices with respect to the pandemic and migration needs related to economic recovery and the sharing of actions and innovations that countries need to consider when building successful immigration systems.

Spearheaded by Canada and supported by other countries and international stakeholders, the global social communication campaign “It Takes a Community” is taking action to foster a more balanced dialogue on migration through increased public awareness of the contributions of migrants and refugees to and within their communities, including in the COVID-19 pandemic context. The campaign soft launch took place in December 2020 — in the first 18 days following the soft launch, the campaign reached 9.56 million viewers on social media.

In addition to our multilateral engagement, Canada continued to engage bilaterally to advance our migration and protection strategic priorities and to strengthen our relationship with key country partners. In 2020–21, together with international partners and civil society, IRCC assisted key partner countries in improving migration and border management by combating human trafficking and smuggling operations, as well as irregular migration. The Department also shared Canada’s experiences and expertise on migration policies and programs with other interested countries and regional organizations.

Canada continues to engage internationally to promote the Global Compact for Migration. As a Champion country, Canada is leading the advancement of the Compact globally by collaborating with the UN Network on Migration and contributing Canadian best practices in areas such as building regular pathways and promoting gender-responsive migration management.

Results Achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: Canada welcomed 184,606 permanent residents in 2020. Due to border closures as well as public health and travel related restrictions, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on IRCC’s ability to process applications as well as on foreign nationals’ ability to travel to Canada and settle as permanent residents. While short of the target, immigration levels in 2020 did contribute to economic growth, family reunification, and the government’s humanitarian commitments. The 2021–23 levels plan carried over the shortfall of admissions from 2020 – over 156,000 – establishing new permanent resident admissions targets of 401,000 in 2021, 411,000 in 2022, and 421,000 in 2023.

Indicator 2: IRCC remains committed to reaching the target of 4.4% of French-speaking immigrants outside of Quebec by 2023. It is pursuing efforts to increase admissions and has advanced an approach focused on selection tools that encourage French-speaking candidates, paired with targeted promotion efforts abroad and in Canada.

Indicator 3: In 2020, a very small percentage (0.2%) of permanent resident applicants were found to be inadmissible on health grounds and 2.0% of those admitted to Canada overall had a condition on their visa related to health surveillance. These measures have been consistent over time, which demonstrates that even as the Government increases admissions through its annual Levels Plan year-over-year, 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 2020, 0.11% of permanent resident applicants were found inadmissible on safety and security grounds, a decrease from 0.19% in 2019. While the processing of all immigration applications sharply declined in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this percentage over the past five years has steadily declined. Fluctuation in results can be due to a number of factors including global circumstances outside of the Department’s control, as well as screening processes and other program integrity measures that decrease the likelihood of individuals with a security and criminal history applying for permanent resident status.

Indicator 5: The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for application processing for permanent residence due to office closures. These challenges, resulted in IRCC being unable to meet its published service standards in all seven business lines. IRCC is implementing measures to address and overcome the pandemic-related challenges that have interfered with processing applications however, as applications are processed in the coming months, a corresponding increase in processing times is anticipated.

Indicator 6: In 2020, 85.7% of permanent resident applicants reported that they were satisfied overall with the services provided by the Department. This represents a decrease of 6.3 percentage points from last year and may be due to office closures and international travel restrictions. Client satisfaction is expected to continue to be affected by the impacts of the pandemic on service delivery and processing times in 2021.

Results achieved

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

In 2020–21, IRCC increased its investments in key areas such as mental health, rural, and Francophone programming in response to emerging challenges caused by the pandemic. Amendments were, and continue to be, made to contribution agreements with settlement service provider organizations to accommodate emerging needs such as flexibility to purchase personal protective equipment and IT equipment, adapting in-person delivery to additional COVID-19 health restrictions (such as smaller class sizes), introducing a digital signature feature for agreements and supporting the transition to virtual service delivery.

Transitioning in-person services to virtual service delivery introduced new challenges and priorities for SPOs. For example, newcomers with low digital literacy skills and limited access to electronic devices and internet bandwidth were faced with significant barriers to accessing settlement services. SPOs continued to prioritize vulnerable newcomers requiring in-person essential services and digital literacy mentoring whenever possible.

Working with stakeholders

Continued co-planning between SPOs and federal and provincial/territorial partners allowed investments to be maximized and programming to consider economic recovery. In 2020–21, IRCC supported the National Settlement and Integration Council (NSIC) Technology Task Group in consulting with the settlement sector to identify needs associated with the transition to online and hybrid (virtual/in-person) service delivery models. IRCC engaged with NSIC to explain the federal approach to respond to the pandemic and to facilitate information sharing with settlement sector members’ broader networks. IRCC has also been regularly sending multilingual information on federal COVID-19 resources, benefits and programs to NSIC members.

National webinars were held for front-line workers in February 2021 to provide information on COVID-19 vaccination planning. IRCC also organized national webinars, held jointly with Canada Revenue Agency in March 2021, to support frontline settlement workers helping newcomers file tax returns, to maximize savings from emergency benefits.

Providing language training for newcomers for successful settlement and integration

As proficiency in English or French is essential to successful settlement and integration, providing opportunities for adult newcomers to improve their language skills for living and working in Canada remains a priority for IRCC’s Settlement Program. High-quality, flexible and accessible settlement language training services are delivered by funded service provider organizations across the country, outside of Quebec. Through the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023, IRCC also funds language training services adapted to the needs of French-speaking newcomers who settle in Francophone minority communities.

In 2020–21, 77,656 newcomers participated in IRCC-funded language training. To ensure continuity of services during the pandemic, the Department expanded online supports in this area. A new national online platform, which includes teaching tools and resources, was launched to support the delivery of language training. Building on existing infrastructure, the Department also increased the availability of distance learning and supports for teacher training and mentoring. Clients with lower language ability and/or digital literacy were prioritized for in-person classes whenever possible.

