PACP - Asylum Initiatives Chronology & Status Tracker - Nov 24, 2020

Budget 2019 announced $1.8B over 5 years, and $55M on-going. Most funding received (900M) was over 2-3 years (will begin to expire after 2020-21)

Detect and discourage misuse of Canada's visa system

Migration Integrity Team (IRCC)

Completed

• Regularized Migration Integrity Team to coordinate and develop strategic operational responses to challenges facing the integrity of Canada’s visa system (e.g., developed an India Action Plan)
• Ongoing monitoring of visa issuance resulting in asylum claims and related emerging trends.
• Country-specific deep dive analysis
• Ongoing formulation and monitoring of implementation of mitigation strategies and action plans, based on established performance measurements.

New resources for IRCC risk assessment units abroad (IRCC)

Completed

• Staffed support analyst positions in London, Paris, Lagos, Mexico, Bogota, Abu Dhabi, Ankara and New Delhi to assist Risk Assessment officers in improving visa program integrity and increasing reporting capacity
• Identified common risk indicators and the aligned visa issuance practices with US counterparts in most impacted offices abroad including Nigeria, Colombia, India and Pakistan.

In progress

• Increased collaboration with the US and other M5 partners to detect and discourage irregular migrants.

Outreach to discourage would-be migrants (IRCC)

Completed

• Corrected misinformation about Canada’s asylum system through Member of Parliament outreach, social media and targeted search engine marketing campaigns (e.g. the U.S., Colombia, Nigeria, Venezuela, Pakistan and Mexico)
• Created outreach positions in Ankara, Beijing, Chandigarh and Nairobi in May 2019. Additional position is slotted for April 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
• Engagement with Colombia regarding the issue of rising asylum claims has been ongoing for some time both in country and in Canada. Early in the year, IRCC AADM Ops visited Bogota and met with US officials. Plans were also underway before the Covid-19 pandemic for an HQ engagement mission to Colombia with support from IRCC office in Bogota. IRCC is continuing to sensitize the Colombian authorities to the rising asylum claims [Redacted]

Repatriation to recalcitrant countries (IRCC-CBSA)

Completed

• ADM-level Removals Working Group chaired by GAC and CBSA, (with IRCC and Public Safety as members) established with a focus on developing plans to incentivize uncooperative countries to issue travel documents for their nationals in the Canadian removals queue.
• Higher frequency engagements by IRCC/CBSA/GAC are occurring in Canada and in targeted countries, in accordance with country specific Repatriation and Engagement Plans [Redacted]
• Higher frequency engagements by IRCC/CBSA/GAC have been occurring in Canada and in targeted countries, [Redacted]

In progress

• Engagement Plans for additional recalcitrant countries will be developed in 2020-21.
• [Redacted]
• [Redacted]
• [Redacted]
• [Redacted]

Manage arrivals at the border

Border management (CBSA)

In progress

• Following the implementation of the border measures which temporarily prohibit certain foreign nationals from claiming asylum at ports of entry and in between ports of entry, Canada has experienced a significant reduction in asylum claims. However, Canada could once again experience a surge once temporary measures are lifted. Several external factors that can affect volumes have been identified, such as: the United States election, Temporary Protected Status expiry dates, and the state of the current of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The CBSA continues to review and adjust its operational contingency plans in order to effectively respond to any increase in claims for asylum.

Contingency planning (IRCC-CBSA)

In progress

• IRCC and the CBSA co-lead an STCA Operational Tiger Team whose purpose is to coordinate the federal government’s response to the Federal Court ruling on the STCA. This work includes the development of an interdepartmental operational contingency plan that accounts for a potential significant increase in land border port of entry asylum claims in addition to the potential lifting of border restrictions. The Tiger Team has produced a volumetrics placemat and capacity gap analysis.
• Two interdepartmental tabletop exercises (TTX) have taken place. The first focused on pre-eligibility decision activities, including accommodations and transfer to provincial and municipal shelters, and the second covered post-eligibility activities. A third TTX including PTs is being planned.
• CAN-US border restrictions are in effect until October 21, 2020.

Modernize the safe third country agreement (STCA)

Completed

• Since Budget 2019, IRCC and the CBSA have continued to engage the U.S. on modernizing the STCA.

Invest in asylum system – Fast, fair & Final

Increase capacity to finalize 50,000 RPD claims and 13,500 rad appeals by 2020-21 (IRB)

In progress

• As of October 1, 2020 the IRB has staffed the equivalent of approximately 683 full-time equivalents (active FTE complement). In contrast to the incremental staffing target of 450 FTEs this equates to 151% of staffing targets met. However, some areas have overstaffed and exceeded their initial targets. When capping those areas who have overstaffed at their initial targets, the IRB is at 95% (433 FTE) of initial staffing targets met. Remaining targets include both RAD Members and Support Staff.
• The increase in staffing targets met since April 1 is in part due to extensions or rehires as a result of the continuation of Budget 2018 funding (sunset March 31) now under Budget 2019.
• As of October 1, 2020, the IRB has hired 172 FTE Members in RPD (132%) and 26.5 out of 43 FTE Members in RAD (62%).
• To accommodate overall growth, the IRB is leasing additional space in Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver. In fiscal year 2020-21, additional hearing rooms will be added in Montreal, Calgary, Winnipeg and Edmonton. Delays to accommodation projects and move-in dates are anticipated due to COVID-19 measures.

Asylum system management board (IRCC-CBSA-IRB)

Completed

• Established in April 2018 with a dedicated Secretariat created in September 2019. Currently scheduled to meet every 6 weeks.

