Gender-based analysis plus

About the data in this report

• Data are suppressed or rounded to prevent the identification of individuals when the figures are compiled and compared with other publicly available statistics. Values between 0 and 5 are shown as “--” and all other values are rounded to the nearest multiple of 5. This may result to the sum of the figures not equating to the totals indicated. Please note that this applies to all data from 2024 onwards.
• Data are preliminary and subject to change, and they may not match official IRCC reporting.
• While IRCC programs are to default to the collection of gender information, certain programs still collect sex information to maintain compliance with international standards.

Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus Governance and Capacity

Governance

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is committed to being more inclusive for everyone, removing barriers, and fostering an equitable workplace culture that values diversity and accessibility. The Equity Advancement Office (EAO) serves as the Department’s authority on GBA Plus, provides leadership in supporting IRCC’s commitment to inclusivity. The EAO encourages the Department to take concrete efforts to increase workforce representation and promote a culture of respect and inclusion.

The GBA Plus Working Group serves as a community of practice to enhance the understanding and application of GBA Plus across departmental policies, programs and decision-making processes. With 147 members from across the Department (increased from 73 in 2023–24), the Working Group allows members to consult on equity considerations in policy proposals, program design and service delivery processes. In 2024–25, the Working Group addressed a range of priority topics to support integration of GBA Plus within departmental decision making including IRCC’s GBA Plus Policy Review, and the launch of the renewed Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy and the new Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate (CAP-CH).

Capacity

In 2024–25, IRCC made significant strides in bolstering its GBA Plus capacity to enhance its application and to better monitor and evaluate equitable outcomes in departmental policies and programs. IRCC also promoted tools and resources to better integrate GBA Plus into its work.

Promotion of GBA Plus resources and employee networks

The Department continued to promote GBA Plus resources, including new guidance from Women and Gender Equality Canada to strengthen capacity and support the application of GBA Plus to IRCC’s policies, programs, and services.

Additionally, the Department supported employee networks and their senior management champions to further solidify IRCC’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the workplace. DEI Employee Networks at IRCC include the Women’s Network, the Black Employee Network, the Persons with Disabilities Network and Committee, the Racialized Employees and Allies Network, the Indigenous Peoples Circle, Pride@IRCC and the Network for Diversity Equity and Inclusion. These employee networks led a variety of initiatives in 2024–25, including commemorative events, mentorship programs, and diversity-focused training opportunities such as Pride prom, Transgender Day, storytelling sessions, trust circles, and various workshops.

Review of GBA Plus Policy

A draft report on the GBA Plus Policy Review was completed in February 2025. The objectives of this review were to identify gaps and barriers in departmental GBA Plus implementation and guide recommendations for the update of the departmental 2011 GBA Policy. The GBA Policy has not been updated since 2011 and is being revised to reflect gender diversity, the rebranding and intersectional approach to GBA Plus, and changes following departmental realignments. In 2025–26, recommendations from the review will be implemented as part of IRCC’s updated GBA Plus Policy.

Anti-Racism and Equity

In 2024–25, IRCC continued to bolster its anti-racism governance to tackle systemic racism and embed equity as a core value across the Department. This commitment is demonstrated through departmental consultations and surveys with employees for feedback on how to create a more equitable workplace. In 2024, IRCC gathered information through questionnaires and group discussions, including 44 consultation sessions with employees and senior management.

IRCC reviewed the Anti-Racism Strategy 2.0 (2021–2024) and the department’s progress on anti-racism to inform the Department’s next Equity Strategy for 2025 to 2028. A critical component of this work was seeking the input of employees with lived experiences of racism and discrimination. The 2025 Anti-Racism Strategy 2.0 Reflections Survey was completed to collect employee perspectives and assess progress made under the strategy. 356 employees from the Department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Employee Networks participated in the survey and offered their feedback, reflecting a response rate of 24%. This response rate reflects the significant commitment and engagement that exists within IRCC’s employee networks, who continue to positively influence IRCC towards a more inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible organizational culture.

Human resources (full-time equivalents) dedicated to GBA Plus

The Department had 13 full-time equivalents dedicated to GBA Plus.

