IRCC Deputy Minister Transition Binder 2024 – Departmental Structure, Workforce & Governance

Contents

1. Current Structure and 2023 Realignment Exercise
2. Workforce Outlook
3. Departmental Governance

Departmental Structure and 2023 Realignment Exercise

2023 Realignment Exercise

Context

• Since the fall of 2022, IRCC has been looking to improve its organizational structure. In February 2023, a review was conducted by former Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Deputy Minister Neil Yeates to provide strategic advice on how IRCC can move towards an organization that is “fit for purpose”. Four areas of improvement were identified in the “Yeates” report: 
  • Organizational Structure
  • Governance
  • Management Systems
  • Culture
• Further to this report and other stakeholder consultations, an organizational realignment was launched to move from a functional structure to a business line approach.
• The resulting structure was announced on September 25, 2023, and implemented three weeks later on October 16, 2023. Unions and external partners were kept informed along the way.

Key Drivers

• Growth & Clear Accountabilities: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) doubled in size in past 10 years, outgrowing its structure & requiring a more nimble division of labour with clearer accountabilities.
• Demand & Business Line Approach: demand for various IRCC services increased and the former organizational structure could no longer accommodate competing priorities in separate areas.
• Digital Agenda & Client Service Excellence: transformation and re-imaging of program design and delivery enables IRCC to become more client centric while supporting the digital agenda.
• Future Proofing: strengthens reputation and presence on the international stage by looking towards the future and engaging globally, rapidly and effectively.

Yeates Report – Summary

“It is important to note that action is required in all of these areas and piecemeal efforts are unlikely to be successful as these factors interact with one another and one may defeat the other if not considered holistically.” NEIL YEATES Report

• Organizational Structure: Report Summary: Current organizational model was designed for a much smaller department, has been in place for more than 20 years and adjusted in a number of ways to deal with workload pressures and crises. IRCC has grown exponentially since then, and the model is no longer “fit for purpose”
• Governance: Report Summary: At IRCC there is a strong consensus that current governance arrangements need adjustments to be more effective and efficient.
• Management Systems: Report Summary: At IRCC, department-wide planning is limited, and based on financial planning and reporting approach. An accountability-based regime will provide a stronger planning and reporting system.
• Culture: Report Summary: IRCC’s culture is seen as helping to overcome the shortcomings of the current organizational structure, governance and management systems. Another set of cultural factors revolves around case decision-making and its impact on service delivery.

Note: The work conducted to date primarily focused on response to the Pillar 1 Report recommendations, however with the understanding that these activities have positive affects towards all pillars. The Report recommendations relating to Pillars 2, 3 and 4 are undergoing review and analysis to determine which will be advanced and for departmental prioritization.

Current Sectors & Linkages to Old Structure

Former sectors:

• Strategic and Program Policy (Sr)
• Digital Strategy, Services and Innovations (Sr)
• Operation
• Strategic Review
• Operations (Sr)
• Strategic and Program Policy
• Afghanistan
• Finance, Security and Administration

Note: All of the following Sector Mandates and Key Accountabilities are a snapshot in time as of the organizational structure implementation on October 16, 2023. As the realignment work continues to progress, they may have already been adjusted or may be adjusted in the coming months.

Asylum and Refugee Resettlement

Mandate

Provides evidence-based policy development, program design, and/or strategic support related to Asylum and Refugee Resettlement, covering assessment, determination, settlement, and resettlement of protected persons and foreign nationals seeking refugee. It provides strategic advice to adapt asylum programs to global displacement and migratory patterns, addressing domestic integration challenges like housing and labor needs. The Sector sets program targets in collaboration with the Service Delivery Sector, reports on program metrics, and engages with partners and stakeholders.

Key Accountabilities

• Resettlement Program Policy
• Asylum Program Policy
• Resettlement & Asylum Program Guidance

International Affairs & Crisis Response

Mandate

Advances Canada's interests in international migration through evidence-based policy development, international diplomacy, advocacy, and engagement. It leads immigration response to global humanitarian crises, maintains the international crisis response framework, and provides evidence-based policy development, strategic program support, program integrity oversight, and functional guidance for emerging migration risks and crises. Additionally, the Sector maintains an international workforce and platform to facilitate program design and delivery.

Key Accountabilities

• International Migration
• Crisis Response Framework
• Emerging Migration Risks and Crises
• Immigration Responses to Specific Global Humanitarian Crises
• International Workforce/Platform

Service Delivery

Mandate

Handles application intake and processing for all lines of business, serving as the primary departmental interface for clients and stakeholders across all channels. It executes the department's vision of client service and coordinates processing offices to provide consistent and standardized service. The Sector develops operational plans, reports on objectives, and supports IRCC with data-driven products and services to enhance decision-making.

