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2006-2007
Departmental Performance Report



Citizenship and Immigration Canada





The Honourable Diane Finley
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration



Table of Contents

Section 1: Overview

Section 2: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

A. Strategic Outcome 1: Maximum Contribution to Canada’s Economic, Social and Cultural Development from Migration

Introduction

Activity 1 – Immigration Program

Activity 2 – Temporary Resident Program

B. Strategic Outcome 2: Reflection of Canadian Values in the Management of International Migration, Including Refugee Protection

Introduction

Activity 3 – Canada’s Role in International Migration and Protection

Activity 4 – Refugee Program

C. Strategic Outcome 3: Successful Integration of Newcomers and Promotion of Canadian Citizenship

Introduction

Activity 5 – Integration Program

Activity 6 – Citizenship Program

Section 3: Supplementary Information

A. Organizational Information

B. Accountabilities

Section 4: Tables

Section 5: Other Items of Interest



Section 1: Overview

Minister’s Message

I am pleased to submit to Parliament the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Departmental Performance Report for 2006-2007.

Since I became Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Department has taken important steps to make our immigration system work for Canada while building on our country’s humanitarian tradition. As Minister of CIC, I strive to ensure that our immigration program responds to our needs as a country in a way that is fair and transparent, while adhering to the rule of law, and protecting the health, safety, and security of Canadians.

With a quarter of a million people coming to our country each year as immigrants, and an additional million or so as visitors — whether they be tourists, students, or temporary foreign workers — our great nation is indeed a destination of choice.

Our country benefits from the skills and enthusiasm that newcomers bring. Ensuring that Canada has the people and skills it needs to prosper in the 21st century involves making the best use of the human resources that we have. In order to maximize the social, cultural and economic benefits that newcomers bring to our communities, CIC launched a number of important initiatives to support the successful integration of newcomers, and to meet our labour market needs.

To this effect, we allocated $1.3 billion in settlement funding over the next five years to help newcomers improve their language skills, find work and family support. We implemented a comprehensive agreement with Ontario on our shared immigration responsibilities which, ultimately, will make the system work better for newcomers. We also signed a new Agreement for Canada-Alberta Cooperation on Immigration. This agreement will help Alberta attract immigrants more quickly and ensure that our immigration programs meet Alberta’s needs and the needs of newcomers.

Working with our provincial and territorial partners, we followed through on our commitment to enhance assessment and recognition of foreign credentials by opening the Foreign Credentials Referral Office. The new office will help newcomers access what they need to become accredited, both in Canada for those newcomers already here, and abroad for those waiting for the opportunity to come to Canada. The office provides referral services on the Canadian labour market and credential assessment processes through a dedicated 1-800 number and in-person service offered through Service Canada centres across the country, online services and in-person service overseas.

To ensure that we have the human resources that we need, we also developed ways to make it easier, faster, and less costly for employers to access the workers that they need. These changes will allow employers to reduce how long and how widely they must advertise available jobs before they are eligible to apply to hire a foreign worker. At the same time, we began working with Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC), Service Canada, and the provinces and territories on new measures to ensure that employers comply with program terms and conditions.

We also began developing a new avenue for immigration, which will permit, under certain conditions, foreign students with Canadian credentials and skilled work experience, along with skilled temporary foreign workers who are already in Canada, to apply for permanent residence.

In order to address the unique needs of victims of human trafficking, we developed guidelines for immigration officers, under which victims would be eligible to receive a fee-exempt Temporary Resident Permit that allows them to stay in Canada for up to 120 days, since extended further to 180 days, with access to health-care benefits under the Interim Federal Health Program.

We launched a public awareness campaign aimed at Permanent Residents, reminding them that these cards need to be renewed every five years.

To mark the 60th anniversary of Canadian citizenship in 2007, we launched celebrations and began to take steps to improve laws that govern citizenship in Canada. Bill C-14 contained amendments to eliminate excessive distinctions in the way that the Citizenship Act treats foreign-born children adopted by Canadian citizens, and received Royal Assent.

We also launched a public-information campaign directed at those who may have lost, or are at risk of losing, their citizenship, or wish to regain it.

And using the powers available to me as Minister under the Citizenship Act, I also obtained approval through the Governor in Council for a special grant of citizenship to individuals who did not meet the provisions within the current legislation for a regular citizenship grant, but whose circumstances called for special consideration.

I also announced my intention to table in the House a bill proposing a series of amendments to the Citizenship Act that would resolve most of the citizenship issues for individuals whose citizenship is in question. This bill would also eliminate onerous and confusing citizenship requirements.

We also furthered our humanitarian reputation as a country by accepting for resettlement those who are most in need of protection, involving more than 32,000 refugees and other protected persons from around the world. Among other things, we committed to resettle up to 5,000 Bhutanese refugees who have been living in camps in Nepal since the 1990s.

In order to maintain the integrity of our immigration system, we renewed our information-sharing agreement with the United States under the Government of Canada’s Multiple Borders Strategy, so that potential violators of immigration laws can be intercepted prior to arrival.

Finally, as part of our ongoing efforts to serve clients better, we implemented changes to our electronic services at our overseas offices to allow foreign nationals to enquire about the status of their visa applications by e-mail from anywhere in the world. As well, 71 percent of people who used our Call Centre reported being very satisfied with their experience.

These accomplishments would not have been possible without the dedicated employees of CIC who have contributed their talent and expertise to promote Canada as the truly great nation that it is. I would like to thank each of them for their hard work and dedication in this regard.

The Honourable Diane Finley P.C., MP
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2006-2007 Departmental Performance Report for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2006-2007 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports.

  • It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat guidance;
  • It is based on the Department’s approved Strategic Outcomes and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board;
  • It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information;
  • It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
  • It reports finances based on approved numbers from the Estimates and the Public Accounts of Canada.

 

Signed: ___________________________       Date: ___________________

Richard B. Fadden
Deputy Minister

Summary Information

Vision, Mission and Mandate

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) [note 1] is responsible for selecting immigrants and temporary residents and assisting with immigrant settlement and integration — including the granting of citizenship — while offering Canada’s protection to refugees and those in refugee-like situations. CIC is also responsible for developing Canada’s admissibility policy, setting the conditions to enter and remain in Canada, and conducting screening of immigrants and temporary residents to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians. In so doing, CIC, in collaboration with its partners, fulfils its role in identifying applicants who could pose risks to Canada for reasons including security, criminality, organized crime, and violation of human and international rights.

CIC has over 4000 employees in Canada and abroad. [note 2] It has 43 points of service in Canada and 90 [note 3] points of service in 77 other countries.

CIC’S VISION

An approach to immigration that:

  • Responds to the needs of communities in all parts of the country by creating opportunities for individuals to come to Canada to make an economic, social, cultural and civic contribution while also realizing their full potential, with a view to becoming citizens;
  • Supports global humanitarian efforts to assist those in need of protection.

CIC’S MISSION

CIC, with its partners, will build a stronger Canada by:

  • Developing and implementing policies, programs and services that:
    • Facilitate the arrival of persons and their integration to Canada in a way that maximizes their contribution to the country while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians;
    • Maintain Canada’s humanitarian tradition by protecting refugees and persons in need of protection; and
    • Enhance the values and promote the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship.
  • Advancing global migration policies in a way that supports Canada’s immigration and humanitarian objectives.

The Department was created through legislation in 1994 to link immigration services with citizenship registration to promote the unique ideals all Canadians share and to help build a stronger Canada. CIC derives its mandate from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), which is the result of major legislative reform in 2002, and from the Citizenship Act of 1977. Immigration is an area of shared jurisdiction with provinces and territories under the Constitution Act, 1867.

As a result of government reorganizations that saw a number of CIC’s key functions transferred to the new Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), [note 4] responsibility for administering IRPA is now shared between CIC and the CBSA. The organizations work collaboratively to achieve and balance the facilitation and enforcement objectives of the immigration program.

Financial Resources Used (in $ Millions)


Planned spending   $1,148.8
Total authorities $1,183.9
Actual spending $1,058.6

Explanation of resources used: Total authorities included planned spending of $1,148.8 million plus $35.1 million provided through Supplementary Estimates and additional statutory requirements – including employee benefit plans – for a total of $1,183.9 million.

Actual expenditures were lower than total authorities by $125.3 million. This consists of $84.0 million in funding approved for future years through reprofiling. The balance of the reduced requirements ($41.3 million) was mainly due to $21 million in operating lapses identified to be carried forward to the next fiscal year, lower than planned expenditures in Settlement programs and other general operating lapses.

Departmental Priorities

CIC established the following three priorities to guide the Department’s work in 2006-2007:

1. Implementing an integrated policy framework
2. Improving client service
3. Building the workforce of the future

CIC’s Strategic Outcomes and Program Activities

CIC’s three strategic outcomes describe the long term-results that the Department’s programs are designed to achieve. The Department’s Program Activity Architecture (PAA) is a framework that provides an inventory of the Department’s programs and activities and describes their linkages to the three strategic outcomes. The PAA also provides an enduring foundation for financial and performance reporting to Parliament.

Alignment of CIC’s Strategic Outcomes with Government of Canada Outcomes

The following table shows CIC’s program activities, their linkages to the strategic outcomes and how they align with Government of Canada outcomes. [note 5]


Government of Canada
Outcomes		 CIC’s Strategic Outcomes CIC’s Program Activities

Economic

Strong economic growth

 1. Maximum contribution to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development from migration

1. Immigration Program

2. Temporary Resident Program

International

A safe and secure world through international cooperation

 2. Reflection of Canadian values and interests in the management of international migration, including refugee protection

3. Canada’s Role in International Migration and Protection

4. Refugee Program

Social

Diverse society that promotes linguistic duality and social inclusion

 3. Successful integration of newcomers and promotion of Canadian citizenship

5. Integration Program

6. Citizenship Program

A change in CIC’s PAA was announced in February 2006 and was approved by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) on June 22, 2006. The change reflected the transfer of responsibility, including funding, for the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative (TWRI) to the TBS and subsequently to Environment Canada. Funding allocations across CIC’s other strategic outcomes and program activities, as illustrated in Section 2 below, were not affected.

Performance Status Based on Program Activity Architecture [note 6]


    2006-2007
Program Activity Expected Result
* Indicator		 Performance
Status		 Planned
Spending
(in $millions)		 Actual
Spending
(in $millions)
Strategic Outcome 1:
Maximum contribution to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development from migration
1. Immigration Program Contribution, through the immigration program, to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development
* Achievement of Immigration Plan		 Successfully met
$197.2
$244.8
2. Temporary Resident Program Contribution, through the temporary residents program, to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development
* Number of Temporary Residents (processed on demand)		 Exceeded expectations
$89.1
$104.9
Strategic Outcome 2:
Reflection of Canadian values and interests in the management of international migration, including refugee protection
3. Canada’s Role in International Migration and Protection Canada influences the international agenda on migration and protection
* Influence on international migration and protection policies		 Successfully met
$4.9
$2.8
4. Refugee Program Maintenance of Canada’s humanitarian tradition with respect to refugees and persons in need of protection
* Achievement of protected persons levels of the Immigration Plan		 Successfully met
$93.7
$84.1
Strategic Outcome 3:
Successful integration of newcomers and promotion of Canadian citizenship
5. Integration Program Successful integration of newcomers into Canadian society within a
reasonable time frame; Newcomers contribute to the economic, social and cultural development needs of Canada
* Labour market integration		 Successfully met
$675.7
$550.6
6. Citizenship Program Accordance of full participation in Canadian society to eligible
permanent residents;
Contribution to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development
* Attitudes towards Canadian citizenship		 Successfully met
$88.2
$71.4

Operating Context

An ever-changing world continues to present Canada’s immigration and citizenship program with new issues and challenges associated with an evolving global economy, and shifting demographic patterns and geopolitical trends.

Factors that have influenced migration in recent decades include population growth, market globalization, advances in communication technology, ease of transportation, political, economic and social conditions, regional conflicts, and environmental degradation and natural disasters. Canada has one of the highest per capita rates of permanent immigration in the world — roughly 0.7 percent annually in recent years — and has welcomed 3.5 million immigrants in the last 15 years.

The growth of the economy depends essentially on two factors: the share of the population that is working and the productivity of the workforce. According to Statistics Canada’s most recent demographic projections, Canada’s population should continue to grow between now and 2056, though its growth will gradually slow. Based on current trends, the working age population, which determines the size of the labour force, will grow more and more slowly until 2020, remain steady for a decade, and then resume growing. The percentage of the population that is working age, however, will decline steadily from approximately 70 percent now to about 60 percent in the 2030s. An increase in either birth rate or immigration would likely expand the size of the labour force but would have only a marginal influence on participation rates in the short or medium term.

Immigration has largely defined what Canada is today and has been a sustaining feature of Canada’s history. It will continue to play a key role in building the Canada of tomorrow and in supporting our economic and social objectives by helping to meet future labour market and community needs. The world is faced with a shortage of skilled labour and Canada is in competition with other industrialized countries for qualified workers. Some occupations, sectors, industries, and regions have experienced shortages of skilled workers in recent years. It is therefore important that Canada make the most of everyone’s skills, including those of newcomers. The Government of Canada has proposed to work with provincial and territorial partners to put in place a fair process for foreign credential assessment. It must also continue to develop its ability to attract and retain immigrants through proactive recruitment and effective integration and family reunification programs.