Section 2: Gender and Diversity Impacts, by program

Core Responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers

Program Name: International Students

Program goals: IRCC facilitates the entry of students who wish to study at designated Canadian educational institutions. The program integrates GBA Plus within policy development for program redesign, student temporary resident status and stakeholder engagement.

Target population: Eligible foreign nationals seeking to enter in Canada as international students

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored:

IRCC monitors the following demographic indicators:

• Foreign national looking to come to study for more than six months;
• Age population for post-secondary education;
• Gender;
• Official languages; and
• Country of citizenship to improve the diversification of source countries.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

The International Student program generates economic gain for Canada, it also provides significant socio-cultural benefits, such as diversifying the make-up of the country.

IRCC recognizes that international students’ gender may influence their post-graduation employment opportunities and income. In other words, certain academic fields have traditionally attracted one gender over the other—for example, caregiving professions are often female-dominated, while science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields tend to be male-dominated. These trends can contribute to ongoing gender disparities and may even influence post-graduation employment given that eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program, for non-degree graduates, is tied to fields of study that are linked to in-demand occupations. The International Student Program has remained mainly gender balanced overtime, but it is important to continue monitoring this indicator for significant shifts. Furthermore, the International Student Program has historically been dominated by applicants from a limited number of source countries. This indicator may intersect with the gender divide, given that traditional gender roles may be more prominent in some countries and may therefore influence in which fields those students end up choosing. As such, IRCC will continue efforts to diversify the source countries for the international student program. This includes encouraging designated learning institutions (DLIs) to strengthen their international student recruitment strategies, as well as ongoing initiatives—such as the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP)—aimed at attracting students from a variety of source countries that often face barriers.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

Policy initiatives in the International Student Program, including FMCSP implementation and regulatory changes, have been shaped by a GBA Plus lens to ensure the program reforms are inclusive and effectively address systemic inequalities.

Specifically, the FMCSP was introduced as a means to support government priorities to increase Francophone immigration outside Quebec, improve the vitality and cultural diversity of Francophone communities, and facilitate access to study permits for student coming from countries with historically low approval rates (i.e. Africa, Middle East, and Americas). The Pilot was designed to achieve these objectives by modifying study permit application requirements, such as waiving the intent to return and adjusting the financial requirements based on the size of the community where the applicants intends to reside.

GBA Plus data collection plan

IRCC will continue to collect and review data related to general demographic trends throughout different stages of the student life cycle (Studies and PGWP phase) and analyze multiple GBA Plus factors to identify areas of parity or disparity among various groups.

Program Name: Temporary Workers

Program goals: IRCC allows foreign nationals to work in Canada, with or without a work permit, when Canadians and permanent residents are not available or when there are broader benefits to Canada. Through the International Mobility Program (IMP) and jointly administering the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) with Employment and Social Development Canada, IRCC support the Canadian labour market in line with economic conditions, national interests, and government priorities.

Target population: Temporary workers in Canada

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

The Temporary workers Program covers foreign nationals seeking to enter Canada for work purposes, under the following stream:

• TFWP;
• IMP; and
• Permit-exempt workers.

In administering TFWP and IMP work permits, IRCC reviews the use of these programs across all work permit applicants and holders. Sociodemographic characteristics are collected as part of the work permit application, and used to inform program analysis.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

By design, eligibility criteria under the TFWP and the IMP focus on elements of the intended work to be performed in Canada, and assesses whether a foreign national - regardless of their sociodemographic characteristics - is able to perform that work. From that perspective, both the IMP and TFWP are intended to be gender- and diversity-agnostic. Foreign workers, no matter their gender, age, and country of origin have the ability to apply for work permit authorization if they meet eligibility criteria.

However, the nature of the work and other macro factors (e.g., conditions in a foreign national’s country of residence), may impact gender and diversity representation. For example, the type of physical labour required in occupations in agriculture and construction may result in gender differences across the population of temporary foreign workers within these sectors.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

The Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers (OWP-V) provides foreign workers in Canada on valid employer-specific work permits access to an open work permit if they are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, abuse in their job.

GBA Plus data collection plan

IRCC maintains data systems, such as the Global Case Management System (GCMS), which enables comprehensive and reliable monitoring and reporting on the Programs' usage and outputs, and helps to identify potential gaps and trends to support program and policy development.