Key Accountabilities

• IRCC Application Processing
• Client and Stakeholders Facing Services
• Client and stakeholders Enquiries
• Operational Performance
• Processing Times
• Inventories

Settlement, Integration and Francophone Affairs

Mandate

Encompasses policy development and program operations for the Settlement Program and Resettlement Assistance Program, facilitating newcomers' integration and assisting Government-assisted refugees. It includes the Francophone Immigration Branch, offering policy guidance on francophone immigration, settlement, and integration. The Sector collaborates with partners and stakeholders and manages in-Canada support for individuals arriving under humanitarian policies (Ukraine).

Key Accountabilities

• Settlement Programing
• Resettlement Assistance Programing
• Francophone Immigration
• Mass Arrivals Settlement

Economic, Family, and Social Migration

Mandate

Provides evidence-based policy development and program design, offering strategic program support, program integrity oversight, and functional guidance for temporary and permanent economic, family, and social immigration. It leads in developing policies and programs to address economic development, labor market needs, and social and cultural integration in Canada. This also includes designing programs to assist some in Canada vulnerable individuals and those with precarious immigration status. Additionally, the Sector engages with partners and stakeholders as part of its responsibilities.

Key Accountabilities

• Economic Immigration
• Express Entry
• Foreign Students
• Foreign Workers
• Family Immigration
• Humanitarian and Compassionate

Citizenship & Passport

Mandate

Provides evidence-based policy development, strategic program support, program integrity maintenance, functional guidance, and administrative support for the Citizenship and Passport programs. This involves determining eligibility requirements, supporting Citizenship ceremonies, promoting rights and responsibilities, incorporating recognition and respect for Indigenous rights, facilitating travel across borders, and contributing to international and domestic security. Additionally, the Sector engages with partners and stakeholders in its role.

Key Accountabilities

• Citizenship Policy
• Citizenship Program Guidance
• Passport Policy
• Passport Program Guidance
• Co-Management relationship with ESDC for the Passport Program

Strategic Policy

Mandate

Oversees horizontal linkages and program policy integration through long-term strategic policy development and analysis. It manages levels planning, provides evidence from strategic research, supports engagement with provinces and territories, oversees enterprise-wide governance and strategic data utilization, leads corporate planning and reporting, and serves as a focal point for cabinet and regulatory processes. Additionally, the Sector engages with partners and stakeholders as part of its responsibilities.

Key Accountabilities

• Policy Alignment
• Strategic Planning
• Immigration Levels
• Chief Immigration Talent Officer
• Data Management
• Provincial Territorial Relations
• Cabinet and Regulatory Affairs
• Strategic Immigration Review
• Stakeholder Engagement

Migration Integrity

Mandate

Oversees policy development, horizontal program design, functional guidance, and program delivery related to the integrity of IRCC’s policies and programs. It maintains a departmental expertise in migration program integrity, migration threats, and operational risk for all aspects of IRCC’s work, with a focus on the health, safety, security, and prosperity of Canadians. The sector enables the development of risk management tools with a view to identifying threats, while facilitating travel for low-risk clients. Operationally, the Sector supports the mitigation and/or management of these threats and risks by providing intelligence, advice, guidance, and expertise to IRCC business lines and senior management regarding programs, emerging issues, and complex and/or sensitive cases.

Key Accountabilities

• Program Integrity
• Inadmissibility
• Security and Intelligence
• Risks Management
• Visa policy (Visitor)
• Migration Health
• Case & litigation support
• Biometrics
• Identity Management
• National Security Policy

Corporate Services

Mandate

Led by the Chief Human Resources Officer, offers comprehensive support for people and workplace management, departmental culture, learning, and change management. It develops and implements corporate policies, promotes a safe workplace, provides strategic people management support, fosters continuous learning, and leads organizational change. The Sector ensures compliance with legislation and regulations, Treasury Board policies, and manages the department's hybrid workplace policies.

Key Accountabilities

• Human Resources
• Change Management
• Future of Work
• Learning
• ATIP
• Privacy
• Accommodations
• Corporate Security

Chief Financial Officer

Mandate

Leads departmental financial management, ensuring responsible handling of public resources and facilitating sound decision-making for effective policy and program delivery. It ensures program compliance with legislative, regulatory, and financial authority requirements, spearheads integrated planning, and offers support for procurement, project oversight, and investment management.

