CIMM – Status of Operations, Programs and Services – March 3, 2022
Key Messages
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) operations continue to be affected by pandemic-related challenges. This includes travel restrictions, unanticipated office closures and re-openings both in Canada and abroad, illness, and other stressors on employee resilience.
However, we have facilitated remote work through various innovations, offering digital intake for many lines of business, and digitizing paper inventories. We are also putting in place measures, as committed in the December 14, 2021 Economic and Fiscal Update, to reduce existing inventory and processing times for permanent resident cards, temporary residence, and citizenship applications.
In Canada, the majority of staff is working remotely. All IRCC offices are open, but limited to up to 30% in-person capacity for both employees and clients. Settlement and resettlement service providers continue to operate with a blend of remote and in-person services and programs, following public health restrictions in their jurisdictions.
Overseas, as of January 7, 2022, 98% of our IRCC offices are open. As of February 2, 2022, 98% of visa application centres (VACs) are open and offering biometrics collection, and 98% of panel physician Migration Health Branch (MHB) clinics are open to the public and offering Immigration Medical Exams (IMEs). IRCC’s operations abroad fluctuate according to local conditions due to COVID‑19.
Canada needs immigration to drive our economy, help address labour shortages and keep our communities thriving. IRCC must keep improving our operations and services so Canada can attract more immigrants and visitors and remain globally competitive.
Supplementary Messages
Status of IRCC offices and service providers in Canada
Clients can also now access information and many services remotely through the IRCC website, web forms, and tools such as MyAccount, the citizenship case status tracker and the permanent residence tracker for some Family Class applications.
Of more than 500 service providers under the Settlement Program, critical in-person services for vulnerable newcomer populations continue to remain open (e.g. setting up medical appointments, supports to address mental health or gender-based violence), with other services being delivered remotely.
Status of IRCC offices and service providers abroad
Most IRCC offices and service providers abroad are open, but with limited in-person capacity due to local restrictions. The vast majority of staff are currently working remotely and the in-office activities are mostly functions and tasks that cannot be performed virtually.
Visa application centres (VACs): As of February 2, 2022,159 of 162 (98%) are open to the public offering biometrics collection, among other services. Three VACs are currently closed to the public, of which none are offering back-office work (i.e. passport submission and/or return).
As VACs re-open, IRCC closely monitors client behaviour, inventory backlogs, VAC capacities, and local restrictions to ensure resumption of good quality and prompt client service.
Immigration Medical Exams (IMEs): The vast majority of panel physicians’ clinicsare now open to the public (575 out of 577 or 98%) offering IMEs.
Office closures and restrictions are assessed regularly. IRCC continues to follow public health guidance and our top priority continues to be the health and safety of Canadians, employees and our clients.
Business resumption
IRCC has modernized its operations in the last 22 months to ensure that the majority of the work could be done remotely by employees, and that clients could access services without having to come physically to one of our offices, when possible.
The pandemic presented challenges to receive and process applications submitted by mail, conduct in-person services such as client interviews, biometrics collection, validation of supporting documents and identity to support the finalization of applications. Some of those services cannot be done remotely, and those services have resumed while following federal and local heath directives. IRCC is also monitoring clients’ behavior as business resumes.
IRCC has equipped its officers with the tools to support remote processing where possible, reinstating most of our operational capacity both in Canada and abroad.
Our business resumption strategy ensures engagement with clients, employees, unions, the Occupational Health and Safety Committee, service provider organizations and other stakeholders such as Global Affairs Canada, who is responsible for safety in the workplace at Canadian diplomatic missions abroad.
Our pandemic response includes a cross-Canada monitoring system that captures pandemic conditions and their impact in different regions and offices.
The Department has established a protocol for responding to in-office cases of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to ensure the health and safety of employees and clients.
If Pressed
No known cases of COVID-19 have been caused through transmission at an IRCC office.