For both the TFWP and the IMP, IRCC collects qualitative and quantitative data on gender, age, country of citizenship, ability to speak in English or French, prior and subsequent work permits, and location of work (in Canada) in GCMS. Per commitments in the Management Response Action Plan for the IMP Evaluation, IRCC is exploring ways to more effectively mine this data to further understand GBA Plus factors, as well as gather other types of data, to support a more comprehensive GBA Plus analysis if necessary.

Analysis of OWP-V applications and approvals is used to improve the internal trauma-informed training course for immigration officers who process OWP-V applications.

Program Name: Visitors

Program goals: The Program seeks to achieve a balance between facilitating the travel of foreign nationals while maintaining the integrity of the immigration and asylum system.

Target population: Eligible foreign nationals seeking to enter Canada as visitors (Issuance of Temporary Resident Visas [TRVs] and Electronic Travel Authorizations [eTAs])

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

• The Visitors Program covers most foreign nationals seeking to enter or remain in Canada for one or more temporary purposes, including:
  • Visiting family and/or friends;
  • Tourism;
  • Participating in international events;
  • Engaging in business;
  • Permit-exempt students and/or workers;
  • Transiting through Canada to reach another destination.
• Further monitoring of visitor applications where applicants are selecting Gender X (not identifying as males or females) would be instructive to determine whether there are barriers.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

The Visitors Program facilitates travel to Canada by issuing TRVs or eTAs to eligible foreign nationals. Eligibility to obtain these travel documents is not based on gender or other diverse identity factors. Issuance of travel documents is also based on demand which, to a large extent, is beyond the scope of IRCC's control. Many external drivers contribute to this demand including general accessibility to Canada (e.g., airline routes, proximity to Canada, etc.) and income available for international travel.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

Not available

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Visitors Program has examined its Performance Measurement Strategy Framework from a GBA Plus and Anti-Racism perspective, and developed a findings summary report to consolidate recommendations from key internal stakeholders. In 2024–25, IRCC examined the implementation of these recommendations.

IRCC has leveraged the use of advanced analytics since 2018 to improve client service by expediting the processing of temporary resident applications. The Department monitored the impacts of the advanced analytics tools with a GBA Plus and Anti-Racism lens to detect and mitigate any potential biases which the automated tools may introduce into the Visitor Program.

In June 2023, IRCC partially lifted the visa requirement on 13 countries and began monitoring GBA Plus data for this cohort of visitors. In 2024, data suggested no concerning outcomes in terms of approval and refusal rates in relation to gender, age group, marital status, and correspondence language decisions (i.e., English or French). Canada imposed a partial visa requirement on Mexican nationals at the end of February 2024, and similar monitoring efforts will be undertaken for this cohort.

Core Responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Program Name: Asylum

Program goals: IRCC is accountable for the oversight of the in-Canada asylum system which provides protection to people in Canada who have a well-founded fear of persecution or are at risk of torture, or cruel and unusual punishment. This includes protection for refugee claimants fleeing gender-based violence and persecution based on sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnicity, or religion.

Target population: Foreign nationals who seek refugee protection from within Canada

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

Asylum claimants are a diverse, non-homogenous group of individuals with a wide variety of intersectional identity factors including, but not limited to, gender, age, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnicity, and religion. Given this diversity, the entire asylum claimant population is monitored for equitable program impact. Focus is placed on certain subgroups:

• minors,
• individuals fleeing gender-based violence, and
• those seeking protection from persecution based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or sex characteristics.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Not available

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

Refugee claimants have diverse experiences and needs in interacting with the in-Canada Asylum System, with gender, age, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion or disability status shaping their experiences. Recognizing these unique needs, the in-Canada asylum system is supported by the Immigration and Refugee Board’s Chairperson’s Guidelines, which provide guidance on proceedings involving minors, people with disability, refugee claimants fearing gender-related persecution, and proceedings involving sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics. Moreover, IRCC has developed specific program delivery instructions with respect to processing in-Canada claims for refugee protection of minors and other vulnerable persons.