Key Accountabilities

• Departmental Finance and Stewardship

Client Service Innovation & Chief Digital Officer

Mandate

Leads in ensuring a facilitative and modern client experience, setting IRCC's service strategy and vision. It designs and implements the department's digital strategy, managing digital capabilities and enhancing the online client experience. The Sector maintains a center of expertise focused on understanding and improving the client experience through client-centric research and insights. It plans and delivers enterprise programs and initiatives, modernizing program and service delivery to serve Canadians more efficiently and effectively.

Key Accountabilities

• Senior Responsible Owner for DPM3
• Client Experience
• Service Strategy and Design
• Service Policy
• Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Strategy
• Enterprise Intake and Release Management
• Emerging Technology and Innovation
• Enterprise Architecture

* Digital Sector

Chief Information Officer

Mandate

Leads departmental information management, information technology, and cybersecurity functions. It formulates and implements the department's technology strategy, ensuring that applications and infrastructure align with program needs and comply with legislation and digital policies. Collaborating with the Client Service, Innovation & Chief Digital Officer, the Sector offers executive guidance for managing technology investments across all programs and services.

Key Accountabilities

• Information Technology
• Information Management
• Cyber Security

*Digital Sector

Communications

Mandate

Provides strategic communications advice, messaging, and support to the Minister, the Deputy Ministers, the Department's senior leadership team, and other federal departments to inform Canadians and IRCC employees about our priorities, initiatives, and activities.

Key Accountabilities

• Strategic Communications
• Internal Communications
• Web
• Outreach / Public Opinion Research
• Parliamentary Affairs
• Executive Events
• Media Relations and Ministerial Services
• Advertising and Marketing
• Social Media and Visual Communications

Equity Branch

Mandate

Serves as an equity-focused centre of expertise providing oversight and support to ensure greater consistency and fairness in people management, policy development, and service delivery. It provides guidance and monitors performance on anti-racism, accessibility, equity policy, reconciliation and other equity initiatives. It also provides an independent avenue of recourse for employee complaints.

Key Accountabilities

• Equity Policy and Frameworks
• Equity Oversight
• Equity Centre of Expertise
• Reconciliation
• Employee Support
• Ombuds and Conflict Resolution

Corporate Secretariat

Mandate

Provides quality, strategic and specialized advice and coordination services in the following areas: governance; senior management travel; briefings, ministerial correspondence and enquiries.

Key Accountabilities

• Governance
• Senior Management Travel
• Briefings
• Ministerial Enquiries

*Directors General reporting to DMO

Audit and Evaluation

Mandate

Employs audits to support the department in accomplishing its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to assessing and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. It also uses evaluations to conduct systematic and neutral collection and analysis of evidence to determine the extent to which a program or project has achieved expected results.

Key Accountabilities

• Internal Evaluation
• Internal Audit
• External Audit Support

2023 Realignment Exercise – Next Steps

• A realignment of this magnitude takes time and will require adjustments along the way.
• To help during the first months of the transition, IRCC developed a transition playbook for all managers with the help of consultants from Price Waterhouse Cooper. This playbook gave a list of engagement activities and helpful tips for all managers who were faced with staffing, finance, classification, information technology (IT), accommodations, labour relations, and other issues.
• Over the past few months, IRCC focused on realigning budgets, refining key accountabilities workforce distribution, updating human resources and financial systems, updating job descriptions for Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM)/Director General (DG) level positions, and IT system changes.
• IRCC now has 13 sectors, as well as a new Equity Branch that will house the future departmental Ombuds, and a new Corporate Secretariat in charge of the departmental governance.
• A priority setting exercise has been initiated and will help in reinitiating IRCC’s integrated planning regime.
• Change management support continues with a strong focus on helping leaders navigate change (e.g., Change Leadership Coaching).
• Unique opportunity to organize an in person Executive (EX) Leadership Summit next spring for a 6-month check in on realignment.
• A culture assessment will be developed to assess whether the current departmental cultures and sub-cultures align with the spirit and values of the immigration and citizenship programs, client service excellence and the priorities of the public service.
• An Executive Comnittee team exercise using Lumina (psychometric assessment tool) is underway to highlight opportunities to work to strengths in collaborative ways.

Workforce Outlook Data

Workforce Growth

IRCC Workforce from 2013 to 2024

Classification & Supervisory Burden

Percentage of Total Workforce

Relative Workforce Proportion Percentage by Career Level – Over 10 Years

• IRCC does not appear to have systematically increased the classification levels of its workforce over the past 10 years.
• While the classification structure at IRCC kept its integrity, these numbers also suggest that the supervisory burden increased significantly.
• The average ratio of executive per employee is high and went from 1:37 to 1:47 in five years. This ratio is currently at 1:24 for EX minus 1s and 1:9 for of EX minus 2s.