An evaluation of language training services completed in December 2020 found that, overall, language training services funded by IRCC are designed to be flexible and effective in meeting the diverse needs of newcomers and to support their progression. The evaluation also recognized the complexity of second language acquisition and provided recommendations that will inform future program improvements.

Quality Resettlement Assistance Program services for refugees

Through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), IRCC supports government-assisted refugees (GARs) and other eligible clients by providing funding to SPOs for immediate and essential services and financial support to refugees (typically for one year) to help them begin their lives in Canada. On April 1, 2020, IRCC entered into new contribution agreements with 32 SPOs, for a period of five years, to deliver RAP services in 34 communities outside of Quebec. In 2020–21, a total of 3,302 GARs received RAP services.

Since refugees are at an even more heightened vulnerability in a pandemic environment, RAP SPOs have faced challenges to meet the pace, volume and complexity of client needs. Co-planning and information sharing with provinces and territories, and engagement with the RAP providers to plan for the resumption of landings more consistent with pre-pandemic levels, has been key to addressing these challenges and ensuring the coordination of services for new arrivals.

Throughout 2020–21, IRCC provided SPOs and private sponsors in Canada with information on federal policy responses to COVID-19, including multilingual COVID-19 materials, to raise awareness of resources and share guidance on counselling newcomers on measures to mitigate the pandemic. A joint task team between the Department and resettlement assistance SPOs was struck to help prepare for the arrival of GARs during the pandemic.

Service Delivery Improvement funding continues to test innovative ways to improve the efficiency of settlement services such as the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants’ Allies for Refugee Integration Project, which has been exploring how private refugee sponsors and settlement service provider organizations can work together more effectively to improve outcomes for privately sponsored refugees.

Francophone Settlement Services

The Government remains committed, including during the pandemic, to support the vitality of Francophone minority communities across Canada. In 2020–21, IRCC continued to implement the Francophone Integration Pathway, which aims to strengthen settlement and resettlement services offered by Francophone organizations to French-speaking clients and to ensure that newcomers of all linguistic backgrounds are aware of these services throughout their settlement and integration pathway.

In April 2020, IRCC launched the Comité consultatif national en établissement francophone, whose mandate is to provide recommendations to the Department on a renewed national coordination of the Francophone settlement sector and inform future policies and programs. In December 2020, the Francophone Integration Pathway and Building my life in French in Canada (Mon projet de vie en français au Canada) were promoted at Destination Canada 2021, and the Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité virtual fair. IRCC worked closely with the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada and the Réseaux en immigration francophone to identify strategic directions, promote ongoing dialogue, and gain a better understanding of issues and needs affecting Francophone minority communities.

In 2020–21, the number of Francophone Settlement service provider organizations increased from 50 to 80 and Francophone resettlement assistance SPOs from one to two. Eight organizations were funded to implement projects to strengthen the capacity of Francophone communities and settlement workers in areas such as mental health, support for seniors, women and families, and employer engagement in French. Francophone SPOs received $53 million in funding in 2020–21 compared to $39 million in 2019–20, stemming from various funding sources, including the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023.

Results achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: The source of the data for this indicator is IRCC’s Annual Tracking Survey, which in 2020–21 was adjusted to reflect the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020–21 the survey measured support for “401,000 immigrants as permanent residents this year, many of whom are already in Canada as temporary residents” while in 2019-2020 measured support for “[401,000] immigrants this year.” This change is likely the primary cause of the significantly higher level of recorded support for immigration levels in 2020–21 (+10 percentage points, compared with 2019–20) rather than a change in Canadians’ views of immigration levels. Support for immigration levels has remained generally consistent over the past 15 years (following a significant positive change in Canadians’ views of immigration levels between 1996 and 2004, measured in separate public opinion research studies conducted by IRCC and Environics Institute).

Indicator 2: The 2020 Language Training Services Evaluation showed that clients with higher needs, including literacy clients, do not progress as well as other clients. The growing number of clients who have low language and literacy skills is due in part to reducing waitlists for priority clients and increasing 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. Nonetheless, additional benefits of language training are Canadian society and culture, as well as promoting the ability of newcomers to navigate everyday life in Canada (e.g., how to access services, find a job and build relationships).

Indicator 3: The data shows that, of the clients who received settlement services, approximately half reported increased knowledge on 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 results are lower than the previous year, the target was nearly met despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. 

Results achieved

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

Economic immigrants are a central pillar of Canada’s economic recovery and future growth: they are educated; fill targeted labour market and skills shortages; contribute to innovation, workplace diversity; and, are able to quickly integrate into the Canadian labour market.

Express Entry

Launched in January 2015, Express Entry is an evidence-based application management system for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program. Express Entry is designed to screen high human capital candidates who have the potential to achieve economic success in the Canadian labour market over the longer term.

In May 2020, an Evaluation of Express Entry was published, which highlighted the early impacts of Express Entry on system management and economic outcomes. In particular, the evaluation concluded that applicants selected through Express Entry generally demonstrate high levels of labour market participation and employment income, and are working in their primary occupations. For instance, 95% of Express Entry principal applicants were employed in the first year following their admission to Canada as permanent residents. In addition, of Express Entry principal applicants who were working, 83% reported doing so in their primary occupation, and earned 20% more than non-Express Entry principal applicants. Furthermore, 43% of Express Entry principal applicants were in occupations usually requiring university education for their first job as a permanent resident, compared to 25% for non-Express Entry principal applicants.

