Systemic racism or bias within any government operation in any form is completely unacceptable. We are very proud of the work that we have under way to address discrimination and bias. Systemic racism is rooted in history and it's very complex. However, we understand that we have an obligation to clients, employees and Canadians to do better, and we will.
IRCC established a three-year anti-racism strategy, anti-racism commitments, mandatory unconscious bias training, mentoring and sponsorship programs, for underrepresented groups, racial impact assessment tools for policy development, and additional supports to create meaningful change in the workplace.
The mandatory unconscious bias training will also soon be a pre-requisite for all managers at IRCC to make any financial or staffing decisions.
IRCC also initiated a three-year hiring and retention strategy to address gaps in our workforce diversity to better reflect Canadian demographics.
Anti-racism – Complaints from employees
There is zero tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind. While we can’t comment on specific cases, we actively use all tools available to us to swiftly respond to such complaints.
For those who may not feel comfortable talking to their manager, there are resources and options available for them to come forward safely, whether they experience racism or witness it, without fear of reprisal.
These include the Office of Conflict Resolution, the Office of Internal Disclosure and Reprisal Protection, Labour Relations Workplace Investigations and the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, an external review option.
IRCC’s Anti-Racism Task Force has offered a range of outlets for employees to share their experiences: in intimate trust circles, “Let’s Talk Racism” town halls, IRCC’s first workplace survey on racism and focus groups.
The Anti-Racism Task Force provides guidance to employees at all levels on how to have conversations about racism and what micro-aggressions are.
Performance management and discriminatory behavior
We are hiring an independent firm to do an employment system review. They will help us identify new solutions in core areas such as the recourse mechanisms, people management practices and accountability.
Addressing Unconscious Bias (Disaggregated data)
We are addressing anti-racism through the lens of disaggregated data.
Disaggregated data breaks down individuals’ attributes, such as gender, language and ethnicity, to better understand the experiences and outcomes of specific population groups.
IRCC is developing a Disaggregated Data and Analytics Framework to help us identify and address systemic biases and inequities in our policies and services.
Chinook
Chinook is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that draws different fields of existing information to display it on a spreadsheet, which helps IRCC officers complete routine administrative steps more quickly.
The spreadsheet reduces the amount of time an officer spends on uploading files and clicking screen to screen. This is especially important in countries where bandwidth is low, and would otherwise slow down application processing.
IRCC officers always make their own decisions based on the information submitted in applications. Chinook does not contain any advanced analytics or artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
International Students (African Students)
We are committed to a fair and non-discriminatory application of immigration laws. Volumes of temporary resident visa and study permit applications from Africa have tripled from 2016 to 2019 across the top 8 source countries in Africa, with the number of refusals generally increasing in relative proportion.
While IRCC understands that applicants, as well as the schools that accepted them, are disappointed when an application is refused, there is no great difference between application approval rates for applicants from French-speaking African countries and other countries in the region, or between the approval rates for those destined to Quebec or those destined to other provinces.
The most common reasons for refusal include applicants being unable to show officers they’re able to support themselves in Canada or that they would leave Canada if they no longer had legal status in the future.
Language tests for students
Nigeria is not singled out by the requirement for language tests.
Language tests are required for applicants using the Student Direct Stream, which is available in 14 countries, including several French or English-speaking countries where applicants have presumably been accepted to study in French or English.
While language testing is not a requirement to be eligible for a study permit, individual visa offices may require them as part of their review of whether the applicant is a bona fide student.
This includes many applicants from English-speaking countries, including a large number from India and Pakistan, where English is widely taught. They are also top countries for international students in Canada.
Ukraine
Canada is steadfast in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. As of March 17, 2022, the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) is available to Ukrainians and their family members fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, offering them an extended stay in Canada, as well as free work and study permits.
The CUAET is the fastest and most efficient way for Ukrainians and their families to come to Canada, as this new measure streamlines current visa and travel requirements, eliminates most application and processing fees, and offers accelerated, prioritized processing.
The CUAET is a pathway for temporary residence and is not a refugee stream.
In our conversations with the Ukrainian community, we heard that many people wanted to come to Canada temporarily, not as permanent refugees, as the war continues and then return home as soon as it is safe to do so.
