CIMM – Inquiry of Ministry – November 29, 2022

Prepare in english and french marking "original text" or "translation"

Question No: Q-920 by Mr. Kmiec (Calgary Shepard)

Date: October 25, 2022

Reply by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Print name of Signatory: Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.
Signature, Minister or Parliamentary Secretary

Question

Q-920 — With regard to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): (a) how many IRCC employees or full-time equivalents are currently on “Other Leave With Pay” (code 699); (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by continent and region of the world that the employee works from; (c) how many IRCC employees are currently working from home as opposed to working from an IRCC office location; and (d) what is the breakdown of (c) by continent and region of the world?

Reply/Reponse
Original Text/Texte Original: X
Translation/Traduction:

Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:

(a) As of October 26, 2022, there are no IRCC employees currently on “Other Leave With Pay” (code 699).

(b) Not applicable.

(c) IRCC is a global organization with domestic and overseas offices. IRCC has defined “working from home” as any employee who works from home at least 4 days per week. Given this definition, IRCC counts 7,059 employees, out of a total of 10,508 employees expected (based active employees, and some assumptions and forecasting using position assessment data into those without position numbers) to have telework agreements, are working from home as of October 26, 2022.

On October 17, 2022, IRCC transitioned from the work-from-home approach it had established as a result of the pandemic, to a long-term hybrid workplace model. IRCC’s approach is informed by direction provided by Treasury Board Secretariat, to leverage our experiences to date and work towards optimizing a hybrid workplace. At IRCC, work arrangements are established based on the operational requirements of a position and the overarching needs of the organization. Flexibility is managed through formal telework agreements, allowing managers and their employees to identify the extent of that flexibility, along with other details specific to their operational needs. Employees working primarily from home must still be prepared to report to the office on an ad hoc basis for activities that benefit the organization.

Despite the long term benefits of establishing a virtual working model, IRCC recognizes that there is also an inherent organizational value to working together, in person. With this in mind, IRCC continues to encourage greater in-office presence and is making investments towards establishing a balanced mix of in-office and remote work. IRCC is also establishing and standardizing it’s ability to monitor in-office usage in it’s various office locations.

(d) The 7,059 IRCC employees working from home (as per our definition) are spread as follows: Within Canada, 415 in Alberta, 262 in British Columbia, 110 in Manitoba, 23 in New Brunswick, 4,303 in the National Capital Region, 5 in Newfoundland, 353 in Nova Scotia, 755 in Ontario (non-NCR), 6 in Prince Edward Island, 753 in Quebec (non-NCR), 52 in Saskatchewan, and 22 with unavailable position location information.