The globalization of markets, communications and travel has also resulted in a corresponding increase in risks. Ease of travel means that epidemics of diseases such as SARS and avian influenza can rapidly spread across the world if they are not managed effectively. Political conflict and civil strife in some parts of the world can also have widespread ramifications and undermine our collective sense of security. A key challenge for Canada is to strike the right balance between facilitating the entry of foreign nationals who have the potential to contribute to our economic, social and cultural life and protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians. CIC continues to work with its partners to fulfil its role in identifying applicants who could pose security, safety or health risks to Canada in order to ensure that the benefits of a more responsive immigration system are not undermined.

In line with a longstanding humanitarian tradition, each year Canada offers safe haven to many displaced and persecuted people. A key challenge is to ensure that our refugee protection system is fair, efficient and consistent with Canadian values such as respect for human rights, equality, fairness, peace and the rule of law.

CIC carries out its work on immigration, integration and citizenship issues in close collaboration with a number of partners: other government departments, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and employers. Other government departments such as the CBSA, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are key to managing the business of bringing people to Canada, particularly in assisting CIC with its security and screening role. The provinces and territories, municipal governments, NGOs, and employers are instrumental in managing the settlement of newcomers once they arrive. The Department works in concert with other government departments (principally Canadian Heritage, Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), Justice and Public Safety) to promote Canadian citizenship and civic practice, and to develop a shared understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a context of deepening diversity.

CIC must be aware that, increasingly, citizenship, immigration and integration policies will have to be developed with a global context in mind.

It is a challenging environment. Getting services to the right people, at the right time and place, is CIC’s goal. In order to achieve that goal, the Department must develop a fully integrated approach to policy development, program design and service delivery that will attract, retain and integrate immigrants, provide refugee protection and modernize citizenship.

To support its Strategic Outcomes, CIC has focused on three priority areas in 2006-2007:

  • Implementing an integrated policy framework;
  • Improving client service; and
  • Building the workforce of the future.

Departmental Priorities

Priority 1: Implementing an Integrated Policy Framework

The integrated policy framework supports all three of the Department’s strategic outcomes by:

  • Providing a strategic roadmap to ensure all CIC programs and policies work together to serve Canada’s interests and fulfil our policy objectives to contribute to generating wealth and building Canada’s economy, sustaining strong communities and supporting Canada’s role in protecting those most in need;
  • Facilitating better coordination among partners and other stakeholders;
  • Building on existing capacities and mechanisms for sharing jurisdictional responsibility for immigration;
  • Providing ongoing mechanisms to share relevant information and to better direct that information into the policy and program development process;
  • Positioning Canada to more effectively respond to future challenges and take advantage of global economic and social conditions that affect migration, and domestic conditions that affect the integration and settlement of newcomers;
  • Modernizing our client service model and addressing the challenges in the current delivery system; and
  • Laying out a path to provide the sustainable investments needed.

The successful implementation of an integrated framework will require working in close partnership with other Government of Canada departments, provinces/territories and other key players such as communities, employers, and non-governmental organizations. Ongoing consultations with a range of stakeholders are defining the challenges in the immigration and citizenship system and ensuring support for future directions.

Over the past year, efforts have been devoted to improving labour market responsiveness, addressing key issues such as foreign adoptions and citizenship loss and acquisition, and developing sufficient supports for settlement and integration. Over the next year, broad engagement will continue to advance the integrated framework and help develop measures that will support its overall directions.

Priority 2: Improving Client Service

The decision to immigrate to Canada or to apply for citizenship is an important life decision. Both clients and CIC are better served when this decision is based on realistic, authoritative and timely information. People need to know about the opportunities, challenges and difficulties involved in immigrating, working and living in Canada and about the privileges and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship. Clients and the Department also benefit when immigration and citizenship application processing is simple, predictable and transparent.

While Canada’s immigration system provides a strong foundation upon which to build, there are challenges in the areas of application management and client service. Responding to these challenges will involve enhancing services to clients while maintaining the integrity of the system, improving public perception of the system and ensuring that Canada remains an attractive destination for skilled immigrants. The increasing number of applications, for both temporary and permanent residence, shows that Canada continues to be a destination of choice.

However, a high volume of permanent resident applications, which exceeds the government’s immigration targets and processing capacity, helped create a large inventory of applications. Whereas, CIC continued to provide priority processing of sponsored spouses and children and refugees, there has been a growing number of applicants in the skilled workers and parents and grandparents categories. Furthermore, a steady increase in temporary resident applications, which are not constrained by target levels, also stretched the Department’s processing capacity and resources. Inventories have continued to rise, putting pressure on program delivery and contributing to lengthy wait times that make it challenging to manage client expectations. While CIC is equipped to deliver on its annual immigration targets, it must manage applications under the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) category within its existing resources. Since CIC is obligated to process all applications it receives, this could lead to an erosion of the capacity to deliver on its planned admission targets, given that TFW applications take priority over the processing of permanent resident visas. These pressures highlight the need to find the right balance between temporary and permanent streams of immigration.

In 2006, CIC adopted a comprehensive three-year framework for client service modernization aimed at improving immigration and citizenship service delivery. It focuses on improvements in six key areas: policy directions that support client service, program management, administrative measures, electronic services and tools, resources, and partner engagement. Significant progress has been made in all of these areas, and CIC is committed to continuing to provide quality information and services to meet clients’ evolving needs and expectations. In order to support that commitment, CIC developed and adopted “A Commitment to Client Service and Guiding Principles for service improvement,” a departmental service delivery strategy, based on the feedback from internal and external focus groups.

During 2006-2007 the focus has been on introducing program improvements, reducing processing times in a number of areas, making better use of the Internet and on-line services, simplifying application kits and processes, providing better information through CIC’s Call Centre and streamlining service delivery with partners. Improvements that have been implemented include the following:

  • The Off-Campus Work Permit Program, which allows international students attending public post-secondary educational institutions to work part-time off campus, was launched in April 2006.
  • TFW units were established in Vancouver and Calgary in September 2006, following on the success of the TFW unit established in Montreal in 2003. The TFW units provide advice to employers who plan to hire temporary foreign workers who are exempted from the labour market confirmation process. The units also prescreen supporting documents from employers to streamline the application process for these workers.
  • Average processing times for citizenship grants were reduced to 12 months (down from 15 to 18 months in previous years), and related inventories dropped to 185,000 (from 345,500), as of February 2007.
  • Despite significant growth in the volume of Temporary Resident applications abroad, 73 percent of all temporary worker applications were processed in 28 days or less with an approval rate of 91 percent, and 76 percent of all student applications were processed in 28 days or less with an approval rate of 77 percent.
  • The Right of Permanent Residence Fee was reduced by 50 percent (Budget 2006). As of February 2007, CIC had refunded about $40 million in fees to some 83,000 applicants.
  • Enhancements to on-line tools such as the Residence Calculator and Electronic Client Application Status (E-CAS) were completed. The improvements will make it easier for applicants to assess their residence eligibility before starting the citizenship application process and will give more applicants access to information about their applications.
  • The application process for most applicants in the economic classes was simplified. Clients are now required to submit supporting documentation only when the visa office is ready to assess their applications. The regulations and processing fees in effect on the date they submit their basic application forms will still apply.
  • Discussions with Service Canada were initiated regarding joint pilot projects to enhance service delivery and negotiations were launched for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to allow faster validation of citizenship information for Social Insurance Number card applications. Two pilot projects initiated with Service Canada in Quebec in 2005-2006 were continued. They are testing ways to expand in-person services and strengthen CIC’s delivery network.

Service improvements are being introduced gradually to provide short-term solutions and ensure medium-term transformation. To ensure a smooth transition and continuity in service delivery, the sequence of changes will continue to be guided by client feedback, project feasibility, cost and operational requirements.

Priority 3: Building the Workforce of the Future

CIC employees are instrumental in building Canadian society. The policy, program and client service that they provide are critical to Canada’s economic, social and international success today and in the future. CIC recognizes the importance of employees to organizational success and the pivotal and critical link between employees, clients and, ultimately, public trust.

Emerging public sector research [note 7] shows a clear and unequivocal link between employees, citizens’/ clients’ service satisfaction and citizens’ trust in public institutions. CIC faces the same challenges as other organizations within and external to the Canadian Federal Public Service — we need to change the way business is done in order to better serve our clients and all Canadians. CIC is facing increased retirements and relatively high departure rates. This presents retention, recruitment and succession management challenges. It also presents learning and knowledge transfer challenges as we integrate a larger number of new employees than in the past.

In order to achieve planned results and support departmental priorities, in 2006-2007, CIC began developing strategies to foster employee satisfaction and commitment, and ensure that the Department continues to be an attractive employer. For example, CIC provides an effective conflict resolution system comprised of preventive and collaborative approaches to deal with workplace issues. A number of employee networks (Youth Network, Diversity Network, Middle Managers Network) have also been established whose members meet regularly to discuss and develop innovative means of enhancing the workplace and workforce.

In 2006-2007, CIC set up a Workforce Renewal Office to develop ongoing and sustainable solutions as we move forward. Research and employee engagement were undertaken in order to frame the priority and better understand the underlying factors and forces at play, and enhance awareness among employees and managers about the nature and extent of workforce related challenges facing CIC.

CIC also developed its first three-year Human Resource Strategy in 2006-2007 and began work in the following areas.

  • Strategic resourcing;
  • A representative and diverse workforce;
  • An enabling organizational culture;
  • Succession planning and leadership excellence; and
  • Competency acquisition and continuous learning.

Through CIC’s business planning process, all sectors of the Department committed to key activities in support of the “workforce of the future” priority. This was accomplished through sound HR planning that linked business directions [note 8] with future demographic issues, learning needs of employees, and recruitment, training and development strategies. Results from the 2005 Public Service Employee Survey and departmental turnover rates were reviewed in order to identify opportunities for workplace improvements and develop strategies.

Management Agenda

CIC remains committed to continuous improvement through the pursuit of excellence in management practices. CIC is recognized as a leading Department in this area, and will continue to identify and strengthen key management practices. As it further operationalizes the use of the Management Accountability Framework (MAF), CIC has taken steps to promote its use as the instrument of choice for monitoring its management practices.

CIC has made significant progress in the development, risk ranking, establishment of audit criteria, and ownership of departmental fundamental controls. We are now poised to pursue our validation of controls specific to this Department and will continue to work with the TBS in this regard. In order to support horizontal work among departments, CIC has been sharing its work with other interested departments.

CIC has implemented a business planning process that integrates business activities with strategic and operational human resources plans and focuses on key risks, and financial, information technology and accommodation requirements. Sector work plans at the Assistant Deputy Minister level now form the basis of CIC’s Corporate Business Plan, which spans three years of the Department’s strategic and ongoing agendas. The planning process involves cross-departmental training that promotes common understanding and practices as a means to improve business planning. As part of management accountability, in 2006-2007, CIC conducted a mid-year review of its plans to ensure that they were aligned with business results.

In 2006-2007, CIC used workshops and multi-level discussions to develop a corporate risk profile that identified key departmental risks. The profile emphasizes areas of accountability, periodic monitoring, and the ongoing review and adjustment of corporate risks.

At CIC, ethical leadership is a fundamental principle of accountability, and values and ethics are considered the underpinning of management accountability. The Deputy Minister clearly requested that senior executives consider actions to reinforce values and ethics in their performance plans for the year. The values and ethics support group was reinvigorated, interested staff received training, and an action and communications plan was developed.

CIC is on track to meet the requirements of the new TBS Policy on Internal Audit. In 2006-2007, the Department hired additional experienced auditors with professional designations and recruited a new external member for the Audit Committee. It also implemented an Audit Committee Secretariat to support the activities of the Audit Committee. Internal Audit Branch finalized a Risk-based Audit Plan for 2007-2010. A preliminary Internal Audit Quality Assessment review was performed and results were presented to the Audit Committee. CIC will continue its systematic review of control and accountability processes.

Critical Partnerships

The successful management of Canada’s immigration program depends on ongoing cooperation with a wide range of partners. CIC works with many partners on both international and domestic immigration issues, but stronger relationships with an even broader variety of partners are needed to build Canada’s future.

Since jurisdiction over immigration is a shared responsibility, effective collaboration between the federal government and the provinces and territories is essential to the successful management of the immigration program. For this reason, provincial and territorial governments are CIC’s primary partners. Our shared goal is to make immigration programs responsive to the unique economic, social and labour market needs of each province and territory.

CIC has signed framework agreements for cooperation on immigration with eight provinces and territories, as well as Provincial Nominee agreements with 10 jurisdictions. [note 9] The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) provides provinces and territories with the authority to nominate individuals as permanent residents to address specific labour market and economic development needs.

The Canada-Quebec Accord is the most comprehensive bilateral agreement on immigration in that it gives Quebec full responsibility for selecting its immigrants (with the exception of the members of the family class and refugees whose status is determined in Canada) and for providing settlement and integration services to newcomers, as well as the authority to set its own annual immigration targets. CIC continued to work very closely with Quebec in managing and coordinating this immigration partnership throughout the year.

The year 2006-2007 saw the development of new framework agreements and the renewal of others. A first-ever comprehensive agreement with Alberta was signed in May 2007. To meet Alberta’s growing demand for labour, the agreement removed the limit on the number of immigrants that can be nominated through the PNP and announced the intention to develop an annex to facilitate the entry of temporary foreign workers. The Provincial Nominee agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador was renewed during the year, coming into force in November 2006.