Regional labour force growth through immigration

Although the Department was affected by pandemic-related delays, IRCC continued to welcome immigrants through permanent economic programs and further develop and implement economic immigration pilot programs in 2020–21. Economic immigration programs help to address regional needs, increase retention of newcomers, support newcomers’ economic independence, and offer targeted settlement services.

The Provincial Nominee Program continued to enable provinces and territories to create immigration streams to nominate immigrants at all skill levels who meet local labour market and economic needs, and who are likely to reside and economically establish themselves in their region. In 2020–21, 11 jurisdictions had provincial nominee agreements in place with over 70 different immigration streams targeting workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs.

In 2020, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) was launched in 11 participating communities in Western Canada and Ontario. The program encourages newcomers to settle in smaller communities through tailored immigration programming based on local economic development priorities and includes targeted settlement services (e.g., matching of newcomers with community members). In 2020–2021, IRCC received 308 RNIP applications (561 persons) for permanent residence. To respond to work disruptions caused by the pandemic, IRCC changed RNIP’s work experience requirement to one year of cumulative experience. With this change, candidates who had their work experience interrupted during the pandemic were able to submit an application sooner, without having to restart the accumulation of eligible work experience.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) is a collaborative partnership between the Department and the Atlantic Provinces designed to test innovative approaches to attract and retain skilled immigrants in Atlantic Canada. An evaluation of the AIP was completed in October 2020. In 2020–21, the Department advanced work with the Atlantic Provinces to transition the pilot to a permanent Atlantic Immigration Program, including pre-publishing proposed regulations for the permanent program in the Canada Gazette on June 12, 2021.

Development of the Municipal Nominee Program (MNP) continued in 2020–21. As per the Minister of IRCC’s 2019 Ministerial mandate letter commitment, the program will allow local communities, chambers of commerce and local labour councils to directly sponsor permanent immigrants. This commitment reflects the important role communities play in welcoming and retaining newcomers to Canada and responds to the unique demographic and labour market needs of different areas of the country. In Summer 2020, IRCC conducted in-depth consultations with stakeholders across Canada on immigration level targets and the scope and objectives of the MNP. Francophone stakeholders were also engaged to support the inclusion of a Francophone lens within the MNP program.

Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot

At a virtual meeting of the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement in June 2020, Canada reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to labour mobility for skilled refugees through the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP). This pilot allows qualified refugees to access Canada’s existing economic immigration pathways. IRCC continued to work with provincial and territorial governments, and external stakeholders to further the program.

Skilled refugees that have obtained permanent residence status through the EMPP have settled throughout Canada, securing employment in the healthcare and skilled trades sectors. IRCC continues to work with stakeholders to prepare the groundwork for the upcoming operational launch of Phase 2 in Fall 2021, which is to introduce facilitation measures to assist clients and help the Department meet its target of processing 500 refugees and their families through existing economic pathways by 2023.

Employment-related settlement services

Employment-related settlement services provide newcomers, including refugees, with a better understanding of the Canadian workplace and help them overcome barriers in accessing the labour market. The Department works with organizations across the country, outside of Quebec, to provide services such as work placements, mentorships, preparation for licensure/certification, networking opportunities, job search skills, and employment counselling and job matching services.

In 2020–21, 44,330 newcomers received employment-related services, including both short-term (e.g., professional networking opportunities, individual employment counselling) and long-term interventions (e.g., work placements, professional mentoring).

IRCC’s Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot seeks to improve the employment and career advancement of racialized newcomer women in Canada by addressing the barriers they may face, including gender- and race-based discrimination, precarious or low income employment, lack of affordable childcare, and lack of social supports. In 2020–21, extensions were provided to select agreements to continue direct service delivery to support racialized newcomer women as the Canadian economy recovers.

In 2020–21, Service Delivery Improvement funding continued to test innovative ways to improve the efficiency of settlement services. For example, Accessible Community Counselling and Employment Services (Toronto) worked in collaboration with Starbucks Canada to assist 360 refugee youth to secure competitive entry level employment by addressing barriers such as language, lack of familiarity with Canadian business culture, and challenges in accessing the labour market.

Federal Internship for Newcomers Program

The Federal Internship for Newcomers (FIN) Program offers eligible newcomers a chance to gain valuable temporary work experience as well as training opportunities and mentorship at IRCC and with other Canadian federal, provincial and municipal organizations. Internships are offered in fields such as administration, project support and management, policy and research, and computer science.

In 2020–21, through IRCC-funded service provider organizations, 1,745 candidates received information on integrating into the Canadian workplace, job readiness training, interview preparation, core skills development, and/or knowledge to support them when applying for government jobs in in Canada. The FIN Program also grew to include Fredericton as a delivery location, bringing the total number of delivery locations to six. Last year, 113 interns received placements in 25 organizations, including 35 who received placements at IRCC. In addition, the FIN Program celebrated its 10th anniversary, with over 880 newcomers having received placements in over 50 government organizations since the Program was launched in 2010.

Results achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: In 2020, 69.1% of newcomers who landed within the last 1 to 5 years and were aged 25–54, were employed. This figure exceeds the target for the indicator. Although the figure decreased from 2019 (-0.9 points), the change is smaller than that experienced by the total population in the same age group (-3.9 points). The decrease is tied to changes in the labour force resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Employment is a key measure of economic independence for individuals. In the broader context of immigration, it demonstrates whether the Canadian labour market offers full participation to all newcomers, regardless of immigration stream. Continued ease of public health restrictions should improve results for this indicator in the future years.

