Ottawa, 3 November 2009—Citizenship and Immigration Canada has made a number of key decisions in recent years without properly assessing their costs and benefits, potential risks, and likely impact on other programs, says the Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, in her Report tabled today in the House of Commons. The audit found that the Department needs to evaluate the performance of its current programs and develop a clear vision of what each is expected to contribute to immigration objectives.
“Citizenship and Immigration Canada has to design and deliver foreign worker programs that meet the needs of the labour market,” said Ms. Fraser.
The audit found that some key decisions by the Department resulted in changes that have caused a significant shift in the types of foreign workers being admitted permanently to Canada. There is little evidence that this shift is part of any well-defined strategy to best meet the needs of the Canadian labour market.
The audit also found that the current practices of Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada do not ensure that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is delivered efficiently and effectively. For example, there is no systematic review to ensure that job offers are genuine and that employers are complying with the terms and conditions under which work permits are issued. Temporary foreign workers who are physically or linguistically isolated from the general community or are unaware of their rights could be particularly affected.
“The problems we noted could leave temporary foreign workers in a vulnerable position and pose significant risks to the integrity of the immigration program as a whole,” said Ms. Fraser.
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The chapter “Selecting Foreign Workers Under the Immigration Program” is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.
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