GBA Plus data collection plan

IRCC and its partners continue to collect, analyze, and report data that is disaggregated by gender, age, country of origin, and other key indicators for the purpose of monitoring the program impacts on gender and diversity. IRCC continuously strives to find ways to measure GBA Plus performance and progress.

Program Name: Family Reunification

Program goals: IRCC facilitates the admission of a targeted number of permanent residents under the family reunification category. The Program collects disaggregated data on the gender of sponsors, co-signers, and applicants. Data is collected on the age, country of citizenship of applicants, as well as data on forced marriages.

Target population: Foreign nationals reuniting with family members in Canada who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

• Females (especially single females) may be more negatively impacted by the income requirement to sponsor parents and grandparents. This is because females, on average, earn less than males, for the parent and grandparent program.
• There is no income requirement for the spousal program, reducing the likelihood of a gendered impact.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

A 2024 Evaluation of the Family Reunification Program found that family reunification provides numerous cultural benefits to their sponsors and Canadian society, particularly through the knowledge transfer of cultural traditions, as well as helping to maintain a language other than English and French. In particular, 33% of parents and grandparents (PGP) sponsors reported that having their PGP in Canada allowed them to work full-time, 20% reported being able to work more hours, 11% reported being able to go to school/study, and 10% were able to return to work. More women (12%) than men (8%) reported that having their PGP in Canada helped them return to work.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

Family sponsorship was also found to contribute to volunteering and participating in cultural and community traditions and events. The 2024 Evaluation of the Family Reunification Program highlighted that reuniting with a spouse contributes to social benefits as reunification allowed the couple to support each other socially and emotionally, and helped create greater stability in their lives. This was confirmed by the spousal clients survey, which reported that a large majority (95%) sometimes or often provided emotional support to their sponsor or family.

Supplementary information sources

Evaluation of the Family Reunification Program - Canada.ca

GBA Plus data collection plan

IRCC will continue to collect and monitor disaggregated data for family reunification such as gender, age, country of citizenship, and data on forced marriages.

Program Name: Federal Economic Immigration

Program goals: In accordance with Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC facilitates the admission of permanent residents under various federal economic immigration programs. IRCC selects candidates based on eligibility criteria that consist of a combination of an applicant’s human capital; their education, language skills, work experience, employer job offer, age, and/or other factors.

Target population: Foreign nationals of working age

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

• Women
• Francophones outside Quebec

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

While federal economic immigration is broadly gender-balanced, IRCC continues to monitor this as changes are made to programs and selection tools. The emphasis on human capital in the federal economic program’s selection criteria can have sociodemographic impacts; for example, language proficiency in English or French is an important tool in selecting for these programs, and applicants from English or French-speaking countries tend to have an advantage. Level of education is also an important factor, which benefits applicants who have the economic means to achieve high levels of education.

The immigration of Francophones to Canada outside Quebec is largely supported through federal economic programs. The departmental targets for francophone immigration have been increasing annually, which has not only increased the percentage of federal economic immigrants with French language skills, but it has also increased the diversity of source countries. The varied language profiles among this population may have different effects on economic outcomes and will continue to be monitored.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

A GBA Plus analysis of permanent resident admissions, through category-based selection (CBS) under Express Entry, showed variances among gender, language profiles, and nationalities. Some categories had more permanent residents identifying as female, such as healthcare, while others had more male-identifying permanent residents, such as Trades and Transport and Agriculture. This is likely due to traditional gender norms in different occupations. Overall, CBS demonstrated enhanced country diversity and gender balance, especially within the Francophone category.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Data on permanent residents admitted under federal economic immigration programs is collected and analyzed on a regular basis, including disaggregation by variables such as age, gender, education, official languages spoken and proficiency, country of citizenship, country of birth, country of residency, intended occupation, destination in Canada, family status (i.e., principal applicant, spouse, or dependent), and marital status (i.e., married/common-law union, single/separated/widowed, or unspecified).

Program Name: Humanitarian/Compassionate and Discretionary

Program goals: The Program facilitates the admission of a select number of permanent residents based on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds or public policy considerations, responding to situations for which gender and diversity considerations may be a factor.

Target population: Foreign nationals seeking permanent residence based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds or public policy considerations. Key public policies in recent years targeted certain foreign nationals from regions such as East Asia (Hong Kong), Europe (Ukraine), Sub-Saharan Africa (Sudan), and the Americas (Colombia, Haiti, Venezuela).