Indicator 2: Between 2011 and 2018, 56.2% of all immigrants and refugees in Canada were continuously above the Low Income Measure (LIM) threshold. This figure is an increase from the preceding year's data point (55.4%) and meets the target for this indicator. Having an income above the threshold of the LIM is used as a proxy measure for being “middle class.” The extent to which newcomers join the Canadian middle class is a measure of how well Canadian society facilitates immigrant contributions as well as benefits from them. It should be noted that the reporting period for this indicator predates the onset of the pandemic therefore, future results for this indicator could be relatively lower.

Indicator 3: In 2020, immigrants made up 27.5% of the labour force. This figure exceeds the target for this indicator. Recognizing that recent trends in Canadian labour market statistics show that the Canadian-born labour force is shrinking, immigration is an important tool in countering these trends and growing Canada’s labour force and economy. Measuring the percentage of the Canadian labour force that is made up of immigrants and refugees, and its growth, is an important component to assess the success of one of the Department's core responsibilities.

Results Achieved

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

Settlement services supporting newcomer integration

Integration is the process through which newcomers become full and equal participants in all the various dimensions of society. IRCC supports newcomer integration and a sense of belonging by providing funding for pre-arrival, needs and assets assessments and referrals, information and orientation, and community connections services.

In 2020–21, over 16,000 newcomers, including refugees, received pre-arrival services. While this represents a notable decline compared to the 36,000 served in 2019–20, IRCC’s 16 funded pre-arrival service providers continued to offer essential overseas settlement services and support to eligible clients using virtual delivery mechanisms during the pandemic. This allowed clients to be better equipped with the information they needed as soon as they were allowed to travel, and helped streamline access to settlement and community supports upon arrival to Canada.

To better support and address newcomers’ needs, in 2020–21, over 183,500 newcomers received comprehensive needs assessments to guide their settlement journey. Most of those newcomers received referrals to various IRCC-funded services and other community services including mental health and legal services. A Needs and Assets Assessment and Referral Services Policy, revised to include the assessment of client’s strengths to build on their knowledge, skills, abilities and life experiences, was implemented in 2020–21.

To increase knowledge of life in Canada and support decision-making, information and orientation services were provided to more than 310,000 newcomers on topics such as community resources, community engagement, education opportunities, and employment and income. Several new settlement information products were developed, including the video Finding a Job is a Job, based on extensive consultation with experts in employment.

To increase community participation and integration, community connections services were accessed by over 58,500 newcomers to expand their networks, support physical and mental health, and facilitate informal language learning. This included group activities such as conversation circles, wellness sessions and homework clubs, and one-on-one/family matching with volunteers such as Canada Connects, tutoring, and peer support. To adapt to the pandemic environment, Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) programming moved to a hybrid service delivery model and continued to provide essential support to newcomer youth and their families. In 2020, IRCC launched an evaluation of SWIS to develop an evidence-base on performance, best practices and lessons learned to inform the development of a national policy framework.

Supporting Francophone communities

In 2020–21, IRCC supported 13 Réseaux en immigration francophones (RIF) located across Canada (except Quebec) who bring together a diverse array of partners to welcome and integrate French-speaking immigrants into Canada’s Francophone and Acadian communities. RIFs played a critical role in developing and implementing projects in 14 Welcoming Francophone Communities outside of Quebec.

IRCC’s Francophone Integration Pathway features a single-window national partnership service delivery model – Connexionsfrancophones.ca – which ensures that pre-arrival services to French-speaking immigrants are offered by Francophone service providers rooted in Francophone communities. In 2020–21, 80% of all eligible French-speaking immigrants aiming to settle outside Quebec received pre-arrival settlement services from this model.

Results achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: The latest results from the Newcomer Outcomes Survey indicate that a large majority of newcomer respondents feel a strong sense of belonging to Canada. This is an encouraging finding considering the challenges resulting from the pandemic. While all of society is needed to create a welcoming environment for newcomers to ensure they feel at home in Canada, IRCC seeks to build connections between newcomers and communities across Canada through the Settlement Program. Through Community Connections programming, IRCC helps promote intercultural understanding and social cohesion, and ultimately enhance newcomers’ sense of belonging. Providing other settlement services, such as language training, employment services, and information on a variety of topics, also enables newcomers to feel part of Canada.

Indicator 2: The data collected from the Newcomers Outcomes Survey indicates a decline in the percentage of immigrants who volunteer in Canada compared to previous years, falling below the target. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting public health requirements had a significant impact on volunteering activities and the number of available volunteers.

Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

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

Overall, the vast majority of actual spending for this core responsibility, accounting for $1.7 billion, was related to grants and contributions spending, which is mainly associated with settlement support and resettlement assistance services. This amount includes $0.7 billion for the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration grant and $0.2 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. The funding is a special purpose allotment to fund temporary and limited health coverage for eligible beneficiaries, including resettled refugees and asylum claimants.

The difference between planned and actual spending for 2020–21 is mostly attributable to new spending related to in-year funding received through the Supplementary Estimates for the Interim Housing Assistance Program, the implementation of the Asylum Interoperability Project, and Enhancing the Integrity of Canada’s Borders and Asylum System announced in Budget 2019. These additional resources were not included at the planning stage. This increase in spending was partially offset by lower transfer payments than planned for settlement support and resettlement assistance services as the number of arrivals to Canada and overseas pre-departure processing of refugees greatly decreased as a result of measures taken in Canada and worldwide to control the spread of COVID-19.

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.

Gender-based analysis Plus

The Citizenship Program is working on improving policies related to accessibility, fairness and affordability considerations to facilitate equitable access to citizenship for all permanent residents by conducting Gender-based analysis Plus. For example, in 2020–21, a change in the interpretation of “parent” under the Citizenship Act now allows non-biological Canadian parents who are their child’s legal parent at birth to pass down Canadian citizenship by descent to their children born abroad in the first generation. This policy change helps Canadian parents who have relied on assisted human reproduction to pass on citizenship and is now more inclusive to LGBTQ2 people.

