ARCHIVED – Evaluation of the Immigration Loan Program

September,2015

Evaluation of the Immigration Loan Program (PDF, 935.29KB)

Table of contents

• List of acronyms
• Executive summary
• Evaluation of the Immigration Loan Program - Management Response Action Plan
• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1 Purpose of Evaluation
  • 1.2 Program Profile
    • 1.2.1 History of the Program
    • 1.2.2 Program Description
  • 1.3 Profile of Loan Accounts
  • 1.4 Profile of Loan Recipients
  • 1.5 Roles and Responsibilities and Program Governance
  • 1.6 Key Partners and Stakeholders
  • 1.7 Program Resources
• 2. Methodology
  • 2.1 Evaluation Approach
  • 2.2 Evaluation Scope
    • 2.2.1. Evaluation Questions and Issues
    • 2.2.2. Evaluation Timeframe
    • 2.2.3. Evaluation Focus
  • 2.3 Data Collection Methods
  • 2.4 Limitations
• 3. Findings Related to Efficiency and Economy
  • 3.1 Financial Management
  • 3.2 Resource Utilization
  • 3.3 Program Monitoring
• 4. Findings Related to Program Performance
  • 4.1 Determining Need and Ability to Repay
  • 4.2 Access
    • 4.2.1. Access to Loans
    • 4.2.2. Access to Overseas Contributions and Loan Conversions
  • 4.3 Recipients’ Understanding of the Loan
    • 4.3.1. At Time of Signing
    • 4.3.2. After Arrival in Canada
  • 4.4 Role of CIC Collection Services
  • 4.5 Loan Repayment
    • 4.5.1. Starting to Repay the Loan
    • 4.5.2. Repayment within the Loan Term
    • 4.5.3. Repayment within the Interest-Free Period
    • 4.5.4. Difficulty Repaying and Use of Alternative Arrangements
  • 4.6 Impact on Settlement
    • 4.6.1. Impact on Ability to Settle
    • 4.6.2. Impact on Use of Settlement Services
• 5. Findings Related to Program Relevance
  • 5.1 Appropriateness of the Federal Role
  • 5.2 Alignment with Government-wide and CIC Priorities
  • 5.3 Continued Need for the Program
• 6. Conclusions and Recommendations
• Appendix A: Interest Rates
• Appendix B: Profile of Loan Recipients
• Appendix C: Logic Model of the Immigration Loan Program
• Appendix D: Detailed Survey Results Related to Settlement Impacts

List of tables

• Table 1: Description of Loans and Eligibility
• Table 2: Start of Interest by Loan Term
• Table 3: Distribution of Loans by Loan Term (2003-2012)
• Table 4: Expenditures for the Administration of CIC Collection Services (FY 2008/09 - FY 2013/14)
• Table 5: New Loans and Contributions (FY 2002/03 – FY 2013/14)
• Table 6: Evaluation Questions
• Table 7: Lines of Evidence Used in the Evaluation
• Table 8: Qualitative Data Analysis Scale
• Table 9: Documentation Providing Oversight for the Immigration Loan Program
• Table 10: Financial Balance of Immigration Loans (FY 2002/03 – FY 2013/14)
• Table 11: Loans Requested for Write-Off by Reason (FY 2002/03 – FY 2013/14)
• Table 12: Immigration Loan Program Costs – CIC Collection Services (FY 2008/09 - FY 2013/14)
• Table 13: Number and Percentage of GAR and PSR Cases with at Least One Loan
• Table 14: Types of Questions Received by RAP SPOs and SAHs Related to Loans
• Table 15: Number and Percentage of Loan Accounts (2003-2012) by Payment Status at December 31, 2013
• Table 16: Length of Time after Term Start When Recipient Started Repayment
• Table 17a: Average Repayment Time within the Loan Term and Duration of Loan Term (2003-2012)
• Table 17b: Incidence of Repayment within the Loan Term and Duration of Loan Term (2003-2012)
• Table 18: Number of Months to Repay
• Table 19: Percentage of GAR and PSR Families who Declared Employment Earnings by Years since Landing
• Table 20: Percentage of GAR and PSR Families Who Declared Income Support/Social Assistance by Years since Landing
• Table 21: Percentage of Recipients Indicating Difficulty or Ease in Repaying the Loan by Selected Characteristics
• Table 22: Percentage of GAR and PSR Loan Recipients Who Accessed at Least One CIC-Funded Settlement Service by Selected Socio-demographic Characteristics of the Recipient
• Table 23: Perceptions of RAP SPOs and SAHs Regarding Impacts of Loan Repayment Related to the Settlement of GARs and PSRs

List of figures

• Figure 1: Percentage of Paid Loan Accounts Repaid Within the Loan Term by Duration (2003-2012)
• Figure 2: Percentage of Paid Loan Accounts Repaid within Interest-free Period by Duration of Loan Term (2003-2012)
• Figure 3: Estimated Household Income (before taxes) of Loan Recipients by Immigration Category
• Figure 4: Average Earnings of GAR and PSR Families Who Declared Employment by Years since Landing
• Figure 5: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement
• Figure 6: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Immigration Category
• Figure 7: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Loan Size
• Figure 8: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Employment Status at Time of Repayment
• Figure 9: Impacts of Loan Repayment on Recipients Related to Settlement by Estimated Household Income (before taxes)

List of acronyms

CIC

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

CRA

Canada Revenue Agency

CRF

Consolidated Revenue Fund

CSLP

Canada Student Loan Program

EBP

Employee Benefit Plan

ESDC

Employment and Social Development Canada

FOSS

Field Operations Support System

FTE

Full-time Equivalent

FY

Fiscal Year

GAR

Government Assisted Refugee

GCMS

Global Case Management System

iCAMS

Immigration Contribution Accountability Measurement System

iCARE

Immigration Contribution Agreement Reporting Environment

I-FCRO

Integration – Foreign Credentials Referral Office

IFMS

Integrated Financial and Material System

IMDB

Longitudinal Immigration Database

IOM

International Organization for Migration

ILS

Immigration Loans System

IPMB

Integration Program Management Branch

IP

Inland Processing

IPAR

Immigration Program Accounts Receivable

IR

International Region

IRPA

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

IRPR

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

NHQ

National Headquarters

OP

Overseas Processing

PSR

Privately Sponsored Refugee

RAB

Refugees Affairs Branch

RAP

Resettlement Assistance Program

RPRF

Right of Permanent Residence Fee

SAH

Sponsorship Agreement Holder

SAP

System and Application in Data Processing

SPO

Service Provider Organization

SO

Strategic Outcome

TB

Treasury Board

TBS

Treasury Board Secretariat

UNHCR

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

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