Attrition @ IRCC

Annual Departure Rate

Retirement Eligibility 2023-2028 (non-cumulative)

564 immediately
134 within 1 year
328 within 2-3 years
369 within 4-5 years

• Historical attrition rates (8-16%) fell significantly over the past 24 months and are expected to reach 2-4% over the coming few years.
• Delayed attrition will likely trigger sudden and cascading departures for up to 6-7% of the entire workforce.
• Because of career paths and workforce demographics, these departures will be concentrated in the higher levels of the organization.
• Detailed succession planning will be key.

Retirements and Retirement Rate

Employment Equity – 1 (Under Target)

Indigenous Peoples

Persons with Disability

Employment Equity – 2 (Above Target)

Racialized Employees

Black Employees

Employment Equity – 3 Observations

Woman

Overall Observations

• Representation gaps are closing across all employment equity groups at IRCC.
• In terms of the entire IRCC population, two groups, Blacks and Racialized, are exceeding the target.
• For the past three years, enrollment outpaced departures for all groups. IRCC is doing well in the retention of Employment Equity (EE) groups.
• A renewed self-id system and the addition of new EE categories and sub-categories will require updated EE tracking, staffing and retention strategies.
• Some gaps persist in the more senior echelons of the hierarchy, particularly for women who are also members of another EE group.
• Combined with a significant gap (-385) for women at entry level, these numbers suggest that employment equity creates a gender bias in favour of men who are also members of EE groups.

Departmental Governance

• As noted earlier, governance was one of the four pillars of the Yeates report.
• The current departmental governance was found ineffective.
• Key findings and recommendations in this area include: 
  • Decision-making often happens outside of the governance structure (bilats);
  • Number of members in committees limits the strategic exchanges;
  • Committees spend too much time on information items, and,
  • Overlap and repetition of presentations is time consuming and not efficient.
• The newly created Corporate Secretariat is responsible for the review of the departmental governance and had launched ADM level consultations further to guidance issued by the previous Deputy Minister.
• IRCC’s governance review will be articulated around five areas of focus: 
  • Structure and mandates;
  • Accountabilities;
  • Added-value discussions;
  • Culture of good governance; and,
  • Strategic agenda.

Current Governance Committee Structure

Tier 1

(Weekly)
Minister-Deputy Minister Committee (MIN-DM)
Chair: DM

(Weekly)
Executive Committee (ExCom)
Chair: DM

(Quarterly)
National Security Integrity Committee (NSIC)
Chair: DMA

(Quarterly)
Legal Issues Management Committee (LIMC)
Chair: DMA

(Quarterly)
Data Governance Steering Committee (DGSC)
Chair: DMA

Tier 2

(Bi-weekly)
Issues Management Committee (IMC)
Co-Chairs: SADM SPP & ADM OPS

(Bi-weekly)
Corporate and Finance Committee (CFC)
Co-Chairs: ADM CSS & ADM FSA

Tier 3

Policy Committee (PC)

Operations Committe (OC)

International Steering Committee (ISC)

Integrated Workforce Management Committee (IWMC)

Vote 10 Committee (V10)

Investment & Project Oversight Committee (IPOC)

Integrated Planning and Financial Committee (IPFMC)

*There are 29 committees identified as having three or more DGs. Only the ones reporting frequently to IMC & CFC were reflected in this structure.

Tactical Forums

(Weekly)
DM SLAM
Chair: DM

(Weekly)
LookAhead
Chair: Senior ADM – SP

(Weekly)
ADM Tactics

Digital Platform Modernization

(Bi-Monthly)
Sponsoring Group
(Transformation Committee)
Chair – Executive Sponsor

(Monthly)
Programme Board
DPM 2/Other – Co-chairs: CIO & PS/SRO
DPM 3 – Chair: PS/SRO

Workstream Board(s)
Chair – Programme Design or Programme Delivery
Co-Chair – BCM/TCA (DG Delegate)

Mandated Committees

(Quarterly)
Departmental Audit Committee (DAC)
Chair: DM

(Quarterly)
Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee (PMEC)
Chair: DMA

(Monthly)
Departmental Enterprise Architecture Board (DEAB)
Chair: SADM CSI & CDO

(Quarterly)
People Management Committee (PMC)
Quarterly – DM Chairs