Also, in September 2006, a MOU was signed by the federal government, the Ontario government, and the City of Toronto. This marks the first time that collaboration has been established between all three levels of government in immigration matters. The MOU focuses on improving immigrant outcomes in areas such as access to employment, services, and educational and training opportunities, as well as citizenship and civic engagement.

Multilateral meetings are increasingly being used to discuss common approaches and concerns with respect to immigration issues and for sharing best practices. During 2006-2007, CIC undertook two sets of consultations with provincial and territorial counterparts regarding the allocation and use of new settlement funding. In a separate exercise, a joint federal-provincial working group planned and launched the first ever consultations with stakeholders across the country on the development of a multi-year plan on immigration levels. At the ministerial level, discussions were held on immigration levels planning, labour market needs, foreign credential recognition, the integration of immigrants into Canadian communities and long-term settlement funding.

CIC works closely with the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) [note 10] on issues relating to the management of the refugee and immigration portfolio. The IRB is an independent administrative tribunal that adjudicates immigration inadmissibility, detention, appeals and refugee protection claims made within Canada. While the independence of the IRB and its decision makers is always maintained, there is close collaboration with CIC on policy and program issues.

CIC and the CBSA share responsibility for administering IRPA and support each other in carrying out their respective functions. With support from the CBSA and security agencies, CIC screens immigrants and temporary residents, assists with immigrant settlement and integration, and offers Canada’s protection to refugees and those in refugee-like situations. CIC supports the CBSA in managing and running Canada’s ports of entry. CIC provides information and other support to build intelligence to prevent inadmissible persons from reaching Canada and to detect persons who are in Canada but in contravention of IRPA. In March 2006, CIC and the CBSA formalized their close partnership through an MOU that defines how the two organizations work together to deliver all aspects of the immigration and refugee protection programs. As the MOU is implemented, CIC will continue to work closely with the CBSA to support the removal of inadmissible persons and to investigate the use of biometrics and other technologies in order to strengthen client identification and document and program integrity.

In Canada and overseas, CIC delivers its programs in collaboration with DFAIT, Public Safety Canada and other key agencies involved in managing access to Canada and protecting Canadian society. These agencies include the CBSA, the RCMP and CSIS, which work to ensure public safety. They also include Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), which work with CIC on immigrant health issues. CIC also works with Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) on several files, including the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the Foreign Credential Referral Office, as well as with Canadian Heritage on citizenship promotion activities and on Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism. Finally, CIC works with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to respond to humanitarian needs and increase international dialogue on migration and development.

Given the complexities of international migration management, there are few areas of policy and program interest where Canada can act alone. CIC has a number of key ongoing bilateral, regional and multilateral relationships, which are important vehicles for advancing Canadian objectives. CIC remains focused on asserting Canada’s role in international migration and protection. It is helping to set the international refugee protection agenda through regular sessions of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Working Group on Resettlement and its Executive Committee. It is also working with other Member States to develop strategic directions for the International Organization for Migration. CIC also actively participates in fora such as the Inter-Governmental Consultations on Asylum, Refugees and Migration Policies, the Four Country Conference, and the Regional Conference on Migration (Puebla Process). The Department is working with other states to influence the organization of the non-binding, states-led Global Forum on Migration and Development. CIC also represents Canada on migration matters at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Canada maintains important relationships with a number of other countries with an interest in migration and CIC fosters key bilateral and regional ties. In the North American context, CIC helps to facilitate the movement of workers under the North American Free Trade Agreement as well as under specific seasonal agricultural worker agreements with Mexico and several Caribbean countries. CIC is committed to shared border initiatives with the United States, including the Security and Prosperity Partnership.

CIC also works closely with a wide range of stakeholders, including employers, service provider organizations (SPOs) and various interest groups. CIC will continue to foster these relationships and encourage stakeholders to take on greater partnership responsibilities with respect to the Immigration Program.



Section 2: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

The following section provides an overview of CIC’s PAA and highlights program activities and the results achieved for each of the Department’s three strategic outcomes. It also contains tables showing the Department’s planned and actual financial resources for 2006-2007 by program activity.

CIC’s programs generate revenue from application and rights fees that is deposited in the Consolidated Revenue Fund and is not available for respending by the Department. Please refer to Table 6 for a listing of non-respendable revenue by activity. Activities that contribute to more than one outcome or that are Department-wide in nature are addressed in Section 5: “Other Items of Interest.”

The following table demonstrates how the Department’s expected program results contribute to its strategic outcomes.


Strategic Outcomes Expected Results
SO1: Maximum contribution to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development from migration.

1. Immigration Program: Contribution, through the immigration program, to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development.

2. Temporary Resident Program: Contribution, through the temporary resident program, to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development.
SO2: Reflection of Canadian values and interests in the management of international migration, including refugee protection.

3. Canada’s role in international migration and protection: Canada influences the international agenda on migration and protection.

4. Refugee Program: Maintenance of Canada’s humanitarian tradition with respect to refugees and persons in need of protection.
SO3: Successful integration of newcomers and promotion of Canadian citizenship.

5. Integration Program: Successful integration of newcomers into Canadian society within a reasonable time frame; newcomers contribute to the economic, social and cultural development needs of Canada.

6. Citizenship Program: Accordance of full participation in Canadian society to eligible permanent residents; contribution to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development.

A. Strategic Outcome 1:
Maximum Contribution to Canada’s Economic, Social and Cultural Development from Migration

Introduction

Migration is a positive force for economic and social development. CIC continues to promote Canada as a destination of choice for talent, innovation, investment and opportunity. Canada’s immigration system facilitates the entry of immigrants and temporary residents who can contribute to the labour market and economy through their skills or business experience, or through the capital they invest. Canada also welcomes family class immigrants who are sponsored, and therefore supported in their initial integration, by close family members. Many people sponsored as members of the family class also make a significant economic contribution to Canada. The success of these programs requires a balance between welcoming newcomers and protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians.

In 2006-2007, CIC worked with its partners toward increasing the contribution of the economic immigration stream to support Canada’s prosperity and competitiveness. The aim was to have a more responsive immigration system that recruits and selects immigrants who best meet labour market and economic objectives, while improving outcomes for new immigrants and maintaining the integrity of the Immigration Program. Priority processing continued to be provided to applicants selected by provinces to meet their specific employment and demographic needs. In addition, CIC explored ways to facilitate the transition from temporary to permanent residence for those who have the potential to successfully integrate into Canadian society, including temporary residents such as foreign workers who come to Canada for a fixed period of time, and foreign students. Temporary workers and foreign students are a valuable source of potential immigrants who can not only help meet current labour market and economic objectives but are also well poised to achieve economic success in Canada. CIC’s work was instrumental in the announcement of proposed improvements to the Temporary Foreign Workers program and a proposed new avenue to immigration for Canadian-educated foreign students and experienced temporary foreign workers in Budget 2007.

CIC continued to reunite families by giving priority to the processing of applications from sponsored spouses and dependent children at all of our points of service. The number of applications from parents and grandparents that were processed increased over the previous two years. In the past year, CIC strengthened partnerships to encourage immigration across Canada. It continued to work closely with its provincial and territorial partners to select immigrants and temporary workers who meet the provinces’ and territories’ particular economic, social and cultural needs.

CIC also continued to fulfil its role in identifying applicants for permanent or temporary status who could pose security or health risks to Canadians, in order to ensure that the benefits of a more responsive immigration system are not undermined. To successfully detect and deter fraud, CIC relied on effective partnerships with other departments such as the CBSA, the RCMP, PHAC and Health Canada, as well as on its own expertise.

Each year, under section 94 of IRPA, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration is required to table before Parliament an immigration plan outlining the total number of immigrants Canada aims to receive in the subsequent year. CIC has met or exceeded its planned immigration targets for the past seven years. Please refer to the table below for the immigration target ranges and admissions for 2006.

Activity 1 – Immigration Program


Description Expected Results
Design, develop and implement policies and
programs to facilitate the entry of permanent
residents in a way which maximizes their
economic, social and cultural contribution to
Canada while protecting the health, safety and
security of Canadians		 Contribution, through the immigration
program, to Canada’s economic, social and
cultural development

Financial Resources (in $ Millions)


Planned spending   $197.2
Total authorities $267.5
Actual spending $244.8

Explanation of resources used: Total authorities increased by $70.3 million over planned spending, primarily due to additional statutory requirements including employee benefit plans.

Actual expenditures were lower than total authorities by $22.7 million as a result of general operating lapses to be carried forward to 2007-2008 and due to costs incurred in the processing of parents and grandparents being lower than originally planned.

Achievement of Immigration Levels

CIC met its target immigration level in 2006. The target range for 2006 was 225,000 to 255,000, and 251,649 permanent residents were admitted.

New Permanent Residents in 2006, by Immigration Category (Compared to the Immigration Plan)


  Plan 2006
Target Ranges		 Admitted
Number %
Economic Class
Skilled Workers
105,000 – 116,000
105,949
42.10
Business Immigrants
9,000 – 11,000
12,077
4.80
Live-in Caregivers
3,000 – 5,000
6,895
2.74
Provincial/Territorial Nominees
9,000 – 11,000
13,336
5.30
Total Economic Class (incl. dependants)
126,000 – 143,000
138,257
54.94
Family Class
Spouses, Partners, Children and Others
44,000 – 46,000
50,500
20.07
Parents and Grandparents
17,000 – 19,000
20,006
7.95
Total Family Class
61,000-65,000
70,506
28.02
Protected Persons
Government-Assisted Refugees
7,300 – 7,500
7,316
2.91
Privately Sponsored Refugees
3,000 – 4,000
3,337
1.33
Inland Protected Persons
19,500 – 22,000
15,892
6.32
Dependants Abroad
3,000 – 6,800
5,947
2.36
Total Protected Persons
32,800 – 40,300
32,492
12.91
Other
Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds/Public Policy
5,100 – 6,500
10,223
4.06
Permit Holders
100 – 200
159
0.06
Total Others
5,200 – 6,700
10,382
4.12
Category not stated  
12
> 0.01
TOTAL
225,000 – 255,000
251,649
100.0

Policy and Program Development

Policy and planning work to develop options for facilitating the transition from temporary to permanent status culminated in the announcement in Budget 2007 of a proposed new avenue to immigration by permitting, under certain conditions, foreign students with a Canadian credential and skilled work experience, and skilled temporary foreign workers who are already in Canada, to apply for permanent residence. As the program is rolled out in the coming months, it is expected that it will lead to improved and more rapid success for this group of economic immigrants.

Policy and development work on multi-year planning for setting immigration levels was a key priority in 2006-2007. At the June 2006 meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers responsible for Immigration, Ministers endorsed the development of a multi-year plan and a joint consultation process with stakeholders across the country. In the fall and early winter of 2006, CIC developed a consultation strategy and approach in cooperation with provincial and territorial departments. Consultations, which were launched in March 2007 across the country, will inform work on a proposed multi-year planning approach.

A multi-year plan will allow CIC to take a longer view in the planning process for immigration. It will make it possible to deliver a balanced stream of temporary and permanent immigrants suited both to the immediate and longer-term needs of Canadian communities and labour markets. Over the long term, it will foster greater cohesion in the immigration system and contribute to improved economic and social outcomes for immigrants.

A key policy challenge relates to how the benefits of immigration can be shared more equitably throughout Canada. For example, under the auspices of the Atlantic Population Table, CIC continues to work with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the four Atlantic Provinces and HRSDC to create integrated initiatives that support increased immigration to meet local needs. In particular, CIC is collaborating in initiatives to support immigration research and labour market integration of international students in Atlantic Canada.

CIC and Ontario’s Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, in collaboration with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), are working to increase municipal government involvement in the attraction, retention, settlement and integration of immigrants. This work, which follows through on commitments made under the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), focuses primarily on the needs of immigrants in urban centres outside the City of Toronto, in smaller centres, and rural, northern and official language minority communities across the province. CIC is also providing the province with funding to help develop on-line content for the Ontario immigration portal. The content will promote Ontario municipalities to prospective immigrants and newcomers to Canada. In May 2006, funding was announced for five municipalities: London, Ottawa, Windsor-Essex, Sudbury and Toronto.

In September 2006, CIC released the Strategic Plan to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities, a long-term plan to work toward attracting, integrating and retaining French-speaking immigrants in communities throughout Canada. [note 11]

As part of the ongoing review of the current Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) policy, an evaluation framework was completed in December 2006. The review will continue through 2007-2008 and is expected to identify areas where the policy may be improved in order to enhance accountability and service delivery.

As part of the Department’s commitment to protecting victims of human trafficking, guidelines were released in May 2006 that encourage immigration officers to issue possible victims a short-term Temporary Resident Permit (TRP). A longer-term TRP can be issued when it is established that the person is a victim of trafficking. Victims of trafficking will be exempted from the fee for the initial short-term TRP, and will be eligible for health-care benefits under the Interim Federal Health program. CIC continues to monitor the implementation of these interim guidelines. To complement the guidelines, CIC, in cooperation with the CBSA, is developing training programs to raise awareness of trafficking among frontline officers.

To better serve immigrants who choose to use an immigration representative, CIC is developing a policy on information sharing between CIC and these bodies in order to promote consumer protection and program integrity.

