Details on transfer payment programs

Transfer payment programs spending of $5 million or more

Canada-Québec Accord Grant / Subvention versée en vertu de l’Accord Canada-Québec

General information

Start date:

Financial compensation to the province is based on the Canada‑Québec Accord relating to Immigration and Temporary Admission of Aliens, which came into force in April 1991.

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Grant

Type of appropriation:

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

Ongoing

Link to departmental result:

Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports

Link to the department’s Program Inventory:

Settlement

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, signed in 1991, Canada has devolved settlement and integration responsibility to Quebec, and provides Quebec with an annual grant that notionally covers settlement and integration services to permanent residents in the province.

The objectives of the Accord are the preservation of Quebec’s demographic importance within Canada; and the integration of immigrants into that province in a manner that respects the distinct identity of Quebec.

Under the Accord, Canada is responsible for defining overall immigration objectives, national immigration levels and admissibility, selecting applicants in the family sponsorship class and protected person class, determining refugee status in Canada, and granting citizenship. The Accord provides Quebec with exclusive responsibility for selecting economic immigrants destined to the province (with admissibility decision resting with Canada) and for resettled refugees destined to the province (amongst individuals identified as refugees from abroad by Canada), as well as the settlement and integration of all permanent residents. This program uses transfer payment funding from the grant for the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration.

In accordance with section 26 and Annex B of the Canada-Quebec Accord, Canada is required to provide compensation to Quebec for these services, where it is established that:

• the reception and integration services (referred to in sections 24 and 25 of the Accord) offered by Quebec correspond, when considered in their entirety, to those offered by Canada in the rest of the country; and
• those services are offered without discrimination to any permanent resident in the province, whether or not that permanent resident has been selected by Quebec.

Expected results:

The Government of Quebec is responsible for developing and publishing its own immigration legislation and policies. It reports to the provincial National Assembly on its own expected results and spending related to immigration.

While Quebec has jurisdiction over settlement and integration of permanent residents destined to the province, the Accord specifies that the services covered by the grant must correspond to services offered by Canada in the rest of the country. To that end, Canada and Quebec collaborate on conducting regular comparative studies of their respective settlement and integration services to ensure that comparable services continue to be offered to newcomers across the country. Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the Joint Committee (Comité mixte), co-chaired by Assistant Deputy Ministers of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, is mandated to jointly carry out the comparison of services. Since 2014, the Joint Committee has tabled seven comparative studies that show reception and integration services for newcomers to be generally comparable in both jurisdictions, therefore meeting the requirements of the Accord. At the November 2017 Comité mixte, the Assistant Deputy Minister co-chairs recommended that the comparative study be tabled every second year, to reduce reporting burden and resource intensive tasks. The last comparative study, covering April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023, was tabled at the Joint Committee meeting on December 7, 2023. The next comparative study covering April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, will be completed in summer 2025, in collaboration with Quebec, and is expected to be tabled at the Joint Committee in fall 2025. 

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

2019–20

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

2025–26

General targeted recipient groups:

The Government of Quebec is the only recipient of the grant.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

The Accord provides for a Joint Committee and an Implementation Committee comprising members of the Government of Quebec and the federal government. Those committees as well as ad hoc meetings of the parties take place several times per year.

Financial information (dollars)*

*The Accord established a formula for the annual compensation paid to Quebec, including an escalation factor, added to the previous year’s baseline, which is a combination of:

• the variation in the number of non-francophone immigrants that Quebec receives between the two previous calendar years; and
• the variation in the federal expenditures less services of the debt (net expenditures) as reported in the Public Accounts of Canada between the two previous fiscal years.

In any given year, the amount of the grant cannot be reduced from the previous year. It can only increase or remain constant. When either condition from the formula above is negative, it is deemed to equal zero and cannot be negative.

Interim Housing Assistance Program

General information

Start date:

March 2019

End date:

March 31, 2027

Type of transfer payment:

Grants and contributions

Type of appropriation:

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2024–25

Link to departmental results:

Potential permanent residents are selected for immigration to Canada

Link to the department’s Program Inventory:

Asylum

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

Since 2017, Canada has experienced an increase in asylum claims. Provinces have called for support in managing the downstream impact of asylum flows, including interim housing pressures. While providing asylum claimants with a safe place to live has traditionally fallen under the purview of provincial and municipal jurisdictions, the Government of Canada recognizes the need for all levels of government to work together to address pressures on the shelter system, and to ensure that claimants have the supports they need to achieve housing independence.

