CIMM - IRCC’s Reintegration Planning - Nov 25, 2020

Key messages

• Since mid-March 2020, critical operations provided by departmental employees have continued as much as possible either remotely or on-site 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 of my Department’s 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% of its operations workforce in the office or teleworking. This is up significantly from the low of 38% at the end of March 2020.
• The Department’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 and abroad. Our strategy has allowed us to safely resume in-person services and increase capacity in our different programs while processing urgent cases.
• My Department continues to monitor ongoing developments to adapt its 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:
  • 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 considerations
  • Resettled refugees exempt from Canada’s air travel restrictions as well as cases in urgent need of protection
  • Citizenship, including urgent proofs of citizenship and the implementation of virtual ceremonies
  • Passport, including urgent travel documents
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 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, the Department 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.
• The Department 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. The Department will continue using existing and new technologies to conduct client interviews, process paper applications and improve service delivery.
• Our strategy ensures engagement with employees, unions, the Occupational Health and Safety Committee as well as consults with service provider organizations and other stakeholders.
• Protocols for cleaning, in-person activities, and working offsite 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.

699 leave

• Departmental employees’ 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.
• The Department’s modernization and support of remote work, where possible, will ensure that priority lines of business continue to operate even during the current (and future) pandemic resurgence.

Supporting facts and figures

• Reintegration as of November 4, 2020:
  • In Canada: 9% (796) employees are working from the office, 81.4% (7207) 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 the Department (in Canada) :
  • On Mar 18, 2020, 2312 employees were on 699 leave; on November 4, 2020, 24 employees were on 699 leave.