In 2006-2007, CIC also established an Anti-fraud Network and Bulletin to promote increased awareness of fraud and to facilitate the sharing of best practices among CIC officers in Canada and abroad.

Selection and Processing of Skilled Workers

Baseline data continued to be collected for use in a formative evaluation to assess the early outcomes of skilled worker immigrants selected under the new criteria introduced by IRPA in June 2002. At the end of 2006-2007, data volumes were still not sufficiently large nor representative enough to allow work on a full evaluation to begin. An evaluation will begin in 2007-2008, with results available in 2008-2009.

In 2006, Skilled Worker admissions reached 105,949, meeting the planned range announced in the 2006 Levels Plan.

Selection and Processing of Business Immigrants

In 2006-2007, the data requirements to evaluate the federal Entrepreneur program were clarified and data collection was started. CIC will work to streamline and coordinate best practices for program delivery.

In 2006-2007, CIC continued to monitor approximately 60 private and provincially administered investment funds that operate under the 1976 Immigration Act. The monitoring ensures the funds comply with the Act and associated regulations.

Under the Immigrant Investor Program (IIP), launched in April 1999, CIC acts as an agent to allocate immigrant investor capital to participating provincial and territorial governments for their use in economic development initiatives. No new provinces or territories joined the program in 2006-2007. CIC is continuing discussions with other provinces that have expressed an interest in participating.

As of March 31, 2007, CIC had gross allocations outstanding of $875,200,000 to the provincial government funds operating under the new IIP. This is not recorded as either an asset or liability of the Government of Canada because CIC acts solely as an agent for the provinces. Only investments that have been collected, but not yet remitted to either the provincial funds or to the investor (i.e. they are still being held in CIC’s account for a limited period of time), are recorded.

Details of amounts remitted to the participating provinces are as follows.


Year
Received		 Investors Amount
Invested		 Ontario B.C. P.E.I. Manitoba N.W.T. Newfoundland Year of
Repayment
2002-03
80
32,000,000
17,600,216
8,970,814
5,428,970
–
–
–
2007-08
2003-04
105
42,000,000
21,875,124
10,615,401
6,104,484
1,384,506
2,020,485
–
2008-09
2004-05
723
289,200,000
133,807,464
59,016,231
29,740,972
37,029,218
29,606,115
–
2009-10
2005-06
757
302,800,000
132,781,133
57,648,800
26,905,490
34,279,968
26,870,025
24,314,584
2010-11
2006-07
527
210,800,000
90,939,316
39,979,871
18,136,775
23,240,523
18,154,036
20,349,479
2011-12
Total $
2192
876,800,000
397,003,253
176,231,117
86,316,691
95,934,215
76,650,661
44,664,063
 

During 2006-2007, the following amounts allocated to provincial funds were repaid to investors via CIC. Investors can make a request for repayment if a permanent resident visa was not issued.


Investment
Year		 Investors Investment Ontario B.C. P.E.I. Manitoba N.W.T. Newfoundland Refund
Year
2005-06
1
400,000
173,867
74,684
34,430
44,130
34,365
38,524
2006-07
2004-05
3
1,200,000
556,344
243,711
123,420
153,834
122,691
–
2006-07

In 2006, business immigrant admissions reached 12,077, exceeding the planned range of 9,000 to 11,000 announced in the 2006 Levels Plan.

Family Class

In December 2006, the Department’s interim policy on same-sex marriage was repealed. As a result, same-sex marriages are now recognized for all immigration purposes as long as the marriage is legally recognized both under Canadian law, and where the marriage occurred outside of Canada, in the country where the marriage ceremony occurred.

The inter-country adoption process is a shared responsibility between the federal and provincial/territorial governments. In March 2007, a rountable meeting was held with our partners to discuss respective roles and responsibilities with regard to better protecting adopted children.

In 2006, Family Class admissions reached 70,506, exceeding the planned range of 61,000 to 65,000 announced in the 2006 Levels Plan. The largest portion of this increase consisted of 4,500 admissions above the upper end of the planning range for the Spouses, Partners and Children category in response to higher than expected application volumes in 2006. The remaining increase of some 1,000 admissions was in the Parents and Grandparents category, which resulted from a time-limited increase in resources provided mid-year to address inventories in Canada and in missions abroad.

Provincial and Territorial Nominee Program (PNP)

CIC offered several rounds of training across Canada to provincial government staff in 2006-2007 in order to improve processing of applicants in PNPs. CIC is also a regular coorganizer and participant in biannual federal-provincial/territorial working groups, a forum in which program information and best practices are shared between federal and provincial PNP staff.

In 2006-2007, the Department undertook negotiations for new PNP agreements with Alberta, Prince Edward Island, Yukon and Nova Scotia and signed a new agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador. These new agreements include clauses to strengthen Official Language Minority Communities throughout Canada.

In 2006, provincial nominee admissions reached 13,336, exceeding the planned range of 9,000 to 11,000 announced in the 2006 Levels Plan. The increase is due largely to growing nomination volumes by provinces in response to strong demand for workers with specialized skills in certain regions and labour markets across Canada. CIC continued to provide priority processing to applicants selected by provinces.

Permanent Resident Card

An analysis of immigration and citizenship trends was completed in order to forecast Permanent Resident (PR) card renewal volumes. No significant funding pressure is anticipated, except for 2008-2009, when the volume of PR card requests is estimated to be well above CIC’s capacity. This high volume is anticipated as PR cards were introduced in 2002, have a five-year expiry date, and because the bulk of these cards were issued in 2003-2004.

A PR card renewal campaign was implemented and products were distributed to CIC offices inland and overseas, and to the CBSA, MPs and other partners. Ads were placed in most national newspapers, magazines, travel sites and ethnic media and newspapers. The campaign reminds permanent residents of the expiry date on their cards and therefore influences the timing of renewal applications. CIC’s Web page also provides information on PR card renewal.

Activity 2 – Temporary Resident Program


Description Expected Results
Design, develop and implement policies and programs to facilitate the entry of temporary workers, students and visitors in a way which maximizes their economic, social and cultural contribution to Canada while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians Contribution, through the temporary resident program, to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development

Financial Resources (in $ Millions)


Planned spending  
$89.1
Total authorities
$118.3
Actual spending
$104.9

Explanation of resources used: Total authorities were $29.2 million higher than planned spending, primarily due to additional funding received through Supplementary Estimates and additional statutory requirements for employee benefit plans.

Resources totalling $13.4 million lapsed, due to Biometrics funding which was approved for spending in future years, unused funding for the processing of foreign students, and general operating lapses to be carried forward to 2007-2008.

Temporary Foreign Workers

Together with HRSDC, CIC announced a number of improvements to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) in 2006-2007. These included extending the maximum duration of the work permit for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) with less formal training from 12 months to 24 months, extending the maximum duration of the work permit for Live-in Caregivers from one year to three years and three months, and expediting the process for employers hiring a foreign worker by allowing work permit applications to be processed at the same time as the application for a Labour Market Opinion, at the request of the worker.

The Manila Visa Office implemented a special initiative to reduce the large backlog of Live-In Caregiver (LCP) applications. An integral part of the project was a new diagnostic screening mechanism called the SPEAK (Spoken English and Knowledge) Test, which was developed in conjunction with an established service provider. This initiative resulted in a significant reduction in file inventory and processing times for LCP applicants.

Budget 2007 provided $50.5 million over the next two years to support a series of improvements to the TFWP designed to reduce processing delays and more effectively respond to regional labour and skill shortages. A number of these improvements will be implemented in 2007-2008 and others in subsequent years.

Negotiations with the Government of Ontario on the Temporary Foreign Workers Annex of COIA have progressed well. Negotiation of the agreement is expected to be concluded in summer or early fall 2007. The annex will provide a mechanism for both levels of government to work together to facilitate the entry of TFWs to support regional economic stability and growth. Negotiations of similar annex agreements with interested jurisdictions are expected to commence shortly.

In 2006, foreign worker flows to Canada totaled 112,658.

Selection and Processing of Visitors and Foreign Students

In collaboration with partners, CIC successfully delivered key initiatives to help Canada maintain its competitive edge in attracting international students. The Off-Campus Work Permit Program, a national program that allows international students in public post-secondary institutions to seek employment off campus, was launched in April 2006. CIC created a dedicated unit to deal with pressures associated with issuing off-campus permits. As a result, a total of 14,964 students received work permits during fiscal year 2006-2007. As well, the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program was significantly improved by extending work permits to up to two years for international students who have graduated from public post-secondary institutions and certain private institutions located in regions outside of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. The aim is to help spread the benefits of immigration to more of Canada’s regions. During 2006-2007 a total of 1,388 students received a two-year work permit. Throughout 2006-2007, discussions with stakeholders took place to explore options for improving and expanding these programs. Discussions with partners on future directions are underway.

Tourists and business visitors make a significant contribution to our economy by creating a demand for services in the hospitality sector and allowing Canadian businesses to benefit from their specialized expertise. At present, citizens from 146 countries require temporary resident visas to visit Canada. In 2006, CIC processed applications for 987,378 persons seeking temporary resident visas as tourists and business visitors to Canada.

B. Strategic Outcome 2: Reflection of Canadian Values and Interests in the Management of International Migration, including Refugee Protection

Introduction

Migration and humanitarian issues continue to gain international attention and have moved to centre stage on many fronts. CIC continued to expand its role in framing and advancing a series of important international migration policy and governance dialogues. These dialogues, which are at varying levels of maturity, broadly encompass the links between migration policy and foreign affairs in such areas as development assistance, trade, and health and human capital flows. Part of CIC’s role is to align departmental and Canadian government positions. This role reaffirms CIC’s commitment to developing a strategic agenda on global migration and protection and to identifying opportunities for advancing Canada’s policy and program priorities through domestic and international links and partnerships.

Every year, Canada grants protection to thousands of people. Nearly half are selected abroad. The balance claim refugee status from within Canada and are granted permanent resident status when it’s determined that they qualify as protected persons.

Effective and timely health care is key to successfully integrating protected persons into Canadian society. Providing essential health care and rapidly identifying and managing diseases and illnesses continue to be important aspects of protecting refugee claimants, other vulnerable immigrants, and the health of Canadians.

Activity 3 – Canada’s Role in International Migration and Protection


Description Expected Results
Assert Canada’s position in the context of international migration to influence the international agenda on migration and protection Canada influences the international agenda on migration and protection

Financial Resources (in $ Millions)


Planned spending  
$4.9
Total authorities
$3.9
Actual spending
$2.8

Explanation of resources used: Total authorities were lower than planned spending by $1.0 million, primarily due to lower-than-planned exchange requirements for CIC’s contribution to the International Organization for Migration.

International Migration Policy

In cooperation with other federal government departments, CIC produced a strategy for Canada’s engagement in international migration management. During the course of consultations, a decision was made to broaden the focus of the strategy to enhance interdepartmental cooperation. This work will be undertaken in 2007-2008. In the fall of 2006, CIC also relaunched the Interdepartmental Migration Group to strengthen cooperation among federal departments on international migration issues, including migration and development.

CIC led efforts to advance Canada’s positions and interests by coordinating interdepartmental participation in several international migration fora. These included the Intergovernmental Consultation on Asylum, Refugees and Migration Policies (IGC), the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations. CIC contributed financial support for the operation and activities of the RCM, IGC and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), with the latter organizing strategic migration discussions in the United States and a Trans-Atlantic migration policy discussion. In 2006-2007, CIC made significant contributions to the successful negotiation of Regional Guidelines for Child Victims of Trafficking through the RCM, and to a new strategic direction for the IOM. CIC also developed Government of Canada positions in collaboration with other federal departments and effectively represented Canadian interests at the United Nations’ High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development in September 2006.

CIC also actively engaged in bilateral dialogues on migration issues. The Department pursued a closer cooperative arrangement with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Freedom, Justice and Security in an effort to facilitate an exchange of information and ideas about migration. The Department also received delegations of elected officials, bureaucrats and academics from a number of countries, including Norway, the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Russia and Mexico, which were interested in learning about Canada’s approach to immigration, refugee and citizenship programming.

CIC promoted Canada’s views on managed migration on the international stage by organizing and chairing a workshop on Immigration Point Systems for members of the IGC, delivering a presentation on the subject at the Migration Legislation Seminar in Guatemala, and by contributing to the agenda and concluding declaration of several key international forums including the G8 Justice and Home Affairs Meeting. CIC also sponsored an initiative through the RCM to develop and distribute a handbook to help members building their capacity to manage migration.

In 2006-2007, CIC continued efforts to enhance its role and profile in matters relating to intelligence, security and fraud in IRPA programs. CIC participated in the Pacific Rim and Immigration Fraud Conferences and continued building alliances and promoting CIC and Canadian interests in other multilateral and bilateral fora.

Activity 4 – Refugee Program


Description Expected Results
Maintain Canada’s humanitarian tradition by protecting refugees and persons in need of protection in Canada and abroad Maintenance of Canada’s humanitarian tradition with respect to refugees and persons in need of protection

Financial Resources (in $ Millions)


Planned spending  
$93.7
Total authorities
$88.7
Actual spending
$84.1

Explanation of resources used: Total authorities decreased from planned spending by a net amount of $5.0 million due to transfers through Supplementary Estimates.

Actual expenditures were lower than total authorities by $4.6 million as a result of unused funding for the Interim Federal Health Program and due to reduced costs associated with lower than anticipated volumes of refugee applications.

