IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2021: Passport Program

Background

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issues Canadian travel documents that are internationally recognized and respected. These documents facilitate travel for Canadians, certain stateless permanent residents and protected persons.
• Passports provide Canadians with
  • access to consular services abroad;
  • confirmation of a right to return to Canada; and
  • facilitated crossings at automated border gates around the world.
• The integrity of the Canadian passport is internationally recognized and respected and is a key factor in maintaining safe, secure and visa-free access to over 180 countries for Canadians.
• IRCC engages in key international fora, like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to ensure future directions on cross-border travel benefit Canadian passport holders.
• Approximately 70% of all Canadians hold a valid passport.
• There are over 24.6 million passports in circulation.
• In 2020-2021 there were approximately 440,000^{Footnote 1} passports issued as a result of lower application levels and travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Passport Program Authorities

• The Canadian Passport Order (CPO) dictates who is entitled to a regular (blue) passport, how it is issued, and when a passport can be refused, cancelled or revoked.
  • Shared responsibility: Minister of Public Safety has authority to refuse, revoke, or cancel for national security or terrorism reasons
• The Diplomatic & Special Passports Order (DSPO) dictates who is entitled to a diplomatic (red) or special (green) passport.
  • Eligibility is based on title (e.g. prime ministers, governor generals, ministers, deputy ministers) or duty (e.g. whether or not you are travelling for diplomatic purposes).
• Financial Administration Act; Service Fees Act
  • Authorities and requirements for the Minister to remit and/or waive passport and travel document fees.
• Passport and Other Travel Document Services Fees Regulations
  • Sets how much Passport Program clients pay for their passports.

The Minister of IRCC is the decision-maker on passport issuance as well as passport refusal, cancellation and revocation on all grounds except for terrorism and national security.

The CPO and the DSPO are Orders in Council, flowing from the Royal Prerogative and provide more flexibility than an Act of Parliament.

Government of Canada Delivery Partners

There are multiple Government of Canada departments involved in the delivery of the Passport Program:

Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada

• Accountable for the overall Passport Program. Is mandated by the Canadian Passport Order to issue, cancel, revoke, withhold and recover Canadian passports.

Minister of Public Safety

• Is responsible for passport cancellation, refusal and revocation in cases of terrorism and national security.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

• Provides domestic service delivery (through Service Canada).

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)

• Provides passport services abroad through its consular service network.

Types of Passports

Regular (Blue Passports)

• Applications available at Service Canada offices or can be downloaded from the IRCC website. Completed paper forms are submitted to a Service Canada office, a Member of Parliament’s office, or by mail. Online submission of a passport application is not currently available (see slide 8 for pilot details).
• Adult applicants can choose between a 5-year ($120 in Canada / $190 abroad) or a 10-year ($160 in Canada / $260 aboard) passport. Children can obtain a 5-year passport ($57 in Canada / $100 abroad).

Special Passports (Green Passports)

• Are issued to people holding office, such as Members of Parliament, Senators, members of provincial Cabinets, and to people employed by the Government of Canada in a non-diplomatic capacity travelling on an official mission or to a post abroad.

Diplomatic Passports (Red Passports)

• Are issued to high-ranking Government of Canada officials and diplomats, as well as representatives and delegates of the Government of Canada to international governmental organizations and international conferences of a diplomatic nature.

Service Delivery Network

In Canada and Abroad – IRCC

• Complex passport applications (i.e. child custody situations), administrative investigations and determination of entitlement
• 24/7 desk for tactical intelligence, partner case support
• Special and diplomatic passports
• Travel documents to non-Canadians (refugee travel document, certificate of identity)
• Program integrity (i.e. facial recognition, System Lookout & clearing alerts)
• Safekeeping of lost & recovered stolen passports

In Canada – ESDC

Service Canada processes the majority of passports:

• 25 Service Canada Centre – Passport Services offices: provide dedicated passport services such as document validation and standard, urgent or express application submissions.
• 317 Service Canada Centres with 9 sites offering full passport services including: access to a wide range of services and benefits, passport services such as accepting passport applications, validation of birth certificates and certificates of citizenship on site, and payment.
• 2 Mail Processing Centres and 2 Passport Call Centres
• Weekend urgent callback services

Abroad - GAC

Global Affairs Canada is responsible for the service delivery of passports abroad via 206 missions in 144 countries:

• 121 full service offices as well as access to a 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre;
• 85 supervised partial service missions, including honorary consuls; and
• Printing of regular passports is completed in Canada and shipped to missions via diplomatic bag. Emergency travel documents and temporary passports are printed on site.