Integrated claim analysis centre (ICAC) – Toronto pilot (IRCC-CBSA)

Completed

• Intake for pre-RPD ICAC has been expanded as of January 6, 2020, to include all refugee claims referred to the RPD Central Region from all CBSA POEs.
• Discussions continue at a senior level in an effort to align the Task Force for Less Complex Cases (TFLCC) and triage operations (including the ICAC). The IRB has signaled that they would prefer a consistent approach nationally rather than parallel processes for ICAC.
• 11,579 referrals were made to the ICAC as of October 9, 2020. The ICAC has started to send e-Post licenses and a group account have been created to transmit scheduling-ready package (SRP) group. As of October 9th, 2199 Scheduling-Ready Packages were sent to the IRB through ePost.

In progress

• Post-RPD screening of decisions will launch October 13th. On September 12, instructions and tools were received and are being implemented. Staff have not fully returned to the office, hence the ICAC will continue to seek electronic delivery of decisions in order to efficiently move the post-RPD files through the process.
• Launch of the integrated Case Tracking and Prioritization Unit has been delayed due to COVID-19. CBSA and IRCC are developing a plan to operationalize the ICTPU by the end of October 2020.

New ineligibility & pre-removal risk assessment (NI-PRRA) (IRCC-CBSA)

In progress

• Project fully operational – May 29, 2020.
• PRRA training for the second cohort is planned to start on August 18, 2020. Training will be delivered through Webex.
• As of September 8, 2020, staffing for NI PRRA will be 100% complete.
• 34 mandatory hearings have been held to date. In addition, 5 hearings were held where the applicant did not show. All hearings scheduled for the months of March, April and onwards have been postponed until further notice, except for detained clients, due to COVID-19 related measures.

Completed

• 46 New Ineligibility PRRA decisions have been rendered.

Asylum interoperability project (AIP) (IRCC-CBSA-IRB)

Completed

• GCMS Release 23 - The R23 Lessons Learned has been finalized and Benefits Realized being assessed.

In progress

• GCMS Release 24 – AIP changes were successfully implemented on October 20, 2020. Project updates include: integration between IRCC and IRB for the ICAC, deferred GCMS Release 23 ICAC functionality enhancements, simplifying removal case processing in GCMS, and enhancements to GCMS for PRRA and Refugee Claimant’s Enforcement Case.
• GCMS Release 24 Business Change Management Plan is currently being approved through governance, and activities are underway with partners to prepare and ensure operations are prepared for all R24 changes.
• GCMS Release 25 design work is nearing completion except for the Asylum Refugee Claim online application which is using agile methodology to develop requirements. Completed work packages are in the early stages of the development cycle. Changes in Release 25 also include enhanced functionality in GCMS to facilitate case processing (new data fields, GCMS notes visibility, PDF forms), additional data and amendments for reporting, and accommodate increase in document size upload.
• Evaluation of re-sequencing of work packages (e.g. online applications and IRB interface) to address COVID-19 priorities and business lead and partner requests is complete and being approved. The revised project roadmap will be presented at the December ASMB.

Assisted voluntary returns pilot project AVR (formally DIP)

In progress

• Concept focuses on incentivizing removal for persons from recalcitrant countries to secure greater compliance with the removal order and ultimately reduce Government costs.
• Project development initiated in June 2019, with continued focus this fiscal year to resolve key outstanding issues by end of fiscal year, including: payment authorities (Gs&Cs vs contracting), repatriation support included in funding, service delivery approach, UNHCR consultation and links to ICTPU. Pilot Program will operationalize in April 2021.
• Funding re-profile commenced to ensure longevity of two-year pilot for FY 21-22 and 22-23. A new version of the framework will be reviewed at the ADM Removals Working Group meeting scheduled for July 16th, 2020.

Security screening automation (SSA) (CBSA)

In progress

• TBS moved the SSA TB Submission presentation to October 29, 2020 on the assumption TBS will receive the Minister signed submission by October 6, 2020.

Completed

• The SSA re-profile approved by Finance Canada on Sept. 8, 2020
• The TB Submission package has been approved by the Minister of IRCC and routed to the Minister of PS for approval in advance of Oct 5, 2020.

Regulatory development (CBSA)

In progress

• Development of regulatory policy options to modernize the recovery of the removal costs and to systematically cancel previously issued immigration documents for all individuals subject to a removal order (including failed refugee claimants) may be delayed due to late TBS feedback and assignment of regulatory drafters at the DOJ, in addition to CBSA’s COVID-19 re-prioritizations.
• Both regulatory proposals are proposed for a November/December pre-publication.

Funded

Housing

Completed

• The government has also earmarked $474 million for costs sharing of interim housing costs for 2017, 2018 and 2019
• So far, the government has provided provinces and municipalities with $372 million.

In progress

• The remaining funding envelope of $102M will likely be insufficient to conclude agreements for 2019. Additional funding would also be required, should the government want to provide support beyond 2019 costs.

Health-care coverage

In progress

• Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) costs are dependent on the asylum system. IFHP costs continue to be driven by sustained backlogs in claims processing and removals.
• Based on recent cost estimates, the IFHP is projecting a surplus for 2020-21 due, in large part, to the impact of COVID-19 on lower volumes of asylum seekers. Given this current financial position, IRCC will no longer require additional funding for this fiscal year, but will proceed with a Treasury Board Submission (target date of December 10, 2020) to access Budget 2020 funds to address shortfalls anticipated in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Unfunded

Detect and discourage misuse of Canada's visa system

In progress

• IRCC International Network increased analysis/reporting and adjustments to processing for increased complexity temporary resident caseloads.

Completed

• Formation of ADM Documents Working Group

Invest in asylum system - Fast, fair & final

Programme management office

Completed

• Launched programme oversight and governance in July 2019
• Ongoing programme management to ensure successful implementation of the asylum system changes.