The Citizenship Program uses age-based requirements and fees for naturalization to facilitate equitable access to the Program for minors and seniors. The Program collects data for the Program based on gender, date of birth (age), place of birth, official language results, citizenship test results, tax filing history, and linkages with permanent residence admissions data to inform better policy outcomes for vulnerable groups.

In 2020–21, the Passport Program implemented a policy to allow legal name change documents issued by a Canadian province or territory to be used when providing a passport displaying a client’s new name, without requiring an amended foundational document such as a birth certificate. This change reduced potential cost and increased the efficiency of this passport process.

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

In 2020–21, IRCC continued to support the implementation of SDG 16 (developing effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels) through the continued work of the Digital Journey Labs which map client journeys from a digital perspective. In 2020, IRCC developed online tools for applicants to provide supporting information to complete their Permanent Resident Card application and citizenship tests. In 2020, IRCC also worked to establish and deliver digital citizenship ceremonies, demonstrating a commitment to encouraging all permanent residents to acquire Canadian citizenship and underscoring the objectives of SDG 8 (promoting inclusive and sustained economic growth, productive employment and decent work for all).

Key risks for Core Responsibility 3

Demand for citizenship grant applications continued to increase, which challenged IRCC’s capacity to deliver timely and dependable client-centred services in the COVID-19 context.

The Passport Program continued to deliver critical services that enabled clients to obtain a passport or travel document to return home or travel for essential reasons, ensuring the mobility of goods and services.

Details on measures taken to respond to challenges brought on by the pandemic and improve services in the Citizenship and Passport programs can be found in the following sections.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 7: Eligible permanent residents become Canadian citizens

Responding to the impact of the pandemic

In response to pandemic measures and closures, IRCC developed and provided various online services such as the citizenship test, citizenship ceremonies, and urgent interviews and hearings. The Department also granted extensions for citizenship applicants to provide required documents.

Launched in November 2020, the online citizenship test enabled clients to fulfil the knowledge requirement of the Citizenship Act from the safety of their home. The first virtual citizenship ceremony was held on April 1, 2020, for a university professor in Winnipeg who was conducting COVID-19 research. This required a rapid re-imagining of the ceremony format, and considerable collaboration among program partners. In 2020–21, over 56,700 clients took their Oath of Citizenship virtually to become Canadian citizens.

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

In 2020–21, the Department continued to collaborate with Indigenous organizations on the content of the revised citizenship guide to support newcomers’ awareness of Indigenous rights and history. The Department also engaged with other government departments including Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), Canadian Heritage (PCH), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), as well as with eminent Canadian historians to further support this work.

On October 22, 2020, Bill C-8, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act was introduced in Parliament. The bill responds to Call to Action #94 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which calls for amending the Oath of Citizenship to include a reference to Indigenous and Treaty rights. Bill C-8 received Royal Assent on June 21, 2021, and the revised Oath of Citizenship was used in a citizenship ceremony for the first time on the morning of June 22, 2021.

Citizenship and immigration consultants

Newcomers and applicants often rely on the advice and expertise of immigration and citizenship consultants to help them navigate immigration rules and application processes. However, these individuals can be the victims of fraudulent consultants. To protect citizenship applicants, including those most vulnerable, the Government of Canada is implementing a new professional governance regime for citizenship consultants. As part of these efforts, the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act came into force in December 2020, with the new College anticipated to open by late 2021. Once open, the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants will become the official regulator of immigration and citizenship consultants across the country, acting as an arm’s-length institution to regulate the profession in the public interest. In 2020–21, IRCC continued to advance the implementation of this new professional governance regime for consultants, including a new Code of Professional Conduct for consultants, an appointment process to select five public interest directors to the College’s Board, as well as continuing to develop regulations supporting the new regime.

Results achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: The ultimate goal of the Citizenship Program is to facilitate naturalization for eligible permanent residents to become Canadians. This indicator reflects naturalization rates in Canada and is based on the 2016 Census. Over the last decade, naturalization rates in Canada have remained relatively steady and have demonstrated a slight growth. As this indicator is based on the Census, the result of the last fiscal year remains the same and there will be new naturalization rates based on the 2021 Census reported in the next fiscal year. Between fiscal year 2018–19 and 2020–21, over 512,000 permanent residents applied and met the requirements and were thus granted Canadian citizenship.

Indicator 2: In 2020–21, 9% of all citizenship grant applications were processed within the 12-month service standard. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic related closures and the implementation of business resumption initiatives for the Citizenship Program, growing application volumes and dated systems have caused increased processing times. IRCC is exploring ways to deliver improved processing as it moves from paper-based applications to e-applications and continues to advance e-initiatives including the online knowledge test and virtual ceremonies.

Indicator 3: While the client satisfaction rate has remained steady and satisfactory over recent years, 2020–21 saw the lowest applicant satisfaction rate of the past reporting years, including a drop of over 5% between 2019–20 and 2020–21. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to office closures and processing delays, may have had a direct impact on client satisfaction levels over the past year. IRCC’s analysis shows a lower satisfaction rate of 82% for citizenship grant clients who said they were affected by the pandemic when interacting with IRCC, compared to a satisfaction rate of 96% for citizenship grant clients not affected by the pandemic when interacting with IRCC. IRCC remains committed to making services as efficient and client-focused as possible so that citizenship applicants are satisfied with their citizenship naturalization process.

Results achieved

Departmental Result 8: Canadians’ international travel is facilitated

Passport services

During the pandemic, the Passport Program continued to deliver critical services that enable clients to obtain a passport or travel document to return home or travel for essential reasons, ensuring the continued mobility of goods and services.