With a view to supporting asylum claimants in quickly achieving housing independence while awaiting determination of their claim, the Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP) will provide funding to provinces, municipalities, and community organizations to help:

• Adopt sustainable, cost-effective approaches to addressing the housing needs of asylum claimants; and
• Build capacity to receive and address the housing needs of claimants in jurisdictions across the country.

It is anticipated that this support will help recipients coordinate the intake and referral of claimants, increase the availability of dedicated interim housing spaces, and facilitate access to supports and services.

Expected results:

Funding recipients will be incentivized to adopt more sustainable, cost-effective approaches to addressing the housing needs of asylum claimants and will be expected to build and strengthen the capacity to receive and address the housing needs of claimants in jurisdictions across Canada.

These will be measured by:

• the proportion of funding that jurisdictions allocate towards sustainable, cost-effective approaches
• the proportion of jurisdictions funded that have a coordinated process to assess the needs of claimants and connect them to supports
• the number of claimants provided with different accommodation types (e.g., hotels/motels, emergency shelters, transitional housing, reception centres)
• the proportion of new versus existing spaces created
• the number of claimants that receive IHAP-funded services
• the number of jurisdictions participating in the program and the number of non-profit organizations receiving contributions funding.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

Not applicable (N/A) – new program/funding

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

N/A

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

2025–26

General targeted recipient groups:

• Not-for-profit organizations and charities; and
• Provincial, Territorial and Municipal governments

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

The development of the program was informed by engagement with provinces, municipalities, and community organizations and in response to repeated calls for a more predictable funding model. Sessions were also held with select partners on the development of the reporting tool. Group and bilateral technical sessions will be held with all partners to discuss the renewed program and future expectations. Updates will also be made to the web content, including the launch of a dedicated IHAP site and generic email to facilitate information sharing.

Financial information (dollars)

International Migration Capacity Building Program

General information

Start date:

First launched as the Migration Policy Development Program in 2003. It was renamed the International Migration Capacity Building Program in 2019.

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Grant

Type of appropriation:

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2022–23

Link to departmental result:

Potential permanent residents are selected for immigration to Canada

Link to the department’s Program Inventory:

Asylum

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

The International Migration Capacity Building Program (IMCBP) provides funding to eligible grant beneficiaries for initiatives that advance global migration policies and programs, in support of Canada’s migration and humanitarian objectives.

The objective of the IMCBP is to support the development of well-managed migration systems that facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration through:

1. the advancement of capacity building efforts; and,
2. an increase in the development and exchange of migration-related information and expertise.

The IMCBP aligns with standard qualitative as well as, results-based measurement practices, such as the inclusion of outcomes, indicators, and targets. These performance measures will assess the effectiveness of initiatives to contribute to:

1. strengthening migration and refugee protection systems in sending, transit and receiving countries;
2. facilitating safe, orderly and regular migration, while deterring irregular migration; and,
3. promoting open, evidence-based discourse on migration and refugee issues.

Expected results:

• Strengthening migration and refugee protection systems in sending, transit and receiving countries.
• Facilitating safe, orderly and regular migration, while deterring irregular migration.
• Promoting open, evidence-based discourse on migration and refugee issues.

The IMCBP has multiple funding envelopes with specific expected outcomes. The immediate outcomes for the Core Envelope are that beneficiaries of training or assistance have strengthened knowledge and tools, migration and protection information and services are accessible, and international cooperation and exchange of evidence-based information are facilitated. The intermediate outcomes are that organizations and governments strengthen their migration and protection governance and services, integration and inclusion occur in countries of origin, transit and destination and deter irregular migration, and Canada fosters strategic relationships with targeted countries and organisations. The ultimate outcome is that safe, regular and orderly migration and protection systems support Canada’s migration and protection objectives and diplomacy.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

2021–22

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

2025–26

General targeted recipient groups:

• International organizations and other foreign grant beneficiaries;
• Non-Governmental Organizations, institutions, organizations, and agencies that are not for profit, operating at the international level from within or outside Canada; and
• Individuals and private sector organizations operating at the international level from within or outside Canada.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

The IMCBP promotes Canada’s priorities related to well-managed migration and protection by funding migration and protection related capacity building projects. It also pays membership fees to support Canada’s participation in key international forums and organizations that uphold or enhance engagement that support migration and protection systems internationally.

