PACP - Supplementary Estimates (A), 2020-2021- Information Technology - Nov 24, 2020
Key Messages
- Budget 2019 announced funding to enhance the integrity of Canada’s borders and asylum system, which included Information Technology System Interoperability.
- New funding is allocated to IRCC, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) to jointly enhance the asylum information technologies systems interoperability, in order to respond to pressures facing the in-Canada asylum system with respect to processing capacity.
- The Asylum Interoperability Project (AIP) focuses on improving information sharing between IRCC, CBSA and the IRB systems. Enhancements are being made to ensure accuracy in data collection and improve data exchange and reliability by ensuring that all systems have the same information, that the information is exchanged in a timely, secure and efficient manner.
- The project’s overall purpose is to modernize asylum system processes, which includes addressing the recommendations from the Office of the Auditor General audit on the Asylum system.
Supporting Facts and Figures
- Planned expenditures and associated funding sought by IRCC for the Information Technology System Interoperability (known as the Asylum Interoperability Project) are as follows:
| ($millions) | 2019-20 Budget Implementation Vote | 2020-21 Supplementary Estimates (A) | 2021-22 | Total | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote 1 – Operating Expenditures | 0.8 | 9.2 | 6.6 | 16.5 | - |
| Vote 5 – Capital Expenditures | 0.2 | 11.1 | 7.4 | 18.7 | - |
| Statutory – EBP | 0.1 | 1 | 0.9 | 2.1 | - |
| Funding Profile | 1.1 | 21.3 | 14.9 | 37.3 | - |
- In total, IRCC would spend requested incremental funding of $37.3M over three years for this initiative.
- Funding in the amount of $21.3M was sought through the 2020–21 Supplementary Estimates (A). Future year’s funding will be sought via the Main Estimates process.
- In total, IRCC’s funding of $37.3M includes personnel resources peaking at 43 full time equivalents (FTEs) in 2020-21 to complete this project.
Background
- The project’s overall purpose is to modernize asylum system processes, which includes addressing the recommendations from the Office of the Auditor General audit on the Asylum system.
- The recent removals audit identified poor data quality, significant data integrity issues and system interface failures between departmental systems to be an impairment in ensuring the timely removal of foreign nationals ordered to leave Canada.
- AIP improves data integrity and streamlines data sharing with partner systems allowing for Removal Order information to be received in a timely matter as to identify when decisions have been made that affect the status of a removal and enhances reporting on the removal of individuals ensuring that the Removals inventory is accurately reflected.
- Through this initiative, IRCC also aims to reduce the dependency on paper, by creating an online application to allow refugee claimants to submit their claims electronically, therefore increasing the efficiency of the process and reducing manual data entry.
- By improving reporting capabilities, both organizations will ensure that all data points related to the asylum continuum can be recorded and will introduce technologies that facilitate faster data capture, data sharing and enhance decision making.
- IRCC and CBSA are working on improving the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) process by eliminating duplicate data entry in both IRCC and CBSA systems.
- AIP will allow the IRB to share Asylum hearing decisions electronically with IRCC in a timely manner to enhance the CBSA removal process of foreign nationals.
- The project will be implemented by June 2022 with the objective to enhance the program integrity of the asylum system through increased and improved data sharing, and improved client service by reducing processing times for claims and reducing manual processing of forms, including the electronic submission of forms and supporting materials.
- IRCC is the lead department in managing this project, in collaboration with primary delivery partners, the CBSA and IRB, with support from Shared Services Canada.