CIMM – Citizenship and Passport – March 3, 2022

Key Messages

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has innovated significantly over the past 20 months and modernized citizenship and passport processes towards virtual and online services.
• Modernization has included the implementation of video citizenship oath ceremonies, the online citizenship knowledge test, the electronic citizenship grant and proof applications and the self-serve citizenship application status tracker, as well as piloting an online passport intake solution for Canadians to securely access passport services online.
• From April 1 to Dec, 31, 2021, more than 192,000 clients have taken the online citizenship test and over 122,000 clients have become citizens.
• The Passport Program continues to deliver services throughout the pandemic and has adapted services to align with health and safety protocols. From April 2021 to January 2022, passport services were delivered 81.3% within service standards.

Supplementary Messages

Citizenship Application Status Tracker

• On May 10, 2021, the Department launched a new online tool enabling citizenship clients to check the status of their grant application as it moves through the application process to the citizenship ceremony.
• To date, more than 472,000 citizenship grant applicants have been invited to create an account and more than 425,000 clients have activated Citizenship Tracker accounts, representing a 90% uptake.
• IRCC continues to work on enhancements to the tool based on client feedback. 

Citizenship backlog and processing times

• Due to interruptions in processing at the beginning of the pandemic, the grant inventory has grown from around 211,000 pre-pandemic to 459,000 as of January 31, 2022. Processing times have increased from 15 months pre-pandemic to 26 months.
• To mitigate backlog growth, the Department has implemented and expanded several measures, including the online test in November 2020, video oath ceremonies in May 2020, and further initiatives to streamline processes. The grant e-application was also expanded on August 11, 2021 to all adult clients applying individually in order to minimize growth of the paper inventory, and facilitate remote processing and work-sharing.
• We have made progress, processing more applications and moving people through the system faster. IRCC is now able to invite approximately 5,000 clients per week to complete the online citizenship test, which exceeds pre-COVID-19 in-person testing rates.

Citizenship events

• Between April 1 and December 31, 2021, more than 121,000 applicants have attended video oath ceremonies. The Department is inviting approximately 3,500 to 5,000 applicants weekly to do the Oath virtually which is comparable to in-person event volumes pre-COVID-19
• The online citizenship test has allowed aspiring Canadians to continue on their path to citizenship despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. From the launch of online testing in November 2020, more than 236,000 tests had been completed by December 31, 2021.
• An important aspect of holding online events is the verification of applicants’ identities to maintain the integrity of the program.
• In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 94, Bill C-8 was introduced and received Royal Assent on June 21, 2021. Canada’s Oath of Citizenship now recognizes the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Additional citizenship innovations

• The Department formally launched online Proof of Citizenship and Search of Records e-applications on November 5, 2021 (after a soft launch before the pandemic) and has started to observe an increase in uptake.
• The Department is in the process of developing an electronic Citizenship Certificate solution.

Online passport application

• The first stage of a small-scale controlled pilot has begun for online applications and is open to a select group of passport renewal applicants. The pilot tests the solution with a small known client group to perfect it before expanding to a wider audience.
• Application processing will continue to be done in the departmental passport issuance system where all existing checks and verifications are conducted on a client’s eligibility, identity and entitlement to a Canadian passport. The privacy of Canadians and the security of their personal information is a top priority.

Passport services

• In July 2021, passport services resumed at all Service Canada Centres and walk-in services resumed at Passport locations (34 Passport Offices and 308 Service Canada Centres), but Omicron has meant that some offices are back to mail-in or by appointment services only since December 2021.
• Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC) network abroad has continued to provide passport and citizenship services throughout the pandemic. However, the availability of in-person services are at times limited due to local public health restrictions. An online appointment booking system helps some offices abroad effectively manage capacity limits while continuing to deliver services.

Background

Call to Action 93 – revision of information kit for newcomers and its citizenship test

• The Department continues to work on updates to the citizenship study guide and knowledge test, in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #93 to be more inclusive of the perspectives and history of the Indigenous peoples of Canada.
• To better reflect Canada’s diversity in the guide and test, the Department consulted over 90 stakeholders from national Indigenous organizations, academia, settlement service providers, interest groups and communities.
• A suite of learning materials will also be provided to better support Canadians and prospective Canadians to access required citizenship knowledge. Educational tools include workbooks, web-based practice tests, games, and learning resources have been designed with second language learners, teachers, and settlement providers in mind, as well as several web-based practice tests, games, and learning resources.
• At this time, a launch date for the revised guide and test has not yet been determined.

New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan on passport fee-free extension.

(MP Kwan [Vancouver East] corresponded with Minister Mendicino in early 2021 to suggest that IRCC extend passport validity for Canadians or waive the fee for passport renewal as part of post-pandemic recovery. A formal written response was provided to MP Kwan; however, she may raise these questions again.)

• Orders-in-council have been pursued in the past to assist clients affected by very specific circumstances (e.g. emergency situations). However, these measures have all focused on waiving fees for replacement documents with the same expiry date, and not on extending the validity of existing documents. In compliance with the international standards for travel documents, Canada cannot extend passport validity. This requirement is set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The integrity and reputation of the Canadian passport, and its interoperability with international border-control systems, would be put at risk should Canada contravene these standards.

New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan on waiving passport renewal fees

• IRCC’s Passport Program operates on a cost-recovery basis, meaning it is funded entirely by fees charged for passports and other travel document services. Fees are collected under a revolving fund, which allows for the accumulation of revenues from year-to-year to offset future shortfalls, and to enable reinvestment to modernize the Program. Any change to fees, particularly any broad fee waivers, requires a careful consideration of the Program’s ongoing sustainability on the basis of future expenditures and fee revenues. Should the Program not maintain sufficient funds to sustain its operations, the quality of services provided to Canadians will be affected, and could lead to the need to seek appropriations (i.e. funding from taxpayers) or to raise fees to cover Program costs. The Department continues to monitor the financial status of the Program and, in doing so, it remains committed to maintaining the sustainability of the program over the long term and providing Canadians with efficient, high quality and cost-effective passport services.

Call to Action 17 – replacement citizenship certificates and passports

• In response to Call to Action (CTA) 17, since May 30, 2021, IRCC allows clients to obtain a free replacement of an existing permanent resident cards, citizenship certificate and passport in order to reclaim their Indigenous name. As of January 31, 2022, approximately 70 passports have been replaced through this initiative.
• To date, there are no confirmed requests for replacement citizenship certificates in response to CTA 17.