Currently, IRCC provides support to four established migration-related multilateral organizations with which the Department has long-standing engagement and that help advance departmental priorities: the Regional Conference on Migration, the Global Forum on Migration and Development, the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees, and the Migration Policy Institute. IRCC regularly attends and is an active participant in the governance meetings of these organizations, exchanges information on best practices in migration policy and management, and uses the multilateral platforms provided through Canada’s membership in these organizations to advance Canadian migration priorities and strengthen bilateral partnerships with other countries.

The capacity building projects and initiatives undertaken through the IMCBP are divided into funding streams. The permanent funding stream is a Core Envelope of $1 million, leveraged to pay membership fees and fund small to medium- scale projects that support safe, orderly and regular migration or support international protection systems for refugees. These projects are selected following thorough consultations with various IRCC branches and developed with key implementing partners.

IMCBP’s other envelopes with temporary funding include:

• IRCC also supports the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Comprehensive Action Plan for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (CAP) and has committed $21 million in funding over three years, starting in 2022–23. This funding supports projects under the CAP in support of migration-related and humanitarian activities and initiatives to assist Afghan nationals in Pakistan and Central Asia who are affected by the situation in Afghanistan.
• In 2023–24, IRCC secured $3 million from Canada’s Climate Finance Envelope to fund a three-year project with the IOM and Rainforest Alliance in southern Mexico. This project aims to develop targeted adaptation solutions that address the negative environmental drivers of migration, particularly in rural agricultural communities.
• In 2022–23, the Americas Capacity Building Envelope was announced, providing $75 million over six years to help address irregular migration and forced displacement in the hemisphere, while also promoting increased regional collaboration across Latin America and the Caribbean.

IRCC will continue to examine the program’s governance to ensure appropriate oversight and monitoring. This will include reviewing processes, such as those related to project selection, to ensure that they are efficient while offering good program management.

Where possible, the Department will engage countries where projects are conducted or proposed through meetings, reporting and country visits, to ascertain their needs and priorities. The Department will engage directly with potential programming partners regarding country and regional needs and will invite organizations to submit concept notes outlining main objectives and scope of the proposed initiatives prior to requesting full proposals. The Department assesses project proposals against the Terms and Conditions of the IMCBP, strategic priorities, host country needs and priorities, impact and value for money. This approach will ensure organizations only invest a high level of effort into proposals if they receive a positive signal check from IRCC.

Throughout each project’s implementation, there is regular contact between IRCC and recipient organizations to ensure progress against expected results and compliance with the terms and conditions outlined in the grant arrangement. Monitoring is done through direct contact with applicants (videoconferences, email, phone, etc.); support from Canadian missions (International Platform and Government of Canada partners, such as the Canada Border Services Agency and Global Affairs Canada); in-country monitoring; and reporting. For smaller scale capacity building projects, monitoring is performed through mid-year reporting and end of project reports, pursuant to the grant arrangement. Larger projects may involve more frequent engagements and reporting requirements.

Financial information (dollars)

Resettlement Assistance Program

General information

Start date:

1951 as the Adjustment Assistance Program. The Resettlement Assistance Program in its current form was implemented in 1998.

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation:

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2018–19, updated in 2023

Link to departmental result:

Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports

Link to the department’s Program Inventory:

Refugee Resettlement Program

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

The Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) provides direct financial support and funds the provision of immediate and essential services to government-assisted-refugees and other eligible recipients as identified in the RAP terms and conditions.

RAP contributes to the objectives of Sections 3(2) (b) , 3(1) (a), 3 (1) (c), and 3(1) (i) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, to respectively: “Fulfill Canada’s international legal obligations with respect to refugees and affirm Canada’s commitment to international efforts to provide assistance to those in need of resettlement;” “Permit Canada to pursue the maximum social, cultural and economic benefits of immigration”, “to support the development of a strong and prosperous Canadian economy, in which the benefits of immigration are shared across all regions of Canada;” and “Promote the successful integration of permanent residents into Canada while recognizing that integration involves mutual obligations for new immigrants and Canadian society”.

Expected results:

• The immediate outcomes for the broader Refugee Resettlement Program are that resettled refugees receive timely protection and their immediate and essential needs are met.
• The intermediate outcome is that resettled refugees have the tools to live independently in Canadian society.
• The ultimate outcome is that resettled refugees live independently in Canadian society.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

2024–25

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

2028–29

General targeted recipient groups:

RAP targets three types of recipients: (1) resettled refugees and persons admitted to Canada under similar circumstances; (2) service providers that provide immediate and essential services to eligible clients; and (3) service providers engaged in activities that support the Refugee Resettlement Program more broadly (e.g., funding to international organizations to facilitate the overseas processing of refugees and to the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program to support private sponsors in Canada).