Due to significant travel restrictions, the Passport Program saw a drop of 82.1% from forecasted volumes of application submissions. In addition, domestic passport intake and processing offices were closed from mid-March 2020 to early July 2020 for all but essential services. Applications by mail continued to be received, but with processing locations closed or at limited capacity, there were delays in processing applications received at the beginning of the pandemic. With waves of lock downs occurring across the globe, offices abroad were also closed at times or offered limited services, inevitably reducing processing capacity.

Throughout the pandemic, IRCC actively engaged in efforts to update digital platforms for passport services to support the increase in deferred demand. The Department facilitated modernization of the Passport Program through the Passport Modernization Abroad Project and phased implementation of the Passport Program Modernization Initiative which was successfully deployed at IRCC and as pre-pilots at Employment Social Development Canada in 2020–21. Additionally, the Passport Digital Services (PDS) project advanced procurement and development efforts to introduce a digital intake channel for the Passport Program. The expansion of the PDS would enable the Passport Program to more efficiently manage volume fluctuations, particularly those deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as anticipated volumes at the start of the next business cycle in 2023, as the first wave of 10-year passports expire. In Summer 2021, the PDS project ran a small-scale pilot with a select group of applicants from within the Government of Canada to test, adapt and improve the user experience, before expanding to a wider audience.

In response to pandemic-related service disruptions, key policy exceptions were also introduced in 2020–21 such as extending the validity of Emergency Travel Documents issued abroad from 5 to 15 days, accepting the submission of photos not taken by a commercial photographer, and extending the use of the simplified renewal application process to clients whose passports expired on or after February 1, 2019.

Results achieved

Performance indicator analysis

Indicator 1: In 2020–21, Canada continued to comply with the 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.

Indicator 2: In 2020–21, 80.9% of Canadian passport and other travel document applications were processed within the service standard. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic passport intake and processing offices were closed from mid-March 2020 to early July 2020 for all but essential services. With several modifications to operations, such as enabling remote working, the Program was able to adjust and take action to process the backlog of applications. Similarly abroad, with waves of lock downs occurring across the globe, offices were at times closed or offering limited services, inevitably impacting processing times.

Indicator 3: In 2020–21, survey results suggest that 88% of passport applicants were satisfied with the services they received – this includes applicants who applied from within Canada and applicants who applied abroad. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to office closures and processing delays, may have had a direct impact on client satisfaction levels over the past year. The Department will continue its efforts to solicit applicant feedback on potential service delivery improvements. IRCC is also committed to move towards a more digital, client-centric and online service delivery model, including the ability to apply for passports online to meet evolving client expectations and needs.

Citizenship and Passports

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

Citizenship Program

Financial figures associated with the Citizenship Program alone include $69 million in planned spending and $83 million in actual spending, for a variance of $14 million (or 20%). The variance was mainly due to the additional resources received for compensation adjustments and an internal reallocation from other lapsing programs to develop new digital tools to help host virtual oath ceremonies and citizenship tests during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Passport Program Operations

The Passport Program operates on a full cost-recovery basis from fees charged for travel document services. The Passport Program collected more revenues in the first half of the 10-year business cycle to compensate for an expected reduction in demand in the second half of the cycle. It is anticipated that the accumulated surplus collected in preceding years will compensate for this deficit.

The difference of $170 million between planned and actual spending for 2020–21 is explained by a combination of factors. As the Program continues to operate in its second half of its 10-year business cycle, a revenue reduction in 2020–21 was anticipated as a result of a reduction in passport demand due to the transition from the 5-year passport to the 10-year passport. However, the reduction was more significant than expected due to lower demand for passports and travel documents stemming from travel restrictions and borders and office closures as a result of measures taken in Canada and worldwide to control the spread of COVID-19.

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

Anti-Racism

In June 2020, IRCC released an internal statement acknowledging systemic racism in Canada and offering support to those affected by racism within the Department and beyond. This statement outlined the Department’s commitment to working toward racial equity, and listening to and amplifying the voices of Black, Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups. The statement also underscored that respect and inclusion are imperatives for IRCC.

In July 2020, IRCC announced the creation of the Anti-Racism Task Force, with a goal of eliminating systemic racism in our policies, programs, and service delivery. Efforts were made to build trust with racialized employees by creating a structure of safe spaces for individuals to speak to their experiences with racism in the workplace without fear of reprisal.

Leaders were invited to attend learning events and workshops to gain a better understanding of systemic racism and discrimination within the Department and the issues faced by affected employees, particularly those at lower levels. In addition, the Department reviewed its people management practices to ensure that Black, Indigenous and racialized employees are treated respectfully as equitable members of the IRCC workforce and are better represented across the Department at all levels.

Client service excellence

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, IRCC’s client support operations rapidly shifted to a remote work environment and IRCC created a virtual call centre. In 2020–21, the Client Support Centre received over 4.2 million calls (2.6 million clients asked to speak to an agent while 1.6 million self-served using IRCC’s Interactive Voice Response system) and 1.5 million email enquiries. Email volumes have grown by 53% since 2019–20, partly due to the impact of the pandemic on clients and partially due to the web form, which was used to facilitate processing. The Department improved the clarity of its forms and letters and explored new ways to notify clients before their documents expired, in order to reduce urgent processing and information requests.

IRCC continued to modernize its digital platforms to deliver an effective client experience, improve processing times, and maintain a high standard of program integrity across all lines of its business. In 2020–21, the Department’s digital transformation agenda included developing strategies and establishing governance in subjects such as cloud technologies and innovation, cybersecurity, Robotic Process Automation, and artificial intelligence. IRCC was also one of the first departments to put in place a Protected B cloud platform to host online services, such as temporary resident e-applications.