Policy and Program Development

The objective of the refugee protection program is to provide protection to those whose lives are at risk or who risk persecution, torture, or cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.

In 2006-2007, CIC continued to examine and implement options to streamline the domestic refugee protection system. The goal is to arrive at decisions faster — to grant permanent residence to successful claimants in a timely manner and ensure that unsuccessful claimants have their situations finalized promptly — without compromising the fairness and integrity of the system. In their effort to streamline processes, CIC, the CBSA and the IRB merged the different forms they have been using to gather information from refugee claimants into one consolidated form. The new form was tested in 2006-2007 through a pilot project in select offices and an evaluation of the results of the pilot is currently underway.

In 2006-2007, the processing time for permanent residence applications by protected persons in Canada was decreased by several months. In addition, providing information on overseas family members to missions abroad in the early stages of processing the application of the principal applicant in Canada allowed for simultaneous processing and earlier reunification of family members.

In 2006-2007, CIC continued its efforts to use the resettlement program more strategically, in order to have a greater impact on international protection needs. It engaged effectively with other government departments, and with the international community and other resettlement countries to find more lasting solutions for refugees. CIC was involved in responses to various protracted refugee situations in 2006-2007. It dealt with Karen refugees in Thailand and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, and participated in an international Core Group dealing with Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. CIC also used its refugee resettlement program to respond to other urgent calls such as the one from the UNHCR to increase referral space for Iraqis.

CIC initiated a review of procedures that would effectively communicate the health needs of refugees selected for resettlement in Canada while respecting their privacy rights. This review is expected to lead to enhanced procedures in 2007-2008.

In 2006, the governments of Canada and the US reviewed the first year of implementation of the Safe Third Country Agreement. The review was conducted in cooperation with the UNHCR and with input from NGOs. It found that the Agreement was well implemented and that asylum seekers are provided access to a full, fair refugee status determination process in one country or the other. The majority of UNHCR recommendations have already been implemented. After the release of the report in November 2006, the UNHCR integrated its role in monitoring the Agreement into its role in monitoring the Canadian refugee protection program. CIC, the CBSA and the UNHCR also established a consultation group to carry on the work of the Safe Third Country Working Group.

In 2006-2007, CIC continued to work closely with the UNHCR to deliver the overseas resettlement program and to ensure that the domestic asylum system complies with international humanitarian law. CIC also worked with the UNHCR on issues related to international protection in general. In November 2006, Canada welcomed the first visit of the current United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres.

CIC officials continued to communicate regularly with the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) through various consultations, meetings and conference calls, allowing for constructive and substantive CIC-CCR discussions.

A formal evaluation of the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program was undertaken in 2006 in order to assess the program’s continued relevance, success in achieving its desired outcomes and cost effectiveness. CIC and the private refugee sponsorship community worked together to strengthen the PSR program. For example, in a special effort to reduce the inventory, Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) voluntarily cut back on the number of applications they submitted in 2006 by over 30 percent and CIC increased the number of PSR cases it processed. This resulted in the smallest annual increase in inventory size in over five years. A further reduction of the inventory is expected in 2007-2008. The upper end of the PSR target was raised to 4,500 for 2007 to provide greater flexibility for managing protracted refugee situations. In addition, CIC continued to fund a refugee eligibility training program to help private sponsors with refugee identification. Further administrative measures to address program challenges will be identified following a PSR Program Conference that is expected to take place in fall 2007.

The Asylum Annex to the Statement of Mutual Understanding on Information Sharing between Canada and the United States with respect to refugee claimants and asylum applicants provides for the systematic exchange of biographic or biometric information between the two countries. The evaluation of a pilot project conducted in 2005 confirmed the feasibility of implementing the Annex. Tests relating to the timely exchange of biometric information will be conducted before the Annex is fully implemented.

While Canada’s refugee status determination system meets legal requirements, provides protection to those who need it, and provides opportunities for decisions to be reviewed, CIC remains committed to the continuous improvement of the system. During the 2006-2007 fiscal year, CIC assigned additional resources to the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) process in order to increase PRRA decision-making capacity and to better manage the inventory of PRRA cases waiting for decisions.

In January 2007, CIC began a comprehensive evaluation of the PRRA program to ensure that it protects those who need it and facilitates the removal of those not in need of protection. The evaluation will also identify areas in need of further improvement. Results from the evaluation may contribute to future administrative reforms aimed at improving CIC’s ability to deliver timely decisions for refugee protection claimants.

In 2006-2007, CIC worked through CIDA to provide $1 million in financial support for initiatives under the Mexico Plan of Action. This support will help developing countries in the Latin American region build refugee resettlement capacity.

Selection and Processing of Protected Persons (Resettlement/Asylum)

The inventory of applications for permanent residence by protected persons in Canada was reduced by nearly half. In September 2005, the inventory was around 16,300 applications; at the end of March 2007, the inventory was approximately 9,400 applications. Additional resources and a decline in the number of claims received in 2004 and 2005 contributed to the inventory reduction.

The Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) admissions target range of 7,300 to 7,500 was met, with 7,316 refugees arriving in 2006 under this program. CIC made decisions on applications for over 8,300 persons in efforts to reduce the inventory in the PSR Program. The target range of 3,000 to 4,000 for privately sponsored refugees was also met, allowing Canada to resettle an additional 3,337 refugees under this program in 2006.

In 2006, Canada granted permanent residence to 15,892 in-Canada protected persons, short of the planned range of 19,500 to 22,000. The number of inland protected persons admitted to Canada is largely dependent on the number of asylum claims, and the number found to be in need of Canada’s protection. It is not unusual for these numbers to vary significantly from one year to the next, reflecting changing conditions in source countries. In 2006, there was a significantly lower intake of inland protected persons than originally planned. Also notable is the substantial reduction in inventory of pending applications and the reduction by several months in the processing time for these applications for permanent residence.

The 3,000-6,800 target range for overseas dependants (abroad) of protected persons in Canada was comfortably met, with 5,947 persons becoming permanent residents in 2006.

Immigration Loan Program

Canada provides loans to refugees in order to help them pay for the costs of medical examinations abroad, travel documents and/or transportation to Canada. This fund is essential since refugees often have few personal financial resources and are unable to access traditional lending institutions.

The repayment record for the 50 year-old program is over 90 percent. In 2006-2007, CIC continued to manage loan collection with due diligence to ensure the recovery rate for repayment remains at this level, thereby ensuring the sustainability of our refugee program. The current limit on the loan fund is $110 million of which outstanding loan accounts totaled $38.1 million as of March 31, 2007.

In 2006-2007, CIC contributed $1.2 million from the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) to alleviate the loans of some refugees with special needs (seniors, refugees with health issues, and single parents with large families). In addition, Parliament approved the write off of $978,102 in immigration loans in the 2006-2007 final supplementary estimates.

Interim Federal Health Program

Under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), CIC continued to provide supplementary and basic health-care coverage for refugee claimants and protected persons during the period they do not qualify for provincial medical insurance. In 2006-2007, 517,300 claims were processed for a total direct program expenditure of $44.7M. IFHP provided access to health-care services for over 95,000 eligible clients, including over 25,000 children and youth. IFHP also provided customized health-care services to over 750 Karen refugees from Thailand to meet their specific needs.

CIC has begun to develop the IFHP integrated Results and Risk based Management Accountability Framework in line with the recommendations put forth in the 2006 independent program review. Through intra-departmental consultations and participation in the Federal Health Partnership, IFHP policies and delivery systems have been reviewed in order to improve the efficiency, responsiveness and integrity of the IFHP. A gap analysis regarding communications
with service provider organizations and health-care providers has been completed.

C. Strategic Outcome 3: Successful Integration of Newcomers and Promotion of Canadian Citizenship

Introduction

For Canada to realize the economic, social and cultural benefits of immigration, newcomers must integrate successfully into Canadian society. Integration and settlement programs are also crucial in providing immigrants and refugees with a supportive environment that enables them to maximize their potential and realize their aspirations. In Canada, welcoming newcomers and helping them integrate into our society is a community effort that is supported by partnerships with the provinces, territories, municipalities and community organizations. Obtaining Canadian citizenship is a significant step in the settlement process as it enables immigrants to fully participate in Canadian society.

Activity 5 – Integration Program


Description Expected Results
Develop policies and programs to support the settlement, resettlement, adaptation and integration of newcomers into Canadian society by delivering orientation, adaptation and language programs for newcomers Successful integration of newcomers into Canadian society within a reasonable time frame; newcomers contribute to the economic, social and cultural development needs of Canada

Financial Resources (in $ Millions)


Planned spending  
$675.7
Total authorities
$630.5
Actual spending
$550.6

Explanation of resources used: Total authorities decreased, compared to planned spending, by a net amount of $45.2 million, mainly due to Settlement funding which was approved for spending in future years.

Actual expenditures were lower than total authorities by $79.9 million, primarily as a result of $67.8 million of settlement funding which was reprofiled (moved forward) for spending in future years. The balance of the reduced requirements ($12.1 million) was mainly due to lower than planned expenditures in settlement programs and general operating lapses associated with lower spending under COIA.

Settlement Policy and Program Development

During 2006-2007, extensive interdepartmental and intergovernmental consultations were undertaken, led by HRSDC in close collaboration with CIC, to develop the mandate, activities and governance structures needed to create the Foreign Credential Referral Office (FCRO) announced in Budget 2007. The FCRO is a new federal office that was launched within CIC in spring 2007. It will help internationally trained individuals, both overseas and in Canada, find the information and access the pathfinding and referral services they need to put their skills to work in the Canadian labour market. The FCRO is also working closely with partners across jurisdictions and with employers and other stakeholders to strengthen foreign credential assessment and recognition processes in Canada.

In 2006-2007, CIC further engaged the academic sector to assist our resettlement program in undertaking an evidence-based analysis of CIC’s resettled refugee integration policy. This process will continue in 2007-2008.

CIC undertook pilot initiatives in 2006-2007 with the aim of evaluating and collecting data relevant for the development of client-focused settlement programs for resettled refugees. The initiatives included studies to develop recommendations for programs better tailored to meet the social and economic integration needs of refugees, including children and youth. These initiatives encompass the broad range of integration programs for newcomers, and are being developed with input from stakeholders.

In 2006-2007, CIC completed a national RAP training needs assessment with the aim of improving effective RAP delivery to clients. This will form the basis for funding specific training initiatives to be included in the 2007-2008 national RAP budget.

A review of performance measurement strategies for settlement programs was initiated in 2006-2007. The goals of the review are to better align immigrant outcomes with settlement program outputs and to evaluate immigrants’ progress from landing to integration into society and/or the labour market. CIC also reviewed the relevance of a client-centred approach to overcome gaps, barriers and challenges faced by immigrants. Pilot projects conducted across Canada promoted innovation and the use of best practices in the settlement field. The projects included Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) Classes targeted to specific groups, the addition of two higher LINC language levels, distance learning, youth Host programming and the rollout of Settlement Workers in Schools in new cities and regions.

CIC funded new Enhanced Language Training (ELT) projects across Canada (except in Quebec, Nunavut and Northwest Territories). The management and monitoring of ELT contribution agreements with service provider organizations (SPOs) was decentralized to further integrate delivery of settlement and integration services in communities across Canada, and to support local SPOs. The Second National ELT Conference was held, bringing together provincial and territorial representatives and service providers in all jurisdictions (except Nunavut and the Northwest Territories), to share lessons learned and promising practices. The conference was also an opportunity to share preliminary findings of the ELT Data Collection Questionnaires, which were completed by service providers in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, Nova Scotia and the Yukon. They demonstrate that ELT programs are reaching both men and women from a range of source countries. The programs are accessed mostly by highly educated professionals between the ages of 35 and 44. Most newcomers who enrol in an ELT program see it through to completion and many have found commensurate employment. On balance, the preliminary findings confirm that ELT is reaching its targeted audience of skilled newcomers. And, most importantly, the service is helping these newcomers improve their language skills, become more familiar with the Canadian workplace and make contacts in their professional fields.

As part of CIC’s contribution to Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism, it issued a national Call for Proposals to support national anti-racism activities over 2006-2008 under the Welcoming Communities Initiative. Funding was allocated to provinces and territories (except Quebec and Ontario) for ongoing anti-racism activities. Six new initiatives were funded to support anti-racism efforts (e.g., research, tools and direct services).

CIC conducted multilateral consultations with provinces and territories during summer 2006 to develop an allocation model for equitably distributing additional funding announced in Budget 2006. The funds will be distributed to provinces and territories outside of Quebec and Ontario over the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 fiscal years. The new two-year funding formula will address immediate integration needs of immigrants and refugees in the relevant jurisdictions by improving existing programs and launching pilot projects to address the needs of specific client groups.

Newcomer Settlement Support

CIC continues to develop and promote effective relationships with SPOs responsible for delivery of RAP. CIC held the National RAP Conference in February 2007 which was attended by 240 delegates from SPOs, provinces, national and international NGOs, and CIC. The Conference was an opportunity for SPOs to share experiences, develop skills, and provide recommendations for better focusing settlement programming on the needs of refugee clients.

In response to the 2004 RAP evaluation, in 2006-2007, RAP was enhanced to more effectively meet the immediate and essential needs of Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs). Improvements include increased support programming and income supports for GARs. RAP allowances were increased to match increases in social assistance rates by the provinces, and a new Monthly School Allowance for children was added.