Service providers may be:

• not for profit organizations and associations, including non-governmental organizations, community groups and umbrella organizations
• intergovernmental and international organizations
• businesses
• Canadian educational institutions (including boards, districts and divisions)
• provincial, territorial or municipal governments
• individual Canadian citizens (e.g., consultants, facilitators)

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

Refugees receiving RAP services are engaged throughout their resettlement journey, starting with overseas processing of refugees with international delivery partners and intake assessment upon arrival in Canada of refugees to determine the level of support needed and the types of services required. The Department works closely with international organizations to plan annual targets as well as the timing of services to assist refugees during the application process and pre-departure. The Department maintains close collaboration and regular communication with international organizations in order to adequately respond to resettled refugee needs.

Domestically, IRCC engages directly with RAP service provider organizations (SPOs) through a combination of working groups and ad hoc activities. The Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs) – RAP Working Group is a forum jointly led by IRCC and RAP SPOs that provides IRCC and refugee resettlement stakeholder organizations with a role in the resettlement of GARs with a platform to share information and views on program and policy issues related to RAP and GARs. Domestic RAP SPOs and clients are also regularly surveyed to provide feedback on RAP implementation and information on client outcomes.

For clients arriving under various non-refugee humanitarian and crisis pathways, IRCC engages with clients upon arrival in Canada to advise, confirm eligibility, and issue payments for a one-time transitional financial assistance payment through the RAP, when applicable. Payments are intended to assist eligible clients with their immediate and essential needs during their first months in Canada. Stakeholder groups and SPOs are routinely engaged on RAP considerations for crisis response to better align on supports provided to clients in crisis situations.

Financial information (dollars)

Settlement Program

General information

Start date:

2008

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation:

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2023–24

Link to departmental result:

Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports

Link to the department’s Program Inventory:

Settlement

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

For Canada to realize the economic, social and cultural benefits of immigration, newcomers must integrate successfully into Canadian society. The IRCC Settlement Program plays a major role by assisting immigrants and refugees to overcome barriers specific to the newcomer experience so that they can undertake their longer-term integration on a similar footing to other Canadians.

The Settlement Program aims to provide newcomers with the information required to make informed decisions, language skills adequate to their settlement and integration goals, and the support they need to build networks and gain meaningful employment in Canada. IRCC funds the delivery of settlement programming across the country and outside Canada and provides support for initiatives that contribute to the capacity enhancement of recipient organizations.

Expected results:

IRCC funds the delivery of settlement programming across the country and outside Canada and contributes to the capacity enhancement of service provider organizations (SPOs). Projects and activities funded under the Settlement Program are expected to address and contribute to the immediate level of outcomes for eligible clients, including providing newcomers with supports before and after their arrival in Canada.

The intermediate outcomes on the Program are the eventual intended social and economic outcomes for eligible clients of the IRCC Settlement Program to support longer term integration.

These outcomes may be attributable to both IRCC and to other programming and services (community and other non-IRCC funded services). IRCC’s settlement strategy also acknowledges that in order for newcomers to achieve longer term integration, a societal effort is required, involving collaboration among various levels of government. Specifically, provinces and territories fund their own settlement services for newcomers, with many focusing on IRCC-ineligible populations (e.g., international students, temporary foreign workers, etc.), as well as oversee critical sectors such as education, health, and social services, which are vital to integration. Consequently, IRCC collaborates closely with provinces and territories to promote common objectives and to guarantee that respective investments in settlement programming facilitate cohesive and complementary service provision.

The ultimate outcomes of the Settlement Program relate to the overall integration of newcomers in Canada. While IRCC’s Settlement Program is intended to support newcomer settlement toward longer term integration, newcomer outcomes at this level are attributable to a variety of factors including social and economic trends in Canadian society. On the whole, the Settlement Program supports IRCC’s broader mission and is central to fulfilling one of the Department’s strategic objectives, namely that newcomers and citizens participate in fostering an integrated society.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

2017–18

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

2026–27

General targeted recipient groups:

To fulfill IRCC’s objective of promoting the successful integration of permanent residents into Canada, IRCC uses grants and contribution agreements. These agreements may be signed with the following eligible recipients for settlement services:

• Provincial, territorial or municipal governments
• International organizations
• Not-for-profit organizations including non-governmental organizations, non-profit corporations, community groups, umbrella organizations, regulatory bodies and apprenticeship authorities
• Businesses, including those that provide indirect services (such as assisting employers in hiring newcomers, private language schools, conference organizers, Web or production firms for tool development)
• Educational institutions (including school boards, districts and divisions)
• Individuals

Restrictions:

• Unless specifically allowed in the grant and contribution agreement, no user fees can be charged to clients for services funded by IRCC.
• For-profit organizations may be eligible for funding provided that the nature and the intent of the activity is non-commercial and, not intended to generate profit and that it supports program priorities and objectives.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

IRCC funds over 550 different organizations, including nearly 75 francophone organizations located in Francophone minority communities, to deliver a diverse range of services that support the settlement and integration of newcomers to Canada. Settlement SPOs vary in size, which has an impact on the type and scope of services that they offer to newcomers. 

IRCC plays a key role in the disseminating and sharing information to and among SPOs and other settlement organizations formally and informally at both the national and regional levels. IRCC brings together SPOs and other stakeholders to share information and advice on settlement, resettlement and integration needs of newcomers, ensuring regional perspectives are included in national discussions, and identifying gaps and emerging trends to better understand client needs to inform national policy. These include:

• The National Settlement and Integration Council (NSIC), a national body focused on enhancing newcomer settlement outcomes across Canada which engages the settlement sector, key settlement, resettlement and integration stakeholders, provincial/territorial governments, and other federal government departments.
• Settlement and Integration Policy and Program Committee (SIPPC) and the Settlement and Integration Service Delivery Committee (SISDC), which serve as platforms for IRCC and funded organizations within the settlement sector to strengthen the collective capacity to respond to the needs of newcomer clients and communities.

In 2025–26, NSIC is expected to meet twice, while SIPPC and SISDC are expected to each meet quarterly.

IRCC also engages in extensive consultations before and after it launches intake processes under the Settlement Program. Engagement with service providers supports IRCC’s information gathering which informs open and transparent intake processes to establish grant and contribution agreements and improves delivery methods to carry out IRCC programming priorities. IRCC launched the Call for Proposals 2024 for Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs in November 2023. Agreements are anticipated to begin April 1, 2025.

In parallel, the Department continues to experiment with a community-based funding model through the Welcoming Francophone Communities (WFCs) Initiative. This initiative moved away from the traditional intake process approach, to fund community plans featuring activities and projects that the communities themselves have identified to best meet their needs in terms of welcoming and integrating French-speaking newcomers. Community plans were initially funded over a 3-year period (beginning in April 2020) and have subsequently been extended until March 2024. Following a series of targeted consultations conducted in the summer of 2023 with community partners across the country (excluding Quebec) on the future of the initiative, IRCC approved the renewal of the WFC Initiative and its expansion to ten new communities. IRCC is working closely with Francophone communities, the Réseaux en Immigration Francophone, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, and the Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick to ensure the successful implementation of this future edition which is planned for Winter 2025.

Financial information (dollars)

Francophone Immigration Support Program

General information

Start date:

December 18, 2023

End date:

March 31, 2028

Type of transfer payment:

Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation:

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2023–24

Link to departmental results:

• Entry to Canada of eligible visitors, international students and temporary workers is facilitated
• Facilitation of temporary entry helps to generate economic benefits
• Potential permanent residents admitted to Canada, outside Quebec, who identify as French-speaking
• Immigrants and refugees achieve economic independence and contribute to labour force growth

Link to the department’s Program Inventory:

Settlement

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

This Program aims to better integrate the Francophone lens into the immigration continuum by strengthening the engagement of Francophone communities in activities promoting Francophone minority communities (FMCs) abroad, activities promoting immigration programs and activities aimed at identifying, supporting and recruiting French-speaking candidates to immigrate to Canada.

Expected results:

The expected long-term outcome of the Francophone Immigration Support Program (FISP) is to foster demographic growth and economic development in FMCs, both through the selection of French-speaking permanent residents and the admission of French-speaking temporary residents. To achieve the expected outcomes, the FISP will fund projects through three streams of activity: 1) collaborative selection projects; 2) the promotion of FMCs abroad; and 3) case studies, innovations and applied research.

The expected intermediate outcome is an increase in the number of admissions of French-speaking candidates resulting, in whole or in part, from eligible activities and projects under IRCC’s FISP, for both the permanent residence and the temporary residence programs.