Access to information

Many clients use the access to information and privacy (ATIP) process to seek updates on the status of their applications. As a result, IRCC continued to experience a significant increase in the volume of ATIP requests where in 2020–21, IRCC received 127, 202 ATIP requests. While this volume exceeded the Department’s capacity to respond to all requests within legislated deadlines, IRCC was successful in processing 86,219 requests within legislative timelines compared to 80,267 in 2019–20. IRCC was able to substantially decrease the number of ATIP requests in its inventory during the early months of the pandemic, however, ATIP volumes have since increased at an unprecedented rate. Notably, IRCC was the only Department to maintain full ATIP office operations throughout the pandemic.

IRCC responded to increased levels of ATIP requests in 2020–21 and continued to strive to provide better client experience by enhancing readily accessible information to clients via faster response times and streamlined systems. Key initiatives underway to respond to the increasing volume of ATIP requests improve processing, and increase proactive communications with clients. Improvements include expanding the capabilities of the MyAccount portal to contain more information on the status of cases, as well as providing clear and concise communications to explain the reasons why an application was not approved in order to reduce the need for ATIP requests.

Internal Services

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

The difference between planned and actual spending is mainly attributable to new spending related to in-year funding received through the Supplementary Estimates for corporate support resources for various initiatives such as the Stabilization of IRCC's Global Case Management System and the 2020–2022 Immigration Levels Plan, combined with new funding for compensation adjustments. These additional requirements were not included at the planning stage, as financial authorities were granted through the Supplementary Estimates.

In addition to new spending, resources were reallocated from lapses in other programs towards IT expenditures as part of the Department’s response to maintain operations and develop new tools by leveraging technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. These new internal investments enabled the Department to advance its transformation agenda and set foundations for new digital services. Expenditures were also made to equip employees to telework. This included deployment of equipment, increase of secure remote connections and new protocols for handling information among others. These reallocations were not included at the planning stage, as the COVID-19 pandemic could not be predicted.

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 Graphic

Fiscal year	Statutory ($ millions)	Voted ($ millions)	Total ($ millions)
2018–19	66	2,338	2,404
2019–20	189	2,872	3,061
2020–21	410	2,750	3,160
2021–22	253	3,000	3,253
2022–23	121	3,148	3,269
2023–24	63	2,705	2,768

In this graph, financial figures from 2018–19 to 2020–21 represent actual spending incurred by the Department. Financial figures from 2021–22 to 2023–24 represent planned spending.

Analysis of trends in spending

Analysis – 2020–21 Planned spending versus 2020–21 Available authorities for use

The 2020–21 planned spending is based on a set of assumptions made in Fall 2019, as well as on the availability of funding at the planning stage. The difference of $1.7 billion (or 58%) between the 2020–21 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 over that initial period. 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 resources received by the Department through the 2020–21 Supplementary Estimates ($0.5 billion) mainly for supporting provinces and municipalities for temporary housing related to asylum seekers, the adjustment made to the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration grant, stabilization of IRCC's Global Case Management System (GCMS) to set the foundation for future transformation, implementation of the 2020–2022 Immigration Levels Plan, and Enhancing the Integrity of Canada's Borders and Asylum System.

Trend analysis – Actual spending from 2018–19 to 2020–21

The 2020–21 actual spending increased by $0.8 billion (or 31%) in comparison with 2018–19. The increase is mainly due to expenditures associated with the increased levels in permanent resident admissions, as well as 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 meet 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 2021–22 to 2022–23

It is important to note that the planned spending for 2021–22 and 2022–23 was published in the 2021–22 Departmental Plan. These figures were prepared based on funding approved up until December 2020.

The upward fluctuation in planned spending between 2021–22 and 2022–23 is mainly attributable to incremental funding for the Interim Federal Health Program, multi-year immigration level plans, and enhancing Canada’s asylum system. This increase in funding is partially offset by the expected conclusion of the Passport Program Modernization Initiative and ePassport Next Generation projects.

Through its activities, the Department collects revenues on behalf of the government. Of these collected revenues, the Department has re-spendable revenue 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. In 2020–21, the program did not generate revenues as a result of border restrictions and measures taken in Canada and worldwide to control the spread of COVID-19.

The Passport Program operates on a full cost-recovery basis over its 10-year business cycle and generates revenue through fees paid for passports and other travel documents.

Actual human resources

Analysis of trends in human resources

Analysis – 2020–21 Planned versus Actual Full-time equivalents

The increase in the number of 2020–21 actual full-time equivalents (FTEs) in comparison with the 2020–21 planned FTEs is mainly attributable to funding received through the Supplementary Estimates. This funding provided additional resources to support the implementation of the 2020–2022 Immigration Levels Plan and Budget 2019 announcements related to protecting people from unscrupulous immigration consultants and the Asylum Interoperability Project to help enhance the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system.

Trend analysis – Actual FTEs from 2018–19 to 2020–21

The increase in the number of FTEs from 2018–19 to 2020–21 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 travelers visit Canada, improving immigration client service, and implementing Canada's new International Education Strategy. The increase is further attributable to the additional resources received to support the implementation of the multi-year immigration levels plans commitments.

Trend analysis – Planned FTEs from 2021–22 to 2022–23

It is important to note that planned FTEs for 2021–22 and 2022–23 were published in the 2021–22 Departmental Plan. These figures were prepared based on resources approved up until December 2020.

From 2021–22 to 2022–23, the number of FTEs is set to increase mainly as a result of incremental resources to be received to help enhance the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system, as well as to support the stabilization of IRCC’s GCMS. This increase is partially offset by the expected conclusion of the Passport Program Modernization Initiative and ePassport Next Generation projects.

