IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2023: Digital Platform Modernization and IT Upgrades

Issue

• IRCC’s business processes and IT infrastructure are strained as application volumes continue to grow, and the department is regularly called upon to support responses to global crises (e.g., Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan). Combined with challenges with IT stability and outages, this impacts agility in implementing program changes and operational efficiencies.
• IRCC’s current IT processing platform, the Global Case Management System (GCMS), was first implemented two decades ago based on process flows originally designed for paper applications. Given that it is critical to the immigration continuum and the Canadian economy, the government has made significant investments in recent years to stabilize the GCMS and reduce outages. However, business transformation with an end-to-end digital client experience requires new, modern, cloud-based technology.
• To this end, Budget 2021 provided IRCC with a critical investment of $827M over 5 years to support the modernization and transformation of IRCC’s immigration system. [Redacted]
• While transformation is underway, IRCC has also continued to make iterative improvements to digital services using current technology. To mitigate risks to system stability and maintain organizational focus on moving onto new digital platforms, changes to legacy systems have prioritized key government initiatives, including speeding up processing and responding to global events.

State of Play

• IRCC has developed a blueprint for its future state service design, and is working with the industry to advance procurement of digital platforms to enable this future state.
• On July 14, 2023, a contract was awarded for a new client experience platform, which will transform how clients interact with the department online. This new client experience is anticipated to begin rolling out to a subset of clients by the end of 2023, but will eventually create a single-window into IRCC programs and services for all clients.
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Key Messages

• A fast, agile and reliable immigration system is critical to Canada’s success and ability to meet the changing needs and expectations of clients.
• Through the DPM initiative, IRCC is redesigning its business to provide a modern client experience and more efficient immigration system, underpinned by new technologies and data capabilities.
• Ultimately, DPM will enable IRCC to provide
  • improved client experience
  • more streamlined, efficient operations
  • improved applications, data and infrastructure
  • enhanced management of programs and program integrity
  • strengthened organizational engagement and employee experience
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Next Steps

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Background

• In recent years, IRCC has undertaken extensive work to modernize. This includes creating fully digital lines of business (e.g., electronic travel authorization [eTA], Express Entry), introducing broad legal authorities for the use of electronic tools including automation, and developing program reform proposals for a digital future (e.g., Visitor Transformation, Express Entry 2.0).
• Since 2020, we have improved the client experience and enabled paperless processing by moving a significant number of services online, for example: virtual citizenship ceremonies and tests; new digital applications for citizenship, refugees and permanent lines of business; and online case trackers for many services.
• To fully transform and realize sustained benefits, DPM will enable the department to pivot towards a data- and evidence-driven modern immigration system that includes updated business processes, policy enhancements, legislative and regulatory amendments and a new digital technology platform.
• DPM is being designed, delivered, and implemented in an agile way over a period of 5 to 6 years and beyond. This approach will make it possible to develop and release business and technology capabilities as they are ready, driving benefits throughout the duration of the program.
• Over the fiscal year 2022–2023, the program made significant progress, including delivering the cloud component of a new integration solution that will improve the way the department digitally shares and exchanges information.