Programming enhancements in 2006-2007 included a new life skills orientation program for resettled refugees who need basic life skills education and an overall increase to the funded hours of RAP service support for each GAR. These refinements allow service providers greater flexibility to respond to the particular needs of resettled refugees.

The LINC Program provided adult immigrants with full- or part-time basic language training in one of Canada’s official languages. A new LINC placement grid was developed to facilitate national consistency in the application of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLBs). This grid serves as the new operational guideline on the correspondence between the LINC levels, the CLBs and the four language competencies.

The Host Program continued to help newcomers settle, adapt, and integrate into Canadian life by using volunteers that are familiar with Canadian ways and are trained by SPOs that arrange the matches.

The Going to Canada Immigration Portal (www.goingtocanada.gc.ca), developed by CIC and HRSDC, offers comprehensive and integrated information to prospective and new immigrants to assist them in preparing to live, work and study in Canada. Under this initiative the following was achieved in 2006-2007:

  • Multi-year agreements were put in place with most provinces and territories to help jurisdictions develop Web portals for prospective immigrants and newcomers. The provincial and territorial portals will link to the Government of Canada’s Going to Canada Immigration Portal.
  • CIC and HRSDC undertook domestic and international public opinion research to guide the development of portal tools and content.

With the signing of the COIA in November 2005, the federal and provincial governments commenced consultations and meetings with various stakeholders to create a strategic plan outlining four strategies for action related to settlement services, language training, partnerships, and research and accountability. As per COIA, a set of federal-provincial committees and working groups have been established to implement provisions of the Agreement and its Annexes.

Activity 6 – Citizenship Program


Description Expected Results
Design, develop and implement policies and programs to administer the acquisition of Canadian citizenship and to enhance the values and promote rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship Accordance of full participation in Canadian society to eligible permanent residents; contribution to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development

Financial Resources (in $ Millions)


Planned spending  
$88.2
Total authorities
$75.0
Actual spending
$71.4

Explanation of resources used: Total authorities were lower than planned spending by $13.2 million, due to transfers of funding through Supplementary Estimates.

Actual expenditures were lower than total authorities by $3.6 million mainly due to general operating lapses to be carried forward to 2007-2008.

Citizenship Policy and Program Development

In May 2006, Bill C-14, An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act (Adoption) was introduced in Parliament. In 2006-2007, CIC supported Bill C-14 through the House of Commons and is taking steps to prepare for implementation including conducting consultations with the provinces and stakeholders on proposed content for regulations.

Following the Minister’s announcement in January 2007, operational policy and procedures were implemented to identify and facilitate applications for citizenship for individuals who have been residing most of their lives in Canada and have a reasonable but mistaken belief they are Canadian citizens. A Citizenship Fees Remission Order was approved in March 2007, providing the authority to remit citizenship fees for these individuals when they are under consideration for, or granted, citizenship under section 5(4) of the Citizenship Act, if they meet certain conditions provided in the Remission Order.

CIC continually reviews its existing processes to identify and implement changes that will improve service to citizenship clients. In 2006-2007, improvements to file preparation, document review and identification were implemented at CIC offices across Canada. These improvements will strengthen program integrity and ensure a higher degree of consistency in client service delivery.

With the increased demand for Canadian passports and media attention given to citizenship, CIC has updated its web site to provide more information to persons who have concerns about their citizenship status. It also collaborated with Service Canada, Passport Canada, and DFAIT in order to update partner Web sites. A temporary dedicated unit at the Call Centre was created to respond to these same concerns. In addition, existing publications are being updated and new publications are being created in order to address these concerns.

In collaboration with the Institute of Canadian Citizenship, several dialogues took place between new citizens and established Canadians to discuss the value of citizenship and active citizenship.

CIC launched the Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies Initiative in order to make ceremonies more meaningful and interactive for new and established Canadians and to encourage the participation of communities. Some of the activities included holding receptions after most ceremonies, encouraging candidates for citizenship to share their stories during the ceremony, inviting community members to ceremonies held in CIC offices, and increasing the number of established Canadians who reaffirm their citizenship at ceremonies.

Citizenship Processing

In 2006-2007, CIC continued to identify and implement sustainable solutions to decrease inventories and speed up processing in order to improve efficiency and client satisfaction.

Following a pilot launched in December 2006, CIC joined phase one of the RCMP Real Time Identification (RTID) project in March 2007, which allows for the transmission of electronic fingerprints. This will reduce processing times for citizenship applicants who are required to submit fingerprints.

An enhanced online Residence Calculator was released in July 2006. This online tool allows applicants to assess their eligibility before starting the application process. Enhanced features include the capacities to save calculations and return at a later date and to include time spent in jail or on probation when assessing residence eligibility.

An expiry date was added to citizenship certificates for holders subject to the retention requirements. This is an additional reminder to some citizens born outside of Canada to a Canadian parent that they must apply to retain their citizenship before their 28th birthday.

In 2006-2007, Canada welcomed over 243,000 new citizens and issued over 71,000 proofs of Canadian citizenship.

Promotion of Citizenship

CIC continues to promote citizenship by holding citizenship and reaffirmation ceremonies in CIC offices and in communities across Canada. A total of 2,999 citizenship ceremonies took place in 2006-2007 of which 377 were held in communities.

The 60th Anniversary of the Canadian citizenship campaign was launched during a citizenship ceremony at the Supreme Court of Canada in February 2007. Other 60th Anniversary ceremonies were held throughout the year and across the country. Other national events in 2006-2007 included the National 4-H Seminar, held in partnership with the Canadian 4-H Council, the Rotary Club of Ottawa Adventure in Citizenship, held in partnership with the Rotary Club of Ottawa, a Sunset Ceremony, held in partnership with the RCMP, and special ceremonies held across the country on Canada Day and during Veterans’ Week. Canada’s Citizenship Week (CCW) provides an opportunity for all Canadians to reflect on the value of citizenship, the meaning of being Canadian, and the rights, privileges and responsibilities of citizenship.



Section 3: Supplementary Information

A. Organizational Information

organization chart

B. Accountabilities

Minister
The Honourable Diane Finley is the Minister responsible for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Deputy Minister
Richard B. Fadden is the Deputy Minister. Reporting to the Deputy Minister are four Assistant Deputy Ministers and one Associate Assistant Deputy Minister; the Director General, Internal Audit and Accountability; the Chief Financial Officer; the Director of the Office of Conflict Resolution; and the Departmental Secretary. The Assistant Deputy Attorney General leads the Justice team in providing legal services to the Department.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations
The Operations Sector is accountable for all of the Department’s program delivery activities. This sector includes the domestic regions, the International Region, the Case Management Branch, the Health Management Branch, and the Foreign Credential Referral Office. It also includes the Operational Management and Coordination Branch, which operates specialized case processing centres in Mississauga, Ontario, Vegreville, Alberta, and Sydney, Nova Scotia, as well as a national call centre in Montreal and the Query Response Centre in Ottawa.

Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Inventory Management
The Inventory Management Sector is responsible for leading the project to design a strategy to address the backlog in applications. The AADM works closely with the ADM Operations and the ADM Strategic and Program Policy to meet the Department’s and the Government’s priorities with respect to the Immigration Program.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy
The Strategic and Program Policy Sector leads the Department’s strategic agenda on both the domestic and international levels and directs related policy, planning and research strategies. This sector includes Strategic Policy and Priorities, Immigration, Integration, Refugees, Citizenship, Risk Mitigation, International and Intergovernmental Relations, and Research and Evaluation branches, and the Metropolis Project.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Client Service Modernization
The Client Service Modernization Sector is leading the redesign of CIC’s service delivery model, setting service improvement priorities and directing program investments to achieve the best results for our clients. This sector comprises the Information Management and Technology Branch (which includes the Global Case Management System project) and the Service Improvement Office.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services
The Corporate Services Sector is responsible for CIC’s management agenda, bringing together responsibility for key corporate functions. This sector consists of the Administration and Security Branch, the Human Resources Branch, the Communications Branch, the Corporate Affairs Branch, and the Workforce Renewal Office.



Section 4: Tables

Table 1: Comparison of Planned to Actual Spending, Including FTEs

The following table provides a history of spending by program activity. A comparison of the 2006-2007 Total Planned Spending and the actual expenditures recorded in the Public Accounts are also incorporated.


Program Activity
($ Millions)		 Actual
2004–2005		 Actual
2005–2006		 2006–2007
Main
Estimates		 Planned
Spending		 Total
Authorities		 Actual
[a]
Immigration Program
206.3
191.1
198.4
197.2
267.5
244.8
Temporary Resident Program
110.3
101.5
89.5
89.1
118.3
104.9
Canada’s Role in International
Migration and Protection
5.0
2.6
4.9
4.9
3.9
2.8
Refugee Program
88.8
80.3
94.0
93.7
88.7
84.1
Integration Program
414.7
445.0
638.6
675.7
630.5
550.6
Citizenship Program
57.7
61.2
85.6
88.2
75.0
71.4
Revitalization of the Toronto
Waterfront [b]
0.0
0.8
115.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
Total [c]
882.8
882.5
1,226.8
1,148.8
1,183.9
1,058.6
Less: Non-Respendable Revenue
(506.6)
(500.8)
(436.1)
(436.1)
(436.1)
(451.6)
Plus: Cost of Services Received
Without Charge [d]
240.6
231.6
223.8
223.8
237.1
237.1
Total Departmental Spending
616.8
613.3
1,014.5
936.5
984.9
844.1
Full-Time Equivalents      
4,039
   

[a] For an explanation of variances, see Section 2: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcomes.

[b] Responsibility for the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative (TWRI) was transferred to the TBS through an Order in
Council dated February 6, 2006.

[c] Planned spending of $1,148.8 million decreased from Main Estimates, primarily due to the planned transfer of the TWRI. Actual expenditures of $1,058.6 million were lower than total authorities by $125.3 million primarily due to funds set aside for spending in future years through reprofiling. The balance of the reduced requirements ($41.3 million) was mainly due to $21 million in operating lapses identified to be carried forward to the next fiscal year, lower than planned expenditures in settlement programs and other general operating lapses.

[d] Services received without charge include accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), the employer’s share of employees’ insurance premiums paid by the TBS, legal services received from the Department of Justice, and international immigration services provided by DFAIT. (See Table 4)

Table 2: Resources by Program Activity

The following table provides information on how resources were used, by program activity and type of expenditure, in the 2006-2007 fiscal year. For an explanation of the variances in each program activity, see Section 2: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome.


Program Activity
($ Millions)		 Operating
[a]		 Grants and
Contributions
[b]		 Total
Immigration Program
Main Estimates
198.4
0.0
198.4
Planned Spending
197.2
0.0
197.2
Total Authorities
267.5
0.0
267.5
Actual Expenditures
244.8
0.0
244.8
 
Temporary Resident Program
Main Estimates
89.5
0.0
89.5
Planned Spending
89.1
0.0
89.1
Total Authorities
118.3
0.0
118.3
Actual Expenditures
104.9
0.0
104.9
 
Canada’s Role in International Migration and Protection
Main Estimates
2.6
2.3
4.9
Planned Spending
2.6
2.3
4.9
Total Authorities
1.6
2.3
3.9
Actual Expenditures
1.4
1.4
2.8
 
Refugee Program
Main Estimates
94.0
0.0
94.0
Planned Spending
93.7
0.0
93.7
Total Authorities
88.7
0.0
88.7
Actual Expenditures
84.1
0.0
84.1
 
Integration Program
Main Estimates
43.8
594.8
638.6
Planned Spending
45.5
630.2
675.7
Total Authorities
37.1
593.4
630.5
Actual Expenditures
32.2
518.4
550.6
 
Citizenship Program
Main Estimates
85.6
0.0
85.6
Planned Spending
85.2
3.0
88.2
Total Authorities
72.0
3.0
75.0
Actual Expenditures
68.4
3.0
71.4
 
Revitalization of the Toronto Waterfront
Main Estimates
1.2
114.6
115.8
Planned Spending
0.0
0.0
0.0
Total Authorities
0.0
0.0
0.0
Actual Expenditures
0.0
0.0
0.0
 
TOTAL
Main Estimates
515.1
711.7
1,226.8
Planned Spending
513.3
635.5
1,148.8
Total Authorities
585.2
598.7
1,183.9
Actual Expenditures
535.8
522.8
1,058.6

[a] Operating includes statutory votes identified in Table 3: Voted and Statutory Items.

[b] For more details on grants and contributions, see Table 10: Details of Transfer Payment Programs.

Table 3: Voted and Statutory Items

This table identifies the way Parliament votes resources to the Department in the Main Estimates (Votes 1, 2 and 5) and provides statutory details (denoted by “S”) for information purposes.


  Vote
($ Millions)		 2006–2007
Main
Estimates		 Planned
Spending
[a]		 Total
Authorities
[b]		 Actual
[c]
1 Operating expenditures
471.9
470.1
489.6
440.2
2 Debt write-off
0.0
0.0
1.0
1.0
5 Grants and contributions
711.7
635.5
598.7
522.8
(S) Salary and motor car allowance
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
(S) Contributions to employee benefit plans
43.1
43.1
40.5
40.5
(S) Refund of amounts credited to
revenues in previous years
0.0
0.0
53.9
53.9
(S) Court awards
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
  Total [d]
1,226.8
1,148.8
1,183.9
1,058.6

[a] Total Planned Spending from the 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities.