The immediate outcomes are the direct, short-term results of the FISP for eligible activities funded by IRCC. These immediate outcomes are as follows:  

• Francophone partners are more involved in the promotion of FMCs, and in the identification, support and recruitment of French-speaking candidates.
• French-speaking candidates are better informed about immigration opportunities in FMCs.
• French-speaking temporary residents are better equipped to apply to permanent immigration.
• FISP activities are supported by evidence-based data.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

N/A – new program/funding

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

N/A

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

2026–27

General targeted recipient groups:

To achieve FISP objectives, IRCC will enter into grant and contribution agreements with the following eligible recipients to carry out eligible activities:

• Provincial and territorial governments
• Municipal governments
• International organizations
• Not-for-profit organizations, including non-governmental organizations, not-for-profit corporations, community groups, umbrella organizations, regulatory bodies, chambers of commerce, industry associations, professional associations and apprenticeship authorities
• Post-secondary designated learning institutions.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

IRCC engages and consults with potential recipients across the country through multiple mechanisms, including tables and working groups, as well as via departmental communication tools (web, communiques, social medias). Existing tables and working groups include the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration and IRCC-Communautés francophones en situation minoritaire.

Ongoing opportunities and updates will be published online by IRCC’s Centre for Innovation in Francophone Immigration. 

Financial information (dollars)

Transfer payment programs spending of under $5 million

Annual Assessed Contribution to the International Organization for Migration

General information

Start date:

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading United Nations agency in the field of migration, having joined the UN system as a related organization in 2016. Canada was a founding member of the IOM in 1951 but withdrew membership in 1962. Canada subsequently rejoined the organization as a full member in 1991 and has paid its annual Assessed Contributions ever since.

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Contribution^{Footnote 1}

Type of appropriation:

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2010–11

Link to departmental result:

Potential permanent residents are selected for immigration to Canada

Link to the department’s Program Inventory:

Asylum

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

Contributions to the IOM allow Canada to:

• Participate in the organization’s governance and decision-making mechanisms, including evaluation and audit, and budget setting practices.
• Enhance its knowledge on global trends and approaches to managed migration.
• Advance its international priorities on migration, which include: helping to ensure the orderly and humane management of migration; promoting international cooperation on migration issues; and assisting in the search for practical solutions to migration problems.
• Provide humanitarian assistance for migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons.
• Deliver IRCC programs in the areas of resettlement, migration health and capacity building.

As an IOM member, the Department has an increased capacity to meet its objectives related to:

• Managed migration that promotes Canadian interests and protects the health, safety and security of Canadians.
• International recognition and acceptance of the principles of managed migration consistent with Canada’s broader foreign policy agenda.

Expected results:

• Participate as a Member State of the IOM programs and policies, to ensure Canada’s objectives, values and interests are reflected in the IOM’s approach to global migration.
• Gain knowledge and understanding of global migration and insights on the migration policies, activities and priorities of other countries, in order to inform IRCC policies and programs.
• Advance Canada’s position on managed migration and international protection in multilateral forums.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

2021–22

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

2027–28

General targeted recipient groups:

International organizations

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

IRCC officials actively monitor, engage and consult with the IOM through institutional and bilateral meetings.

On an ongoing basis, IRCC participates in the two IOM governing bodies: (1) the Council and the Standing Committee on Programmes and Finance, and (2) the organization’s formal working groups on Partnerships Governance and Organizational Priorities and Budget Reform. This participation allows Canada to play a role in the organization’s governance and decision-making, including those related to budget issues. In addition, IRCC is present at informal consultations organized by the IOM.

Government of Canada senior officials routinely meet with the IOM senior management to discuss shared priorities and ways to strengthen the bilateral relationship. Good relations are further maintained though continuous and open communication between IRCC and IOM takes place at the working level.

While IRCC is the lead in the overall Government of Canada–IOM relationship, Global Affairs Canada also maintains a strong relationship with the IOM as they partner in the delivery of development and humanitarian assistance.

The evaluation of the IOM Assessed Contribution in 2021–22 found that Canada derives high value from its membership in the IOM in meeting IRCC and whole-of-government objectives.

To note, following several years of negotiations, a Member State decision was made in 2022 for the IOM to increase membership dues starting in IRCC’s FY 2022–23 to account for USD $60 million of a $75 million deficit to their core administrative budget. For Canada, this means the total budget for IOM membership dues will rise from approximately CAD $2.2 million to CAD $4.2 million by FY 2026–27 and ongoing. Additional funding to cover this increase has been secured.

Financial information (dollars)