CACN - IRCC’s Reintegration Planning - Nov 16, 2020

Key Messages

• Since mid-March 2020, critical operations provided by IRCC employees have continued as much as possible either remotely and in our offices to maintain our critical operations.
• Throughout the summer, my Department has continued to effectively manage its programs and services with the implementation of its reintegration and resumption strategy.
• Our actions are gradual and phased and our top priority continues to be the health and safety of Canadians, employees and our clients.
• While most IRCC employees continue to work remotely, gradual reintegration into workplaces to deliver non-critical services started during the summer allowing us to safely resume work that cannot be done remotely.
• As of September 26, 2020, the Department had the capacity of 90 percent of its operations workforce working in the office or teleworking. This is up significantly from the low of 38 percent at the end of March, 2020.
• IRCC’s reintegration strategy and resurgence readiness follows public health guidance and takes into account the state of the pandemic in our different worksites in Canada or abroad. Our strategy has allowed us to safely resume in-person services and increase capacity in our different programs while processing urgent cases.
• The Department continues to monitor ongoing developments to adapt IRCC’s reintegration strategy, as necessary.

Supplementary Messages

• In March 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the Department responded by prioritizing delivery of critical services, such as:
  • Temporary Residence including in-Canada extensions, seasonal agricultural workers, essential and vulnerable workers.
  • Permanent Residence including Express Entry (Canada Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program), spousal (in-Canada and those who are travel ban exempt), Permanent Resident Travel Document and Humanitarian and Compassionate.
  • Refugee/Asylum including asylum claims received by email, Privately Sponsored Refugees and Urgent Protection Program.
  • Citizenship including urgent proofs of citizenship and the implementation of virtual ceremonies.
  • Passport including urgent travel documents.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has developed a strategy that has been piloted and tested allowing for a safe return of our workforce to Departmental worksites in Canada and abroad.
• Over the spring and summer months, IRCC equipped its officers with the tools to support remote processing where possible, partially reinstating our operational capacity both in-Canada and abroad. As of October 2020, while continuing to follow guidelines and recommendations set by the Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial and local public health authorities, the Department has moved forward with business reintegration efforts in all lines of business by gradually increasing access to worksites for employees whose work cannot be done remotely, and to support file distribution to remote workers.
• IRCC has also implemented innovative solutions to reduce business impacts. For instance, it has implemented virtual Citizenship ceremonies and adopted technology that allows the Client Support Center to operate remotely. IRCC will continue to use existing and new technologies to conduct client interviews, process paper applications and improve service delivery.
• Our strategy ensures engagement with employees, unions, Occupational Health and Safety Committee as well as consultations with service provider organizations and other stakeholders.
• Protocols for cleaning, in-person activities, and working off-site have been developed in consultation with unions and employees. Other health and safety measures have also been implemented, including worksite modifications, based on public health recommendations.
• Our resurgence readiness protocol includes a monitoring system that captures pandemic conditions and their impact in different regions and worksites. It provides data that helps the Department decide how to best maintain its capacity while providing a safe and healthy work environment for employees in each region.

Hong Kong

• IRCC in Hong Kong has remained fully operational throughout the pandemic and is well positioned to continue to provide critical services to Canadians, Permanent Residents and those who will to travel or immigrate to Canada when borders reopen.

699 Element

• IRCC employee’s use of 699 leave from mid-March 2020 onwards has decreased significantly over time to present.
• The decreased use of 699 is largely attributable to the Department’s support of remote work by the majority of its employees, as well as the gradual, well-planned and well-monitored reintegration of employees focused on priority business lines.
• IRCC modernization and support of remote work, where possible, will ensure that the Department’s priority lines of business continue to operate even during the current (and future) pandemic resurgence.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Reintegration as of November 4th, 2020:
  • In Canada: 9% (796) employees are working from the office, 81.4% (7,207) are teleworking, and 9.6% (848) are on leave or not scheduled to work.
  • Abroad: 41.9% (578) employees are working from the office, 36.9% (508) are teleworking, and 21.2% (292) are on leave.
• 699 leave across IRCC (in Canada):
  • On Mar 18, 2020, 2312 employees were on 699; on November 4, 2020, 24 employees were on 699.