Modernizing Canada’s Immigration System
Key Messages
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) operates a vast service delivery network, engaging with millions of clients across Canada, and around the globe.
- IRCC is committed to delivering modern client-centric services that are more efficient, transparent and easy to use. A strong digitally-enabled immigration system is critical to attract global talent and ensure Canada’s long-term success.
- New digital technologies are transforming IRCC’s services by simplifying online application processes, enhancing clients’ access to real-time application status, increasing operational efficiency, and strengthening program integrity and border protections.
Key facts and figures
- IRCC is committed to improving our services, and continually uses client feedback from diverse sources including user-testing and surveys, to identify challenges and develop service innovations that enhance the client experience.
- IRCC is leveraging advanced analytics and automation to improve operational efficiency and reduce client wait times, all while maintaining high standards of service, integrity and transparency. New tools and technologies are continuously reviewed to ensure they are working as intended, and without the introduction of unintended bias, while ensuring accessibility.
- IRCC’s digital transformation has already achieved results for our clients, with a new online account being rolled out in stages. As of September 30, 2025:
- Over 91K clients have used it to apply for a visitor visa.
- Over 27K Canadians have used it to apply for an adult passport renewal, the first time an online channel has been available for passports.
- Clients who have used the new online account report a high level of satisfaction with it (88%, July–August 2025). Clients have also told us they are more satisfied with the clarity of information they get about their application status in the new account.
- IRCC received incremental funding of $134.8M through the 2025–2026 Main Estimates to advance the Department’s modernization efforts.
- The 2025 results of IRCC’s annual client satisfaction surveyFootnote 1 generally show high overall client satisfaction rates across most services. However, we know clients have three key areas they want the Department to improve on: speed of processing, application status updates, and overall clarity of information on IRCC’s website.
| Program / Stream | Client Satisfaction Rate |
|---|---|
| Permanent Resident Streams | |
| Federal Skilled Economic (Express Entry) | 92% |
| Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry) | 90% |
| Family Reunification—Sponsored Spouses, Partners and Children | 86% |
| Temporary Resident Streams | |
| Work Permits | 86% |
| Study Permits | 72% |
| Visitors | 88% |
| Citizenship and Passport Programs | |
| Citizenship Proof | 90% |
| Citizenship Grants | 94% |
| Passport | 86% |
Modernizing Services at IRCC
- IRCC is modernizing how it delivers its services.
- The Digital Platform Modernization programme is transforming how we do business leveraging new tools and technologies that will help IRCC deliver significant benefits for clients, employees, partners and all Canadians:
- A new online account for clients is already being rolled out and once complete will act as a single-window to all IRCC services, offering clients easier to use services, a fully digital experience with more self-serve options, and access to real-time application status information.
- New client support tools are being developed that will provide employees with a 360 degree profile of clients, to help them respond to client enquiries more efficiently and effectively across all support channels, increasing client satisfaction.
- Digital documents will replace physical documents to save clients having to wait for documents to arrive in the mail or to give up their passports to have visas added. We’re starting with a digital visa pilot that will go live in the coming weeks.
- And finally, new streamlined and digitally-enabled processes rolled out on cloud-based technology will allow the Department to more nimbly make policy changes, meet immigration targets, reduce backlogs and protect the integrity of the immigration system.
- At the same time as we are transforming, we continue to make iterative improvements to our services; for example,
- In October 2025, we launched an improved online processing times tool which provides clients with more transparent and tailored information on processing times, including estimates of the number of people ahead of them in the processing inventory; and,
- As of July 2025, we are providing individuals whose applications are refused more information about the reasons for refusal by automatically releasing officer decision notes.
- Immigration brings significant benefits to Canadian communities and the economy. Ensuring efficient and effective approaches to service delivery helps ensure that Canada can fully reap the benefits of a well-managed and sustainable immigration system.