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

• The H&C and Discretionary program does not target a specific population.
  • The factors that lead someone to apply are outside of IRCC’s control (e.g. conditions in foreign countries, high medical needs, etc.).
  • Demographics may fluctuate year over year. Each public policy has specific conditions for individuals to meet, and they are often established in response to an exceptional domestic or international situation or crisis. As a result, demographic characteristics are highly dependent on the individual public policy and their target population. Nonetheless, GBA Plus impacts are considered where possible in the development of these measures and socio-demographic characterises are monitored on a program by program basis.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Not available.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

The Humanitarian & Compassionate immigration program enables foreign nationals facing exceptional and compelling circumstances to obtain permanent residence. As a result, IRCC does not select specific candidates under this measure. Successful H&C applicants may be more likely to come from vulnerable groups that may or may not have a gender and diversity component.

Public policies have distinct conditions and eligibility criteria and are used in a variety of circumstances, including facilitating permanent residence for vulnerable populations. Many temporary public policies are used to facilitate immigration for populations with humanitarian needs which may or may not have a gender and diversity component.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Gender and diversity perspectives will continue to be considered in IRCC’s H&C and public policy programs as part of the development of these tools and monitoring their results, including the use of disaggregated data such as gender, age, and country of origin and/or citizenship.

Program Name: Refugee Resettlement

Program goals: IRCC facilitates the admission of a targeted number of permanent residents under the refugee resettlement category and ensures they have the support they need on arrival, through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) and/or private sponsors. GBA Plus-relevant factors are considered in the selection of referral partners and in the provision of appropriate services.

Target population: Resettled refugees

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

• The Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) provides direct financial support and funds the provision of immediate and essential services to government-assisted refugees (GARs) and other eligible recipients.
• RAP clients include LGBTQI+^{Footnote 1} refugees, refugees with disabilities, women, seniors, and youth.
• IRCC collects outcomes data on RAP clients through the annual IRCC Newcomer Outcomes Survey.
  • The survey includes questions that identify gender, 2SLGBTQI+, disability, household income, number of children in the household, and self-identified race/ethnicity. Analysis of this data occurs annually and contributes to a more comprehensive picture of the trends and barriers faced by newcomers, which in turn informs Resettlement Assistance Program policy decision-making.
• Demographic information on admissions is collected to inform the provision of supports and services in the community of settlement.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

The 2024 Evaluation of the Refugee Resettlement Program noted that the importance of settlement outcomes for these vulnerable groups and that the Private sponsorship refugees stream contributes to better settlement outcomes and family reunification. Sponsorships, which are often family-linked, can provide wider support networks for refugees than Settlement Provider Organizations funded by IRCC to provide GARs with services that also support their settlement and integration in Canada.

The Evaluation also highlighted that while the Resettlement Program offers timely protection to refugees when cases are prioritized, the prioritization of certain groups – based on Ministerial commitments (e.g., public policies), vulnerability as identified by migration offices (e.g., Women at Risk), or recommendations by referral partners (e.g. UNHCR emergency referrals) – contributes to inequitable access for some groups.

Facilitative measures for particularly vulnerable refugees at risk due to intersectional identity factors:

• The Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) program provides additional and longer term settlement supports to government-assisted refugees with special needs who may need more support when resettling in Canada. In 2024, 25 refugees were admitted to the JAS program.
• The Urgent Protection Program (UPP) provides expedited resettlement to persecuted persons who are facing immediate threats to their life, liberty, or physical safety. In 2024, 305 individuals came to Canada through UPP.

Gender-based persecution is one of the grounds upon which Canada grants refugee protection. As a result of forced displacement, refugee women and girls in particular are at a heightened risk of violence. Although refugee women are often persecuted on similar grounds as males, the types of persecution may take different forms. In some cases, women may be subject to persecution simply because they are women. As such, referral organizations and IRCC officers may attach the Assistance to Women at Risk (AWR) “flag” to refugee referrals and case files to indicate that the women or girls being referred are in perilous or permanently unstable situations, and/or in situations where urgent or expedited processing may be necessary. In 2024, 2,500 resettled refugees were flagged as AWR.

