CIMM – Budget 2022 – May 12, 2022

Key Messages

• Budget 2022 is focused on targeted and responsible investments to create jobs and prosperity today while building a stronger economic future for all Canadians.
• Immigration is vital to our economy, our communities, and to our national identity as a country that is diverse and welcoming of everyone.
• Throughout the pandemic, many newcomers have been on the front lines. Without them, Canada’s economy would not have overcome the challenges of the last two years.
• In Budget 2022, the federal government is proposing investments to enhance our capacity to meet the immigration demands of our growing economy; to create opportunities for all newcomers, and to maintain Canada’s world-class immigration system.

Supplementary Messages

• Budget 2022 features proposals that focus on growing our economy and immigration is a critical component. Our economy relies on the talents of people from all over the world.
• In support of Canada’s immigration system, Budget 2022 provides funding to increase temporary resident processing capacity, increase the capacity of Canada’s asylum system, improve client service and support, and improve the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
• Budget 2022 also highlights new funding to support delivery of Canada’s ambitious Levels Plan, including commitments to resettle Afghan refugees.
• The Budget also lays out Canada’s plan to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. This support includes the new immigration measures, announced on March 3, 2022, to facilitate the arrival, in Canada, of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion.

Canada’s Ambitious Immigration Plan

• Building on the record number of permanent residents welcomed in 2021, Budget 2022 highlights investments in delivering Canada’s ambitious Levels Plan, with $2.1B over five years, and $317.6M ongoing for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and partner departments.
• These investments -- along with the government’s 2021 Economic and Fiscal Update investments to resolve delays and backlogs in processing -- will help make our immigration system more responsive to Canada’s economic needs and humanitarian commitments.
• The Levels Plan supports a range of objectives: economic recovery and growth; responding to global crises, including the allied departure from Afghanistan, by providing safe haven through humanitarian immigration; and family reunification.

Efficiently Welcoming Visitors, Students, and Workers to Canada

• Visitors, international students and temporary foreign workers inject billions of dollars in the Canadian economy and enrich our culture and communities.
• As the world recovers from the pandemic and travel resumes, Budget 2022 invests in processing capacity facilitate the timely and efficient entry of a growing number of visitors, workers, and students. Budget 2022 provides $385.7 million over five years, and $86.5 million ongoing for temporary resident processing.
• As travel resumes and Canada seeks to attract more visitors, the Government of Canada will strive to continually improve its operations to provide timely and efficient client service and to keep pace with international competition for trade and tourism.

Securing the Integrity of Canada’s Asylum System

• Canada’s asylum system provides refuge to thousands of people fleeing violence and persecution but the system has been under strain due to asylum claim volumes exceeding processing capacity.
• While the asylum system received temporary additional funding in recent years, Budget 2022 invests in the long-term stability and integrity of the system, ensuring Canada can continue to provide refuge and welcome to those fleeing persecution.
• Investments will increase the capacity of the asylum system and enhance system efficiency.
• Budget 2022 provides $1.3 billion over the next five years, and $331.2 million ongoing, for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and partner departments to facilitate timely processing of asylum claims.
• To modernize and streamline the asylum process and reduce wait times for claimants, Budget 2022 signals the government’s intention to propose legislative amendments, building on existing digital innovation efforts introduced during the pandemic. This will allow for electronic submission to become the default process for claiming asylum in Canada, while ensuring that accessibility and fairness are built into the process.

Improving Support Services for Immigrants and Visitors to Canada

• To ensure timely support by phone and email inquiries, Budget 2022 provides IRCC with $187.3 million over five years, and $37.2 million ongoing to increase capacity within the Client Support Centre and invest in the technology and tools required to better support people using its services.
• Such support is particularly important for those clients who require personalized support, including those who may face service barriers.

Legislative Changes

• Budget 2022 signals the Government’s intention to introduce legislative amendments aimed at modernizing the process of obtaining Canadian citizenship, facilitating the use of digitization and online tools. To improve applicant experience and support faster processing, legislative amendments will enable automated and machine-assisted processing and the safe and secure collection and use of biometric information.
• Budget 2022 supports legislative amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to further enhance the Express Entry System by providing the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship with expanded authority to use Ministerial Instructions to help select candidates who best meet Canada’s labour market needs. This flexibility for Express Entry will be particularly important given the key role that immigration will play in supporting economic growth as Canada emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Budget 2022 also supports legislative amendments to the Immigration and Refugees Protection Act to include a specific legislative exemption from the Service Fees Act for the following fees: (1) Authorization to Return to Canada; (2) Determination of Rehabilitation (Criminality and Serious Criminality); (3) Restoration of Temporary Resident Status; and (4) Temporary Resident Permit. These amendments will ensure that all clients applying for IRCC services are subject to a consistent and fair fee regime. Similar service fees in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act are already exempt from the Service Fees Act.

Supporting facts and figures

IRCC-led items that received support:

Canada’s Ambitious Immigration Plan

• $2.1B over 5 years, $317.6M ongoing

Efficiently Welcoming Visitors, Students, and Workers to Canada

• $385.7M over five years, and $86.5M ongoing

Securing the Integrity of Canada’s Asylum System

• $1.3B over the next five years, and $331.2M ongoing
• Budget 2022 also supports introducing amendments to allow electronic submission to become the default process for claiming asylum in Canada.

Enhancing Immigration Service and Support (Client Support Centre)

• $187.3M over 5 years, and $37.2M ongoing

Improving the Citizenship Program

• No funding, but Budget 2022 signals intention to introduce legislative amendments to the Citizenship Act to enable automated and machine-assisted processing and the safe and secure collection and use of biometric information.

Improving Express Entry

• No funding, but Budget 2022 supports amendments to IRPA to provide the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship with expanded authority to use Ministerial Instructions to help select candidates through the Express Entry System.

Exemptions From the Service Fees Act for Certain Service Fees Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

• No funding, but Budget 2022 supports amendments to IRPA to exempt
• the following four fees from the Service Fees Act: Authorization to Return to Canada; Determination of
• Rehabilitation (Criminality and Serious Criminality); Restoration of Temporary Resident Status; and Temporary
• Resident Permit.

Items led by other government departments, through which IRCC received funding:
Improving the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

• $48.2M over three years, with $2.8M in remaining amortization, to implement a new foreign labour program for agriculture and fish processing, tailored to the unique needs of these employers and workers.

Background

• On April 7, 2022, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland tabled Budget 2022, titled A Plan to Grow Our Economy and Make Life More Affordable, with three main pillars:
  1. Investing in our people;
  2. Investing in the green transition, and;
  3. Investing in innovation and productivity.