Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
As required by the Treasury Board Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures, this report provides information on travel, hospitality and conference expenditures for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 except for information withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.
Travel, hospitality and conference expenditures incurred by a federal department or agency relate to activities that support the department or agency’s mandate and the government’s priorities.
IRCC’s Mandate
Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
IRCC works in a multi-faceted, rapidly changing policy environment. Canada is a nation built on immigration, which has always played an important economic role in meeting our labour market needs. International migration is increasingly complex, with the movement of people being closely linked to trade, global health, and security concerns. Even as we strengthen partnerships at home, we must also foster international partnerships to ensure well-managed, safe and secure international migration.
Managing in a global environment dictates that IRCC must travel in order to ensure program integrity and to provide an oversight and monitoring of its national and international operations.
With the significant investments made by the government in the Immigration Programs in the past years, IRCC deployed resources for processing in its networks and to engage with various stakeholders. Such activities had an impact on overall travel requirements allowing the department to deliver on its mandate and commitments. Travel expenditures are required to face the growth in permanent and temporary residence applications, to deliver the right training for the department workforce, and to maintain and reinforce the necessary liaison with key partners and stakeholders for business delivery.
IRCC’s hospitality expenses are mainly derived from activities related to events and meetings with foreign dignitaries as well as with federal, provincial, and territorial stakeholders.
IRCC’s conference expenses include congress, convention, briefing seminars or other formal gatherings where participants debate or are informed of the status of a discipline.
| Expenditure category | Expenditure for year ended March 31, 2024 ($ thousands) |
Expenditure for year ended
March 31, 2023 ($ thousands) |
Variance ($ thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | |||
Operational activities |
$15,253 | $19,031 | -$3,778 |
Key stakeholders |
$1,872 | $1,507 | $365 |
Internal governance |
$161 | $151 | $10 |
Training |
$1,894 | $2,126 | $768 |
Other |
$604 | $348 | $256 |
| A. Total Travel | $20,784 | $23,163 | $-2,379 |
| B. Hospitality | $275 | $233 | $42 |
| C. Conference fees | $989 | $969 | $20 |
| Total [A+B+C] | $22,048 | $24,365 | $2,317 |
| International travel by minister and minister's staff (included in travel) | $18 | $85 | $-68 |
Significant variances compared to the previous fiscal year
Travel:
Departmental travel expenditures for 2023-24 have decreased by $2.4 million (10%) in comparison to 2022-23. The decrease is mainly due to a decline in travel requirements for temporary processing officers related to the measures put in place for Ukraine as the initiative concluded in 2023-24 and; in the need for IRCC staff and services providers to travel to and between temporary accommodation sites for irregular migrants. Following the Budget 2023 commitment on refocusing government spending, the department began achieving travel savings in 2023-24 through a horizontal review of travel requirements with the goal of reducing travel expenditures. This decrease follows a marked increase in travel requirements during the 2022-23 period. These factors combined have contributed to the overall reduction in travel undertaken by the department.
Hospitality:
Departmental hospitality expenditures for 2023-24 have increased by $41 thousand (18%) in comparison to 2022-23 mainly attributable to a return to normal operations and missions abroad conducting more engagement sessions with partners and stakeholders.
Conference fees:
Departmental conference expenditures for 2023-24 have increased by $20 thousand (2%) in comparison to 2022-23 and are consistent with previous year expenditures.
Minister and minister’s exempt staff:
Departmental expenditures for international travel by the Minister and the Minister’s exempt staff have decreased by $68 thousand in comparison to 2022-23. A portion of the decrease can be attributed to the higher expenses incurred in the fiscal year 2022-23, which were influenced by the change in Minister and the subsequent shift in ministerial priorities that resulted in increased travel expenditures. Since then, the minister's office has reduced its international travel.
For further details on international travel, please visit the IRCC Proactive Disclosure web page.