Individuals in a number of countries around the world experience serious human rights abuses and other forms of persecution due to their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics (SOGIESC). Individuals fleeing persecution for reasons related to their SOGIESC can qualify as refugees as members of a particular social group. Canadian migration officers assess a resettlement applicant’s vulnerability in their country of asylum to determine if the applicant requires expedited processing, including individuals whose legal or physical safety is at risk due to their SOGIESC.

Rainbow Railroad is an official referral partner under the Government Assisted Refugee program, with 250 dedicated spaces for the referral of LGBTQI+ refugees. In 2024, almost 150 individuals and their family members were identified for resettlement through this partnership, with most anticipated to arrive in Canada in 2025. This partnership is in addition to referrals received from the United Nations Refugee Agency for LGBTQI+ refugees; however, UNHCR referrals are not tracked on this basis.

For Canadian citizens and permanent residents who wish to privately sponsor LGBTQI+ refugees, the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership encourages Canadians to support LGBTQI+ refugees. In 2024, the Government of Canada extended its partnership with the Rainbow Refugee Society for another 5 years, ending in 2029. A total of 50 refugees were admitted to Canada through this partnership in 2024.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

In 2024–25, IRCC regularly consulted with Resettlement Assistance Program Service Provider Organizations to help support capacity to provide immediate and essential services to refugees. This includes resuming the work of the IRCC-RAP Sector Working Group, which provides IRCC and refugee resettlement stakeholder organizations with a platform to share information and views on program and policy issues to support the successful settlement and integration of refugees into Canadian society.

Supplementary information sources:

Evaluation of the Refugee Resettlement Program (August 2024)

LGBTQI+ refugees - Canada.ca

GBA Plus data collection plan

The annual voluntary IRCC Newcomer Outcomes Survey (NOS) gathers information from clients of settlement and/or resettlement services, as well as newcomers who did not access IRCC-funded services. The NOS is a vital tool for understanding the (re)settlement outcomes and overall integration outcomes of all newcomers, including resettled refugees to Canada. An intersectional lens applied to the analysis of the survey enables the Department to understand the outcomes of clients and newcomers belonging to equity-seeking groups.

The survey includes questions that identify gender, 2SLGBTQI+, disability, household income, number of children in the household, and self-identified race/ethnicity. Analysis of this data occurs annually and contributes to a more comprehensive picture of the trends and barriers faced by clients and newcomers, which in turn will inform resettlement and Settlement Program policy decision-making.

Program Name: Regional Economic Immigration

Program goals: As part of the suite of programs, delivery partners select immigrants to fill labour needs in local and regional labour markets.

Target population: Foreign nationals of employment age

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

• Francophones outside Quebec
• Regions of Canada (ex. remote regions, rural areas, provinces and territories)
• Industries in critical labour shortage (ex. health care, construction)

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

All applicants under the regional economic immigration programs, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots (RCIP and FCIP) are and will continue to be assessed equally according to a defined set of selection criteria, irrespective of gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other diversity factors. Since the program is administered by provinces and territories (PTs) and communities, foreign nationals are identified, selected and nominated by delivery partners based on their labour market needs, rather than by the Government of Canada. Under the Rural Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) (now sunset) and the recently launched RCIP and FCIP, Economic Development Organizations (EDO) in participating communities are responsible for prioritizing labour market needs to help with local economic development. The EDOs are responsible for recommending candidates that meet the selection criteria, prioritizing those candidates who will maximize economic development in the community and meet the needs of the local labour market. Recommended candidates then apply to and are processed by IRCC for permanent residence.

Regional economic immigration programs responsively adapt their program streams to meet evolving labour needs that arise in their respective jurisdictions. As a result, representation of sociodemographic populations can be varied based on the occupations of these principal applicants. For instance, historically, there are more male applicants than female applicants in the trade and transport sector, whereas in the healthcare sector, there are more female applicants than male applicants.