Expenditures by vote

For information on IRCC’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2020–2021.

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, 2021, are available on the IRCC’s website.

Financial statements highlights

Expenses

Total expenses of $3,584.1 million in 2020–21 included $1,696.5 million (47.3%) in transfer payments and $1,051.1 million (29.3%) in salaries and employee benefits.

Total expenses decreased by $115.5 million (3.1%) in 2020–21 as compared to the previous year. This variance is mainly attributable to the following:

• a decrease in transfer payments, mostly for asylum claimants’ temporary housing which was offset by an increase under the Canada-Quebec Accord;
• an increase in salaries and employee benefits, mostly due to a higher number of employees and the signature of the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Computer Systems collective agreements;
• a decrease in professional and special services expenses, mostly explained by a decrease in biometrics collection services in missions abroad as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions; and
• a decrease in transportation and communication expenses, mostly explained by significantly lower travel and passport shipping material costs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions.

Total expenses for 2020–21 are $62.7 million (1.8%) 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 in-year funding received for the Interim Housing Assistance Program, the implementation of the Asylum Interoperability Project, and the Enhancing the Integrity of Canada’s Borders and Asylum System announced in Budget 2019;
• an increase in internal services mostly attributable to in-year funding received for the stabilization of IRCC’s GCMS, the 2020–22 Immigration Levels Plan, and compensation adjustments, as well as an internal reallocation of resources to cover Information Technology expenditures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and to help advance IRCC’s digital services;
• a decrease under the Passport Program expenses, mostly attributable to a decrease in professional services due to the prioritization of GCMS Disaster Recovery Project, which translated in delayed spending in many other projects (the decrease is also attributable to border closures and travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a significant decrease in passport volumes and variable production costs); and
• a decrease under the Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers core responsibility explained by lower than anticipated biometrics enrolment costs due to travel restrictions and border and office closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Text version: Expenses by Core Responsibility

Expenses by Core Responsibility	Amount (million)	Percentage
Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration	$2,377.2	66%
Citizenship and Passports	$458.5	13%
Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers	$387.5	11%
Internal Services	$360.8	10%

Revenues

Total revenues amounted to $521.5 million in 2020–21, of which $468.5 million (89.8%) were departmental revenues earned on behalf of the government and $53.0 million (10.2%) were departmental re-spendable revenues, largely composed of Passport Program revenues.

Departmental revenues earned on behalf of the government decreased by $598.2 million (56.1%) as compared to the previous year and were $891.3 million (65.5%) lower than the planned results. This decrease is mainly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, since immigration offices were temporarily closed during 2020–21 and due to significant travel restrictions, which had a significant impact on the demand and issuance of immigration and citizenship documents.

Departmental re-spendable revenues decreased by $231.0 million (81.3%) as compared to the previous year and were $270.3 million (83.6%) lower than the planned revenues. This decrease is mainly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, since passport offices were temporarily closed during 2020–21 and travel restrictions were imposed, which had a significant impact on the demand and issuance of passports.

The chart below outlines IRCC’s revenues by type:

Text version: Revenues by Type

Revenues by Type	Amount (million)	Percentage
Immigration service fees	$340.9	66%
Immigration rights and privileges	$95.1	18%
Passport fees	$52.7	10%
Citizenship service fees	$27.2	5%
Other revenuesFootnote *	$5.6	1%

Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as of March 31, 2021 (dollars)

Assets

Total net financial assets decreased by $0.5 million (0.1%) in 2020–21 as compared to 2019–20. This variance is mainly attributable to the following:

• an increase in the amount due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund as a result of the decrease in net accounts receivable and advances and the increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities;
• a decrease in the net accounts receivable and advances, mostly explained by a decrease in accounts receivable from Other Government Departments;
• a decrease in the loans receivable as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to fewer loans being issued this year, while repayments of previously issued loans continued; and
• an increase in inventory held for resale as a result of the significant decrease in passports issued due to the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions, which resulted in a higher number of unused passport booklets as at March 31, 2021.

The chart below outlines IRCC’s net financial assets:

Text version: Total Net Financial Assets

Total Net Financial Assets	Amount (million)	Percentage
Due from Consolidated Revenue Fund	$320.6	76%
Loans receivable	$72.4	17%
Inventory held for resale	$19.6	5%
Net accounts receivable and advances	$9.4	2%

Total non-financial assets decreased by $1.4 million (1.0%) in 2020–21 as compared to 2019‑20. 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 cloud services.

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

Text version: Total Non-Financial Assets

Total Non-Financial Assets	Amount (million)	Percentage
Tangible capital assets	$117.1	84%
Prepaid expenses	$14.2	10%
Inventory held for consumption	$9	6%

Liabilities

Total net liabilities increased by $31.3 million (8.0%) in 2020–21 as compared to 2019–20. This variance is mainly attributable to the following:

• an increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities mostly due to a timing difference in the payment for the Canada-Quebec Accord; and
• an increase in the vacation pay and compensatory leave liability since excess hours are not being automatically cashed out at year-end.

The chart below outlines IRCC’s net liabilities:

Text version: Total Net Liabilities

Total Net Liabilities	Amount (million)	Percentage
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$338.1	80%
Vacation pay and compensatory leave	$58.6	14%
Employee future benefits	$22.1	5%
Immigrant Investor Program	$2.2	1%

Corporate 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 (IRCC) website.

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

Operating context

Information on the operating context is available on IRCC’s website.

Reporting framework

IRCC’s Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2020–21 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

Financial, human resources and performance information for IRCC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on IRCC’s website.

• Details on Transfer Payment Programs
• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Reporting on Green Procurement
• Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits

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 and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

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 Plus) (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.