SECU – Security Screening and Admissibility – September 19, 2024
Key Facts and Figures
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is responsible for assessing admissibility of foreign nationals who submit an application to come to Canada. The admissibility assessment includes a review for security.
IRCC works closely with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), referring certain applications for Comprehensive Security Screening.
One hundred percent of in-Canada refugee claims are assessed by the CBSA and CSIS for comprehensive security screening.
All citizenship grant applications, where the applicant is 15.5 years of age or older, are referred to CSIS for screening.
Key Messages
Visitors, temporary foreign workers, students, immigrants, and refugees are carefully screened before coming into Canada to determine their admissibility. This screening aims to ensure that these persons do not pose a threat to the health, safety, or security of Canadians.
IRCC officers conduct the initial security screening of temporary and permanent resident applications against departmental databases and internal and external information, including risk indicators, to ensure that visas to Canada are not issued to those who are inadmissible on grounds of security, human or international rights violations, or organized criminality.
When required, IRCC works closely with Public Safety partners (CBSA, CSIS, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP]) on security screening of applicants, using the information available to them at the time of processing.
Both CSIS and the CBSA also play an integral role in the security screening program, which is a critical function of Canada’s national security, as they provide security advice on immigration (CBSA and CSIS) and citizenship (CSIS only) applicants.
This allows for a comprehensive screening where necessary to help identify those who might pose a threat to Canadians and to mitigate the potential security risks associated with those seeking to enter Canada.
Biometric information (fingerprints) helps to build confidence in Canada’s immigration programs, protect the North American perimeter, and serve as the foundation of identity management.
Visas and immigration documents are issued when it has been assessed that the applicant poses no threat to the health, safety, or security of Canadians based on information available at the time of the final decision.
With the exception of some vulnerable groups and special measures in place to support resettlement initiatives, permanent resident applicants may be asked to provide a police certificate or criminal record check (foreign) as part of the screening process. In certain cases, temporary resident applicants may also be asked to provide this documentation.
Supplementary Messages
Security Screening
This security screening assessment aims to ensure that anyone who wants to come to Canada:
has not engaged in an act of espionage that is against Canada or that is contrary to Canada’s interests;
has not engaged in or instigated the subversion by force of any government;
has not engaged in an act of subversion against a democratic government, institution, or process as they are understood in Canada;
has not engaged in terrorism;
has not engaged in acts of violence that would or might endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada;
does not pose a danger to the security of Canada;
has not violated human or international rights; and
has not engaged in organized or transnational criminal activities.
Canada’s standard security screening approach is a robust process that leverages the use of biometrics (fingerprints) along with biographic information to ensure that risks to national security and public safety are identified and mitigated and to protect the integrity of our immigration system.
When an applicant provides their biometrics, IRCC will share this information via electronic means and may receive derogatory information from Migration 5 partners (Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States). This information contributes to the assessment of applicant’s admissibility to Canada.
All applicants are subject to universal and non-discriminatory considerations during the screening process.
The CBSA is responsible for undertaking investigations and enforcement action against permanent residents and foreign nationals in Canada who are believed to be inadmissible.
IRCC has recently engaged in conversations with public safety partners (CBSA, CSIS) to review the security screening process. This trilateral review will be an opportunity to identify possible process gaps or areas of improvement within the process. This review will be taking place throughout the fall. Findings and recommendations will be shared publicly.
Criminal Offences
Alleged criminal offences committed on Canadian soil are a matter for law enforcement. Allegations of criminal activity, such as coercion or intimidation, would be referred to the RCMP, or local police forces, for investigation.
If a permanent resident or a foreign national is convicted of an indictable offence in Canada, or if a foreign national is convicted of two offences not arising out of a single occurrence, or has been found to have engaged in acts of espionage that are against Canada or that are contrary to Canada’s interests, they will be found to be inadmissible and may be issued a removal order, have their visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA) cancelled, and be removed from Canada.
Criminal inadmissibility can also result from a conviction or commission of an offence outside of Canada equivalent to an offence punishable by indictment in Canada.
The Minister of Public Safety is responsible for policy concerning inadmissibility on grounds of security, human or international rights violation, cross-border criminality and organized criminality, as well as for immigration enforcement, including removing foreign nationals. Further questions on these matters should be referred to the Minister of Public Safety or the CBSA.
Process for removing foreign nationals and permanent residents found to be inadmissible
CBSA is the enforcement arm of Canada’s immigration programs and is responsible for immigration inland enforcement and removals. IRCC supports the CBSA through conducting verifications, interviews, and writing inadmissibility reports (A44), but the CBSA is responsible for enforcing.
A foreign national loses temporary resident status when an IRCC or CBSA officer with the delegated authority or the Immigration and Refugee Board has determined they did not comply with IRPA. The eTA or visa held by the individual may also be cancelled.
A permanent resident loses status when a removal order comes into force (i.e., becomes active, under A46). Once the removal order is enforceable, the foreign national must leave Canada immediately.
Most removals and inadmissibility reports (A44 reports) are led by the CBSA. There are various reasons, including appeals and legal proceedings, that may prevent the CBSA from enforcing a removal order.
Training
IRCC officers receive training on inadmissibility in IRPA.
In collaboration with CBSA and CSIS, IRCC officers who hold an appropriate security clearance can also receive training on risk indicators to ensure cases of concern are referred for comprehensive security screening.
These trainings provide IRCC officers tools to identify possible security risks in an application that may merit further review by security screening partners.
Canada-United States (U.S.) Meetings
IRCC, CBSA, and RCMP meet regularly with U.S. counterparts at both the working level and senior management level to address the increasing irregular migration occurring at the Canada-U.S. border. The primary objective is to facilitate information sharing and joint efforts with the intent to mitigate and disrupt irregular crossings.