The PNP, AIP, RCIP, and FCIP are designed to be employer-driven, where applicants are identified by the employer and not by the Government of Canada. Designated employers under the programs are required to take intercultural competency training as part of their commitment, which includes training on how to overcome implicit bias in hiring and managing employees.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

Regional economic immigration programs such as the AIP, and the newly launched RCIP and FCIP, which replace the now-sunset RNIP look beyond immigrant selection, to settlement of both the principal applicant and their family members in sponsoring regions and communities. For example, the AIP requires that Atlantic employers work with the program applicant to develop a settlement plan that captures the needs of the entire family, and not just the principal applicant. When the usefulness of these settlement plans was assessed, respondents reported that they and their families felt supported using them as it was tailored specifically to the family as a whole. The RCIP and FCIP were launched to further test economic immigration to rural and Francophone communities by continuing to leverage local economic knowledge and community-led supports for newcomers to promote long-term retention. Under the RCIP and FCIP, principal applicants and their family members are supported by their employer, local economic development organization, and settlement organizations to ensure integration into the participating communities. For example, designated employers must refer their newcomer and family members to a local service provider organization and commit to two additional settlement supports (i.e., airport pickup, refer to community organizations, provide resources to schools, etc.).

GBA Plus data collection plan

IRCC collects disaggregated data on the gender of applicants under the regional economic immigration programs and all applicants are and will continue to be assessed equally according to a defined set of selection criteria, irrespective of gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other diversity factors.

Program Name: Settlement

Program goals: Settlement and integration is essential to Canada’s immigration continuum. By investing in and facilitating the settlement and integration of newcomers, the program helps maximize their social and economic contribution to Canada. The program benefits from data collected on all newcomers during their immigration process.

Target population: Permanent residents and some temporary residents

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

Newcomers to Canada benefit from the Settlement Program, including:

• permanent residents;
• protected persons and;
• individuals who have been selected to become permanent residents.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Under the Settlement Program, newcomers have access to information to make informed decisions about their settlement and to better understand Canada’s laws and institutions. In 2024–25, more than 692,000 clients accessed settlement and resettlement services.

In delivering settlement services, IRCC consider the unique needs of its clients. For example, targeted programming is available to newcomer populations facing additional barriers to integration and people who are at increased risk of marginalization, including women, youth, seniors, people living with a disability and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. Examples of such programming include women‑only language programming or peer mentoring. In addition, over 30 funding recipients provide tailored supports and activities to address gender-based violence (GBV), and service provider organizations across the sector provide referrals to community-based GBV resources. Support services also help to ensure equitable access to all IRCC-funded settlement services and include provisions for persons with disabilities, translation/interpretation, transportation, short-term counselling, and child-care. For example, shortages in the availability of child-care can have gendered effects, as women are greater users of child-care. In 2024–25, of all clients who accessed the child-care support service, 73% were female compared to 26% of male. In addition, in 2024–25, 2,835 newcomers received a support service to address a barrier related to a disability. The Strategy for Francophone Immigrant Women in Francophone Minority Communities, developed by the Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne in collaboration with the Réseau de développement, économique et d’employabilité, was launched in January 2025. This community-based strategy, funded by IRCC through the 2023-2028 Action Plan for Official Languages, aims to strengthen the integration pathway of Francophone immigrant women by providing them with timely access to targeted services that meet their specific needs. In 2024–25, GBA Plus analysis was included in the assessment of all funding applications received through the 2024 Call For Proposals to ensure that an intersectional lens was applied to programming for newcomers.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

The Department advanced equity priorities within the National Call for Proposals (CFP) 2024 to ensure that diverse populations can benefit from inclusive Settlement and Resettlement programming. This includes the integration of Gender-based Analysis Plus throughout the CFP process and expanding targeted programming through a dedicated Equity funding stream to meet the needs of specific client populations facing distinct barriers to settlement and integration, such as racialized communities, newcomer women, and 2SLGBTQI+ populations. This approach also includes incorporating Truth and Reconciliation through programming that increases awareness of Indigenous-related topics among newcomers and facilitates meaningful connections and social cohesion between Indigenous Peoples, newcomers and Canadians.

Supplementary information sources:

Refer to the settlement sector strategy on gender-based violence.