[b] Total Authorities from the 2006-2007 Public Accounts, which include Main Estimates plus Supplementary Estimates.

[c] Total Actual Spending from the 2006-2007 Public Accounts. For an explanation of variances by program activity, see Section 2: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcomes.

[d] Planned spending of $1,148.8 million decreased from Main Estimates, primarily due to the planned transfer of the TWRI. Actual expenditures of $1,058.6 million were lower than total authorities by $125.3 million primarily due to funds set aside for spending in future years through reprofiling. The balance of the reduced requirements ($41.3 million) was mainly due to $21 million in operating lapses identified to be carried forward to the next fiscal year, lower than planned expenditures in settlement programs and other general operating lapses.

Table 4: Services Received Without Charge

The following table identifies the cost of services provided without charge by other government departments.

SERVICES


($ Millions) 2006–2007
Accommodation
• Public Works and Government Services Canada
30.0
Employer’s Share of Employee Benefits Covering Insurance
Premiums and Expenditures
• Treasury Board Secretariat
20.3
Workers’ Compensation Costs
• Human Resources and Social Development Canada
0.1
Legal Services
• Justice Canada
38.7
International Immigration Services
• Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
148.0
Total Services Received Without Charge
237.1

Table 5: Loans, Investments, and Advances (Non-budgetary)


Year-to-Year Changes
($ Millions)		 2004–2005 2005–2006 2006–2007
Opening balance
$42,494,280
$41,942,973
$40,271,171
New loans and accrued interest
$14,120,206
$13,573,606
$13,049,038
Receipts (amount collected)
($13,757,773)
($15,245,408)
($14,261,861)
Write-offs
($913,740)
$0.00
($978,102)
Closing Balance
$41,942,973
$40,271,171
$38,080,246

Total Authority is $110 million under section 88 of IRPA.

Table 6: Sources of Non-respendable Revenue


Program Activity
($ Millions)		 Actual
2004–2005		 Actual
2005–2006		 2006–2007
Planned Actual
Immigration Program
Immigration cost-recovery fees for permanent residents
149.2
130.1
154.5
164.9
Immigration rights fees [a]
165.8
145.0
73.5
74.1
Interest on the Immigrant Loans Program
0.9
0.8
1.0
0.7
Temporary Resident Program
Immigration cost-recovery fees for
temporary residents
132.0
142.7
140.0
147.2
Canada’s Role in International Migration
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Refugee Program
Immigration cost-recovery fees for refugees
6.9
11.2
11.0
14.0
Integration Program
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Citizenship Program
Citizenship cost-recovery fees
26.0
38.1
33.7
27.6
Right of citizenship fees
18.4
26.9
22.3
18.4
Subtotal
499.2
494.8
436.0
446.9
Other Revenues
Access to Information fees
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Refunds of previous years’ expenditures [b]
7.0
5.7
Nil
4.0
Miscellaneous [c]
0.3
0.2
Nil
0.6
Total Revenue [d]
506.6
500.8
436.1
451.6

[a] As of May 3, 2006, the Right of Permanent Residence Fee was reduced from $975 to $490, which results in lower revenues in 2006-2007.

[b] Refunds of previous years’ expenditures include recovery of bad debts, adjustments to prior years’ payables and refunds of previous years’ expenditures.

[c] In 2004-2005, miscellaneous revenues associated with forfeitures was transferred to CBSA as part of the transfer of responsibilities effective October 8, 2004.

[d] 2006-2007 Actual Revenue of $451.6 million is $15.5 million higher than the 2006-2007 Planned Revenue of $436.1M. The increase is primarily in Immigration Program ($10.7 million increase) and Temporary Resident Program ($7.2 million increase). This reflects a higher than planned volume of permanent and temporary resident applications and associated fees revenue.

NOTES:

  • Fees are charged in recognition of full Government of Canada costs of providing services.
  • All revenue is deposited into the Consolidated Revenue Fund and is not available for respending by the Department.
  • A listing of CIC fees can be found at www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp.

Table 7-A: User Fees


        2005–2006 Planning Years
User Fee Fee Type Fee-Setting
Authority		 Date Last Modified Forecast
Revenue		 Actual Full Cost Performance Standard Performance Results Fiscal Forecast Estimated
Full Cost

Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF)

Regulatory

Financial Administration Act (FAA); IRPA and IRP Regulations. 

May 3, 2006.

$73,500

$74,132

There is no cost associated with this fee as it is charged in recognition of the tangible and intangible benefits of acquiring permanent resident status in Canada. This fee was established as part of the 1995 Federal Budget.

This fee is payable by persons who acquire permanent resident status in Canada. (See New Permanent Residents in 2006 table) Protected persons and dependent children do not pay the RPRF.

This fee is closely linked to the processing of permanent resident applications.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$73,500
$73,500
$73,500

There is no cost associated with this fee as it is charged in recognition of the tangible and intangible benefits of acquiring permanent resident status in Canada. This fee was established as part of the1995 Federal Budget.

Permanent Residence Application Fee, Permanent Resident Card Fee, Permanent Resident Travel Document Fee, and Sponsorship Application Fee for Family Classes

Regulatory

IRPA and IRP Regulations.

June 28, 2002

$164,000

$177,031

$282,600

Permanent Residence Applications
Overseas: Contributes to the achievement of Government immigration levels by issuing visas in line with established annual targets. Priority processing is given to the reunification of immediate family members (spouses, partners and children) and to skilled workers nominated by provincial governments. [Note: Detailed processing times by overseas mission and by immigration category are updated each quarter on CIC’s Web site. Overseas DFAIT Web site now give link to CIC site to ensure data consistency.]

Domestic: Recent average processing times for
Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s
Web site. The processing times are estimates
only and are updated weekly.
(www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp)

Permanent Resident Card
Domestic: Same as previous.

Permanent Resident Travel Document
Overseas: Processed expeditiously.

Permanent Residence Applications
Overseas: Immigrant Visas: In calendar 2006, overseas missions delivered 96.7 percent of the overall visa target. A total of 217,003 immigrant visas were issued abroad.
In calendar year 2006, missions finalized
50 percent of immediate Family Class
applications within 4 months, 70 percent
within 7 months and 80 percent within 9
months. Missions finalized 50 percent of
provincial nominees within 8 months, 70
percent within 10 months and 80 percent
within 12 months.

Domestic: Sponsorship: 99% of undertakings (spouse, child) are currently processed within 32 days. Other classes: First-stage approval for in-Canada PR applications is currently between 6-19 months depending on the immigrant category.

Permanent Resident Card: Domestic: Cards for new PRs are processed within 3-4 weeks. Initial, replacement or renewal of PR card for existing PRs is currently 30 days.

Permanent Resident Travel Document Overseas: Recent processing times indicate that 70% of applications are decided within 2 days.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$171,200
$178,900
$178,900

$282,600
$282,600
$282,600

Work Permit Fee (individual and performing artist groups)

Regulatory

IRPA and IRP Regulations. 

January 2, 1997

$27,300

$33,565

$73,500

Overseas: Processed expeditiously.
Past processing times by overseas mission and by category are updated regularly on CIC’s Web site.

Domestic: Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s Web site. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. (www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp)

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 72 percent of applications were finalized within 28 days.

Domestic: Recent average processing times are 24 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$27,300
$27,300
$27,300

$73,500
$73,500
$73,500

Study Permit Fee

Regulatory

IRPA and IRP Regulations. 

June 1, 1994

$20,000

$18,874

$33,100

Same as previous

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 76 percent of applications were finalized within 28 days.

Domestic: Recent average processing times are 37 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$20,000
$20,000
$20,000

$33,100
$33,100
$33,100

Temporary Resident Visa Application Fee and Extension of Authorization to Remain in Canada as a Temporary Resident Fee

Regulatory

IRPA and IRP Regulations. 

January 2, 1997

$88,800

$90,534

$102,300

Overseas: Temporary Resident Visas: Processed expeditiously. Past processing times by overseas mission and by category, are updated regularly on CIC’s Web site.

Domestic: Extensions: Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s Web site. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. (www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp)

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 62% of TR visa applications were finalized within 2 days.

Domestic: Extension of status: Recent average processing times are 34 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$88,800
$88,800
$88,800

$102,300
$102,300
$102,300

Temporary Resident Permit Fee

Regulatory

IRPA and IRP Regulations.

January 2, 1997

$2,500

$2,321

$6,900

Overseas: Processed expeditiously.

Domestic: Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s Web site. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. (www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp)

Temporary Resident Permit: Recent processing times are 34 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

Overseas: TRPs are processed to overcome an inadmissibility identified during the processing of any type of visa application. There are no data on processing times for TRPs. They are processed expeditiously but the variability in the complexity of the cases and the inadmissibilities that are being addressed means that there can be no service standard.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$2,500
$2,500
$2,500

$6,900
$6,900
$6,900

Restoration of Temporary Resident Status Fee

Regulatory

IRPA and IRP Regulations. 

June 28, 2002

$1,400

$1,932

Costs of Restoration of Temporary Resident Status are not reported separately in CIC’s Cost Management Model. These costs are included in Temporary Resident Visa, Study Permit, and Work Permit Costs.

Recent average processing times are published on CIC’s Web site and are updated regularly. (www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp)

Recent processing times are 34 calendardays at CPC-Vegreville.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$1,400
$1,400
$1,400

Costs of Restoration of Temporary Resident Status are not reported separately inCIC’s Cost Management Model. These costs are included in Temporary Resident Visa, Study Permit, and Work Permit Costs.

Other immigration services (Rehabilitation; Authorization to return to Canada; Immigration Statistical Data; Certification and replacement of immigration documents)

Regulatory

IRPA and IRP Regulations.

Various

$1,500

$1,853

$2,200
[note 8]

Certification & replacement of immigration document within 6-8 weeks. Overseas: Authorizations to Return to Canada (ARCs) are processed expeditiously but due to the extremely variable nature and complexity of ARC cases there is no service standard.

Replacement of immigration documents currently within 6-8 weeks. Overseas: See comments for service standards.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$1,500
$1,500
$1,500

$2,200
$2,200
$2,200
[note 8]

Right of Citizenship Fee (ROCF)

Regulatory

FAA; Citizenship Act and Citizenship Regulations.

January 2, 1997

$22,300

$18,370

This fee was established as part of the 1995 federal budget. It is charged in recognition of the tangible and intangible benefits of acquiring citizenship status in Canada.There is no cost associated with this fee.

This fee is payable by persons obtaining citizenship status. (See section on Citizenship for details.)

Persons under 18 years of age do not pay the ROCF.

This fee is linked to acquisition of citizenship status. (See  Change of Citizenship Fee.)

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$22,300
$22,300
$22,300

This fee was established as part of the 1995 federal budget. It is charged in recognition of the tangible and intangible benefits of acquiring citizenship status in Canada. There is no cost associated with this fee.

Change of Citizenship Fees: Grant, Retention, Resumption, Renunciation of Citizenship

Regulatory

Citizenship Act and Citizenship Regulations.

January 2, 1997

$27,900

$22,443

$68,600

Recent average processing times are published on CIC’s Web site and are updated regularly. () www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp

In 2006-07, processing times for individuals applying to become a citizen (grant of citizenship) were reduced from 15-18 months to 12 months.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$27,900
$27,900
$27,900

$68,600
$68,600
$68,600

Citizenship Status Document Fees: Proof of Citizenship and Search for Record of Citizenship

Regulatory

Citizenship Act and Citizenship Regulations.

January 2, 1997

$5,800

$5,184

$20,700

Recent average processing times for proof of citizenship are published on CIC’s Web site and are updated regularly. (www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp)

In 2006-07, processing times for the issuance of a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) were reduced from 5-7 months to 3 months.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$5,800
$5,800
$5,800

$20,700
$20,700
$20,700

Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act (ATIA)

Other products and services

Access to Information Act.

1992

$100

$79

$1,800
[note 9]

Response provided within 30 days following receipt of request; the response time maybe extended pursuant to Section 9 of the ATIA. Notice of extension to be sent within 30 days after receipt of request.

The Access to Information Act provides fuller details: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/A-1/218072.html.

CIC received 10,497 requests under the Access to Information Act in 2006-07 and completed 10,667 requests during the same period (some requests carried over from previous year). CIC provided a response within 30 days following receipt of the request in 67.8% of cases. Response time was extended in 32.2 percent of cases.

Overall, CIC met deadlines for 95% of the requests over the course of the year.

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10

$100
$100
$100

$1,800
$1,800
$1,800
[note 9]
User Fees       Total
$435,100		 Total
$446,318		 Total
$591,700		   Sub-total:
Sub-total:
Sub-total:		 $442,300
$450,000
$450,000		 $591,700
$591,700
$591,700		  

NOTES:

Note 1: Source 2006–2007 Report on Plans and Priorities.

Note 2: All amounts are net of current year remissions.

Note 3: 2004–2005 full costs and estimated full costs include an estimate for OGDs and represent the best available cost data. Participating OGD’s in CIC’s Cost Management Model for 2004–2005 are DFAIT, PWGSC, Social Sciences Humanities and Research Council of Canada, IRB, RCMP, Court Administrative Services, Federal Court Trial Division, Federal Court of Appeal and HRSDC. CBSA, Department of Justice and CSIS costs are not included.

Note 4: Processing times are an average and change regularly depending on application intake. Overseas processing times are not an average.