The extensive Domestic Network has enabled the Program to deliver a high level of service to Canadians:

• 93% of Canadian passport holders reside within 50 km of a passport point of service.
• Pre-pandemic, 99%^{Footnote 2} of clients received their passport within established service standards.
• 94%^{Footnote 2} client satisfaction rate (2019-2020).
• Return to regular travel and passport processing is a high priority for IRCC and its partners.

For abroad:

• In 2020-2021 95.58%^{Footnote 2} of clients received their passport within service standards.

Other Travel Documents

IRCC also issues travel documents for certain newcomers and in emergency situations.

Refugee travel documents

• For persons considered refugees under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or for persons who fall under the terms of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Certificates of identity

• For permanent residents of Canada who are without nationality or who are unable to obtain travel documentation from their country of origin.

For Canadians abroad in emergency situations

• IRCC issues temporary passports and emergency travel documents.

IRCC is a leading voice in the global dialogue on interoperable and standard travel document formats, including specifying how data should be represented, both physically and digitally.

Passport Operations: Finances

• The Passport Program operates on a full cost-recovery basis via the Revolving Fund. Its funding comes entirely from the revenues generated through the fees paid for passports and other travel documents.
• In 2013, with the introduction of the 10-year ePassport, the Passport Program transitioned from a 5-year to a 10-year business cycle, meaning its costs and revenues must balance out over 10 years.
• A business plan supported by a Treasury Board submission is submitted to the Treasury Board Secretariat regularly to obtain or adjust financial authorities.
• Due to COVID-19, the Passport Program has seen impacts on both demand and service delivery domestically and abroad, which has in turn impacted fee revenues.

Passport Demand Forecast

• Passport demand is expected to gradually return to the baseline in 2022.
• There could be up to [Redacted] when the lower range returns to the baseline.
• Scenario B (gradual recovery) appears as the most likely scenario.
• The return of [Redacted] is expected to coincide with the expiry and renewal of 10-year passports.

Passport Operations: Modernization

The Passport Program is modernizing and moving away from a largely paper-based process. This will improve the Program’s ability to contribute to the digital economy, respond to future disruptions such as pandemics, and preserve the value of the Canadian passport for global mobility.

Actions to modernize the Passport Program include:

• Updating aging systems to improve Program capabilities and developing high-quality online services that respond to and meet client needs.
• Working with Government of Canada delivery partners to improve services to meet client expectations
• Reviewing and updating the legal authorities that underpin the Program to better reflect the realities of current and future program delivery.

Modernization initiatives:

Passport Program Modernization Initiative (PPMI):

• Implementing a new passport issuance platform for domestic operations.

ePassport Next Generation Project (ePPT-NG):

• updating passport design, security features and technology to deliver Canada’s second generation of ePassports for all Canadian travel documents.

Passport Digital Services (PDS):

• development of an online application that will give Canadians the ability to securely access a variety of passport services online. Pilot for IRCC employees began summer 2021.

Passport Modernization Abroad Project (PMAP):

• Leveraging the domestic platform for operations abroad.

Key Takeaways

• Canada’s passport is internationally recognized and respected.
• IRCC works with other Government of Canada partners including Public Safety, Employment and Social Development Canada and Global Affairs Canada to deliver the Passport Program.
• The Program is undergoing modernization and is moving away from a largely paper-based process.
• The Passport Revolving Fund needs to be managed sustainably over the 10-year cycle (2013-2014 to 2022-2023) – to balance surplus revenues and future shortfalls while ensuring the Program is modern, secure, and continues to provide a high standard of service.