GBA Plus data collection plan

The annual voluntary IRCC Newcomer Outcomes Survey (NOS) gathers information from clients of settlement and/or resettlement services, as well as newcomers who did not access IRCC-funded services. The NOS collects information from newcomers who became permanent residents over a 7-year period to enable analysis of short-, medium-, and longer-term outcomes. Clients are identified if they have accessed at least one settlement service since becoming a permanent resident.

The NOS is a tool for understanding the settlement and resettlement outcomes and overall integration outcomes of all newcomers to Canada while an intersectional lens in the analysis of the survey enables the Department to address the needs of equity-seeking groups. The survey includes questions that identify gender, 2SLGBTQI+, disability, household income, number of children in the household, and self-identified race/ethnicity. Analysis of this data occurs annually and contributes to a more comprehensive picture of the trends and barriers faced by clients and newcomers, which in turn will inform Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs policy decision-making.

Core Responsibility 3: Citizenship and Passports

Program Name: Citizenship

Program goals: The Citizenship Program aims to provide equitable access in the delivery of citizenship services.

Target population: Eligible permanent residents applying for a grant of citizenship; Canadian citizens who apply for other citizenship services (proofs, renunciation, and search of records).

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

• All Canadians and Newcomers/Immigrants including:
  • Individuals with low-income;
  • Applicants with a lower-level of official languages competencies;
  • Individuals with disabilities; and
  • Families

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

In 2024, Statistics Canada reported Canada’s overall high naturalization but highlighted that the citizenship rate dropped amongst recent immigrants with lower levels of education, lower family income and lower official language proficiency. This data helped to inform targeted citizenship information sessions, aimed at encouraging permanent residents to naturalize. These free sessions were piloted to develop a targeted approach to providing easy-to-understand citizenship information to different immigration classes with diverse needs.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

Consultation with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers resulted in recommendations to encourage elder and youth participants to take part in citizenship events. Youth participation will look to enhance the rituals and practices of Indigenous communities that are currently being shared by Elders and Knowledge Keepers with new Canadians. Diversifying the generational representation of Indigenous communities within citizenship ceremonies will improve inclusivity.

GBA Plus data collection plan

In 2024–25, the Citizenship Program expanded its data collection on citizenship oath taking ceremonies. Demographic insights from the annual Client Satisfaction Survey and the in-depth survey on preferences for citizenship oath taking (in-person vs virtual), will inform policy and programming decisions about the future delivery of citizenship ceremonies while considering GBA Plus implications.

IRCC will continue to collect and monitor demographic information from its Global Case Management System (GCMS), client survey data and Statistics Canada, to inform program initiatives and analysis.

Program Name: Passport

Program goals: The Passport Program aims to provide equitable access in the delivery of passport services.

Target population:

The number of Canadian citizens combined with the number of non-Canadians eligible for Canadian passport or travel document services cannot be accurately calculated, however according to 2021 Statistics Canada census data, the total number of Canadian citizens was 33.1 million. Since the last census, Canada has gained permanent residents and citizens which would impact population volumes eligible for services.

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored

The Program collects data on travel document applicants. Sex and age data is collected. There is neutral impacts on these demographic groups.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

While Canadians are able to select one of three sex identifiers for their passport: male, female or X; not all countries and travel companies recognize the X gender identifier. Some countries and travel companies may ask travelers to provide their sex/gender information as either male of female when travelling. As a result Canada encourages travellers using the X gender identifier to check with local Canadian embassies, high commissions or consulates in the countries they plan to visit to make sure they understand the entry requirements prior to travel.

Additional disaggregated data is available on the Open Government Portal.

Other key program impacts

The Passport Program continues to update its policies using the Racial Impact Assessment Tool, supporting GBA Plus goals by addressing systemic racism, socio-economic barriers, reconciliation, and digital modernization. In 2024–25, child custody terms were revised and new terminology was introduced to align with the amended Divorce Act, modernizing language and ensuring inclusive recognition of parental rights. In February 2025, new measures improved accessibility for clients with disabilities, allowing staff assistance and clarifying procedures for family representatives. A new operational policy allowing applicants with medical-related appearance changes to replace their valid travel document is also being developed and should be implemented in fall 2025.

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Program gathers key demographic information from travel document applicants, including age, sex, and gender. Additional client demographics are collected through the annual client experience survey including but not limited to ethnicity, language and religion.