PACP - IRCC Efforts to Improve Removals Cooperation - Nov 24, 2020

Key messages

• In 2019, the Government established a Whole of Government Strategy for increasing removals cooperation.
• Under this strategy, IRCC received $21 million for a pilot grant program to deliver capacity building to increase engagement and cooperation with targeted countries.
• Work is coordinated closely with other Departments and overseen by an interdepartmental Removals Working Group to determine strategies and track progress.
• The strategy aligns with key findings and recommendations of the Spring OAG Report, including the need to increase engagement on removal cooperation.

Supplementary messages

• IRCC’s efforts complement efforts being undertaken by the CBSA, which has the lead for the removals program and has also received funding to increase its efforts to gain removals cooperation, as well as diplomatic engagement by Global Affairs Canada.

If pressed on why IRCC is involved:

• [redacted]

If pressed on which countries are targeted:

• In view of the sensitivities to bilateral relationships, we do not publicly disclose which countries are less cooperative in the issuance of travel documents. [redacted]

If pressed on results to date of the whole of government approach:

• Noting that we are still at the initial stages of our engagement efforts, and bearing in mind challenges posed by the pandemic, to date we have noted some initial success from our approach. This includes:
  • Prior to the imposition of travel restrictions due to the coronavirus, we were tracking a noticeable increase in the issuance of travel documents for those initial countries targeted for our increased engagement efforts.
  • We have received a formal written commitment from a partner government to improve removals processes and made progress in negotiating a new Removals Memorandum of Understanding.

If asked what types of initiatives IRCC is supporting:

• IRCC’s currently funded initiatives include support for improving border management and entry and exit control systems; strengthening the capacity for law enforcement officials to collaborate and counter human traffickers and migrant smugglers; as well as improving the ability of government agencies to conduct strategic human trafficking and irregular migration deterrence messaging campaigns.

Supporting facts and figures

• To date, five countries have been identified for Whole-of-Government engagement to increase removals cooperation.
• Prior to the coronavirus, preliminary results showed a modest yet positive increase in the issuance of travel documents for those countries first targeted for our engagement efforts.
• As ongoing travel restrictions hamper the Government’s ability to proceed with removal orders, our internal targets to measure progress on removals has been paused until restrictions ease.

Background

• Countries that deny or delay the issuance of travel documents are an impediment to removals, contributing to growing backlogs, and resulting in failed claimants and other inadmissible persons remaining in Canada for extended periods of time. This compromises existing efforts to improve asylum system integrity.
• In response to this challenge, Cabinet approved a Whole of Government (WoG) Strategy as part of the Border Enforcement Strategy (BES) for increasing removals cooperation with targeted countries. This WoG Strategy was placed under the stewardship of an ADM Removals Working Group (RWG), jointly chaired by GAC and CBSA and including representatives from IRCC and Public Safety. The RWG is responsible, among other things, for identifying recalcitrant countries (“recalcitrant” is an internationally recognized term to identify countries that are either unwilling or unable to issue travel documents in a timely fashion) targeted for removals cooperation and approving Engagement Plans. These Plans coordinate efforts, track results, and set a path for when to consider escalation measures if appropriate. To date, the RWG has approved four Engagement Plans.
• Under the Border Enforcement Strategy and subsequent Budget 2019 funding, IRCC created the Migration Cooperation and Engagement Envelope (MCEE), a pilot grant envelope within the International Migration Capacity Building Program, managed by the IIR Branch. Initially established as a $21 million / 3 year grant budget envelope, the MCEE received approval in October 2020 from the Department of Finance to extend its timelines by an additional three years due largely to challenges from the pandemic, bringing the envelope’s current end date to FY2024-2025. Funding to IRCC complements efforts by the CBSA to expand its Liaison Officer network and deliver targeted technical assistance as a means to improve their engagement with recalcitrant countries, and contributes to the Whole-of-Government response.
• To date, IRCC has approved three capacity building projects under the MCEE, totaling $4 million. Capacity building assistance is channeled largely through multilateral partners with the requisite experience, expertise, and networks in place for each targeted country. IRCC anticipates that the fund will target approximately 8 - 10 countries over its life span.
• To date, the whole of government efforts have led to increased formal commitment to cooperate and advancement on a removals MOU in one case, as well as increased issuance of travel documents, including one country providing nearly all travel documents requested over the last few months.
• [redacted]