For families in Canada, IRCC will quickly implement a special family reunification sponsorship pathway for permanent residence. We will develop the details of this program in the coming weeks, including by working with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
Non-Ukrainian nationals fleeing from Ukraine
We are equally concerned about the well-being of all people who are fleeing Ukraine due to Russia’s full-scale invasion and not just Ukrainian nationals.
Our assessment of the situation suggests that non-Ukrainian nationals would be better served by the temporary measures and support in Europe or in returning to their home countries, rather than coming to Canada.
We are aware of the situation that Afghans – who are seeking resettlement to Canada – are facing in fleeing Ukraine. We have streamlined the application process, but the processing and vetting of refugees, including security checks, is something we need to do to protect the safety of Canadians.
IRCC will continue to use all avenues available to us to help Afghans inside and outside Afghanistan.
Afghanistan vs Ukraine
Ukraine nationals who are looking to come to Canada (not as refugees) have left Ukraine, whereas the majority of Afghan refugees waiting to be resettled to Canada are still in Afghanistan, lacking safe means of departure.
We are working hard to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan nationals as quickly and safety as possible. So far we have welcomed over 9,400 Afghan nationals, with more arriving every week.
If this was a matter of will, they would all be here already. There’s no lack of effort on the part of the Government of Canada. But the reality is that this is a multi-year commitment and every step of the way, there are obstacles facing us in Afghanistan that were not present in other large-scale resettlement efforts.
We will continue to ensure we have the necessary resources to bring vulnerable Afghans to Canada. This has not changed as a result of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
Canada-Quebec
During the pandemic, the Department prioritized applications from candidates who are in Canada, including those under the Quebec Skilled Workers (QSW) category.
The Department achieved 50.2K admissions to Quebec in 2021, surpassing the original Ministère de l’immigration, francisation et intégration (MIFI) target of 46K, and coming within 2.5% of the low end of the rebalanced MIFI range (51.5K to 54.5K).
The Department is working with Quebec on innovative ways to address Quebec’s labour shortages and maintain Quebec’s demographic importance in the country.
Ukraine impact on Francophone and other processing times
The Government is investing an additional $117 million to implement Canada’s new immigration measures to welcome those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
This funding will help set up new immigration pathways, including the CUAET, expedite the processing of applications and provide support to newcomers once they arrive in Canada. It will also allow IRCC to procure additional resources to support Ukrainians while continuing to deliver on other important priorities and processing commitments.
Under the Francophone Immigration Strategy, IRCC continues to implement measures in support of its Francophone immigration objectives, including the 4.4% target of French-speaking immigrants admissions outside Quebec by 2023.
This includes allocating additional points for French-speaking and bilingual candidates under the Express Entry system and opening doors to Francophone international students.
Backlogs and Inventory
Despite the pandemic, we were still able to make over half a million decisions and welcomed over 405,000 new permanent residents in 2021 – the greatest number of newcomers in a year in Canadian history.
Still, we know that some applicants have experienced considerable wait times with the processing of their applications. We committed to reducing processing times. The 2021 Economic and Fiscal Update, provided new funding of $85M in 2022-2023.These funds will support additional staff, allowing us to return to service standards for study and work permits and permanent resident card renewals, and to welcome people who can help address Canada’s labour shortages.
Processing times
Actual processing times will vary according to a number of factors such as:
The type of application you submit
The number of applications currently being processed
How well and how quickly you respond to any requests or concerns
How easily IRCC can verify the information provided
IRCC does not begin to calculate processing times until we receive a complete application with all necessary supporting documents.
Compliance and Quality Assurance
All applications from around the world are assessed equally and against the same criteria.
IRCC treats applications across all immigration streams equally and preference is not given to applicants based on the program they are applying through or what country they are applying from.
Every application is handled on a case-by-case basis and there’s no one simple explanation for how long it takes.
In general, managers assign files to decision making officers to process and they are processed on a first-in, first-out basis.
Client Support Centre – Afghanistan
In order to allow for continued support to clients affected by recent humanitarian crises (Afghanistan and Ukraine), the email service processing time is approximately 10 business days.
Client Support Centre – Official Languages
IRCC ensures that the public can communicate and receive quality services in French or English.
According to our 2021 Client Experience survey, 95% of IRCC’s clients agree or strongly agree that they received service in the official language of their choice.
In an effort to better communicate with our clients, IRCC has conducted usability tests with our clients to improve the clarity and understanding of our forms and correspondence.