Note 5: All fees or modifications to fees that existed before the UFA came into force on March 31, 2004 are not subject to that legislation. Therefore:

  • Performance standard, if provided, may not have received Parliamentary review,
  • Performance standard, if provided, may not respect all requirements under the UFA (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address), and
  • Performance result, if provided, is not legally subject to the UFA.

Note 6: Statistics for domestic regions were current as of March 31, 2007.

Note 7: Source 2006–2007 Report on Plans and Priorities.

Note 8: Full costs include only rehabilitation cases and authorization to return to Canada costs.

Note 9: Source Annual Report 2005–2006 — Privacy Act, Access to Information Act.

Table 7-B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

Information on CIC’s Policy on Service Standards for External Fees can be found at www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr2/06-07/index_e.asp.

Table 8: Progress Against Department’s Regulatory Plan

Information on CIC’s progress against its Regulatory Plan can be found at www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr2/06-07/index_e.asp.

Table 9 : Status Report on Major Crown Project

The following is a summary of major Crown projects involving the Department. Supplementary information on major Crown projects can be found at
www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr2/06-07/index_e.asp.


Major Crown Project Description
Global Case Management
System (GCMS)

The GCMS is a multi-year program that will replace several aging, archaic and incompatible core business systems of CIC and the CBSA, some of which are 30 years old and support over 240 points of service across Canada and around the world. It is an integrated, case-management-based set of applications and infrastructure components that will support the client operations of CIC and the CBSA.

Once in place, the GCMS will improve overall program integrity, effectiveness and client service delivery. It will also facilitate communications and data sharing between CIC and the CBSA and with our other partners for the purposes of the administration of IRPA. In addition, the GCMS will provide the technological foundation to support new business initiatives and capitalize on innovative technology by replacing outdated systems that are extremely difficult to support and maintain.

Table 10: Details on Transfer Payment Programs (TPPs)


Program Activity
($ Millions)		 Actual
2004–2005		 Actual
2005–2006		 2006–2007
Planned
Spending		 Total
Authorities		 Actual
Integration Program – Grants
Grant for the Canada-Quebec Accord [a]
160.8
188.4
196.2
196.2
193.9
Institute for Canadian Citizenship
0.0
0.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
Total Grants
160.8
188.4
199.2
199.2
196.9
Canada’s Role in International Migration
and Protection – Contributions
Migration Policy Development
0.3
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.4
International Organization for Migration
1.2
1.1
2.0
1.9
1.1
Immigration Consultants Program
0.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Integration Program – Contributions
Host Program [c]
3.1
3.3
7.4
6.7
5.0
Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation
Program [b]
38.4
42.9
104.4
73.0
70.2
Resettlement Assistance Program [e]
42.5
39.7
44.6
44.6
44.1
Contributions to Provinces
45.7
49.0
87.5
82.8
82.8
Language Instruction for Newcomers
to Canada [d]
94.0
93.5
190.1
190.1
122.3
Total Contributions
225.7
229.7
436.3
399.5
325.9
Total Transfer Payments [f]
386.5
418.1
635.5
598.7
522.8

[a] The Grant for the Canada-Quebec Accord and contributions to provinces recognize the importance of settlement services that respond to the growing need to help immigrants integrate.

[b] The Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program provides funds for services such as orientation, paraprofessional counselling, translation, job finding help, and Enhanced Language Training.

[c] Host funds are used to match newcomers with Canadian volunteers (individuals and groups), who help them settle in and integrate.

[d] The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program provides funds for basic language training in both of Canada’s official languages to help adult immigrants integrate socially, culturally, economically and politically.

[e] The Resettlement Assistance Program, formerly the Adjustment Assistance Program, helps pay for temporary accommodations, clothing, household effects and living expenses for up to one year for indigent Convention refugees.

[f] Overall, Planned Spending of $635.5 million decreased to $598.7 million due to planned settlement funding, which was deferred to future years. Actual expenditures of $522.8 million were lower than total authorities by $75.9 million primarily due to further approvals for the reprofile (moving forward) of settlement resources to future years.

Table 11: Financial Statements

Statement of Management Responsibility

Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2007 and all information contained in these statements rests with departmental management. These financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies, which are consistent with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector.

Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information in these financial statements. Some of the information in the financial statements is based on management’s best estimates and judgment and gives due consideration to materiality. To fulfil its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of the Department’s financial transactions. Financial information submitted to the Public Accounts of Canada and included in the Department’s Departmental Performance Report is consistent with these financial statements.

Management maintains a system of financial management and internal control designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded and that transactions are in accordance with the Financial Administration Act, are executed in accordance with prescribed regulations, within Parliamentary authorities, and are properly recorded to maintain accountability of Government funds. Management also seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements by careful selection, training and development of qualified staff, by organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility, and by communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards and managerial authorities are understood throughout the Department.

The financial statements of the Department have not been audited.


____________________
Richard B. Fadden
Deputy Minister
Date		   ____________________
Wayne Ganim
Senior Financial Officer
Date

Citizenship & Immigration Canada
Statement of Operations (Unaudited)
For the Year Ended March 31 (in thousands of dollars)


  2007 2006
Expenses (Note 4)
Integration program
568,236
452,198
Immigration program
272,603
271,025
Temporary resident program
145,439
167,759
Citizenship program
118,299
80,610
Refugee program
94,241
94,306
Canada's role in international migration and protection
4,039
3,788
Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative
0
765
Total Expenses 1,202,857 1,070,451
Revenues (Note 5)
Immigration program
216,909
293,098
Temporary resident program
153,927
144,909
Citizenship program
46,306
69,014
Refugee program
14,581
13,163
Integration program
734
825
Total Revenues
432,457
521,009
Net Cost of Operations
770,400
549,442

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these statements.

Citizenship & Immigration Canada
Statement of Financial Position (Unaudited)
At March 31 (in thousands of dollars)


  2007 2006
ASSETS
Financial Assets
Accounts receivable and advances (Note 6)
22,617
13,506
Loans (Note 7)
34,407
35,984
Total financial assets
57,024
49,490
Non-financial assets
Tangible capital assets (Note 8)
224,294
184,816
Inventory
8,010
5,743
Prepayments
1,341
1,230
Total non-financial assets
233,645
191,789
TOTAL ASSETS
290,669
241,279
 
LIABILITIES
Deferred revenues (Note 9)
235,045
282,876
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
123,020
115,947
Other liabilities (Note 14)
24,000
28,020
Vacation pay and compensatory leave
14,487
13,305
Employee severance benefits (Note 10)
51,634
46,555
TOTAL LIABILITIES
448,186
486,703
 
EQUITY OF CANADA
(157,517)
(245,424)
TOTAL
290,669
241,279

Contingent Liabilities (Note 11)
Contractual Obligations (Note 12)
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these statements.

Citizenship & Immigration Canada
Statement of Equity of Canada (Unaudited)
For the Year Ended March 31 (in thousands of dollars)


  2007 2006
Equity of Canada, beginning of year
(245,424)
(284,651)
Net cost of operations
(770,400)
(549,442)
Current year appropriation used (Note 3)

1,056,436
880,780
Revenue not available for spending
(432,457)
(521,009)
Change in net position in the Consolidated Revenue Fund (Note 3c)
(2,832)
(2,698)
Services provided without charge by other government departments (Note 13)
237,160
231,596
Equity of Canada, end of year
(157,517)
(245,424)

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these statements.

Citizenship & Immigration Canada
Statement of Cash Flow (Unaudited)
For the Year Ended March 31 (in thousands of dollars)


  2007 2006
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cost of operations
770,400
549,442
Non-cash items:
Services provided without charge by other government departments

(237,160)
(231,596)
Amortization of tangible capital assets
(8,207)
(7,994)
Loss on disposal of tangible capital assets
(61)
(2,554)
Statement of financial position adjustments
Decrease in liabilities

38,517

25,130
Increase (decrease) in accounts receivable and advances
9,111
(11,526)
Decrease in loans
(1,577)
(2,004)
Increase in inventories and prepayments
2,378
1,300
Cash used by operating activities
573,401
320,198
CAPITAL INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES
Acquisitions of tangible capital assets
47,746
36,875
Cash used by capital investment activities
47,746
36,875
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Net cash provided by Government of Canada
(621,147)
(357,073)

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these statements.

Citizenship & Immigration Canada
Notes to the Financial Statements (unaudited)

1. Authority and Objectives

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) was established on June 23, 1994 by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act. It is a Department named in Schedule I of the Financial Administration Act and currently reports to Parliament through the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

The Department’s key strategic outcomes are:

  • maximum contribution to Canada’s economic, social and cultural development from migration;
  • reflection of Canadian values and interests in the management of international migration, including refugee protection; and
  • successful integration of newcomers and promotion of Canadian citizenship.

These three strategic outcomes are reflected with the following key activities.

  • Immigration program: Design, develop and implement policies and programs to facilitate the entry of permanent residents in a way which maximizes their economic, social and cultural contributions to Canada while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians.
  • Temporary resident program: Design, develop and implement policies and programs to facilitate the entry of temporary workers, students and visitors in a way which maximizes their economic, social and cultural contribution to Canada while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians.
  • Canada’s role in international migration and protection: Assert Canada’s position in the context of international migration to influence the international agenda on migration and protection.
  • Refugee program: Maintain Canada’s humanitarian tradition by protecting refugees and persons in need of protection in Canada and abroad.
  • Integration program: Develop policies and programs to support the settlement, resettlement, adaptation and integration of newcomers into Canadian society by delivering orientation, adaptation and language programs for newcomers.
  • Citizenship program: Design, develop and implement policies and programs to administer the acquisition of Canadian citizenship and to enhance the values and promote the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship.

CIC administers the Citizenship Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

CIC is funded by a budgetary lapsing authority. Revenues, including fees and rights, are deposited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund and are not available for use by the Department. Fees and rights are collected through the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations as well as through the Citizenship Regulations. Employee benefits are authorized by a statutory authority. CIC issues immigration loans through a non-budgetary non-lapsing authority.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies, which are consistent with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector.

Significant accounting policies are as follows:

(a) Parliamentary appropriations – the Department is financed by the Government of Canada through Parliamentary appropriations. Appropriations provided to the Department do not parallel financial reporting according to Canadian generally accepted accounting principles since appropriations are primarily based on cash-flow requirements. Consequently, items recognized in the statement of operations and the statement of financial position are not necessarily the same as those provided through appropriations from Parliament. Note 3 provides a high level reconciliation between the bases of reporting.

(b) Net Cash Provided by Government – The Department operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by the Department is deposited to the CRF and all cash disbursements made by the Department are paid from the CRF. The net cash provided by Government is the difference between all cash receipts and all cash disbursements, including transactions between departments of the federal government.

(c) Change in net position in the Consolidated Revenue Fund is the difference between the net cash provided by Government and appropriations used in a year, excluding the amount of non-respendable revenue recorded by the Department. It results from timing differences between when a transaction affects appropriations and when it is processed through the CRF.

(d) Revenues

  • Revenues from regulatory fees are recognized in the accounts based on the services provided in the year.
  • Other revenues are accounted for in the period in which the underlying transaction or event occurred that gave rise to the revenues.
  • Revenues that have been received but not yet earned are recorded as deferred revenues. The recognition of revenues from fees is considered deferred until the application is processed, while the recognition of revenues from rights (right of citizenship and right of permanent residence) is deferred until the right is granted.

(e) Expenses – Expenses are recorded on the accrual basis.

  • Grants are recognized in the year in which the conditions for payment are met.
  • Contributions are recognized in the year in which the recipient has met the eligibility criteria or fulfilled the terms of a contractual transfer agreement.
  • Vacation pay and compensatory leave are expensed as the benefits accrue to employees under their respective terms of employment.
  • Services provided without charge by other government departments for accommodation, the employer’s contribution to the health and dental insurance plans, workers’ compensation costs, legal services and international immigration services are recorded as operating expenses at their estimated cost.

(f) Employee future benefits

i. Pension benefits: Eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, a multiemployer plan administered by the Government of Canada. The Department’s contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the total departmental obligation to the Plan. Current legislation does not require the Department to make contributions for any actuarial deficiencies of the Plan.

ii. Severance benefits: Employees are entitled to severance benefits under labour contracts or conditions of employment. These benefits are accrued as employees render the services necessary to earn them. The obligation relating to the benefits earned by employees is calculated using information derived from the results of the actuarially determined liability for employee severance benefits for the Government as a whole.

(g) Accounts and loans receivables are stated at amounts expected to be ultimately realized; a provision is made for receivables where recovery is considered uncertain. Loans that cannot be recovered are written off after receiving Parliamentary approval in accordance with the Debt Write-off Regulations.

(h) Contingent liabilities – Contingent liabilities are potential liabilities that may become actual liabilities when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. To the extent that the future event is likely to occur or fail to occur, and a reasonable estimate of the loss can be made, an estimated liability is accrued and an expense recorded. If the likelihood is not determinable or an amount cannot be reasonably estimated, the contingency is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

(i) Inventories – Inventories consist of forms and equipment held for future program delivery and not intended for resale. They are valued at cost.

(j) Foreign currency transactions – Transactions involving foreign currencies are translated into Canadian dollar equivalents using rates of exchange in effect at the time of those transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency are translated into Canadian dollars using the rate of exchange in effect on March 31. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included in other revenues and other expenses in notes 4 and 5.

(k) Tangible capital assets – All tangible capital assets and leasehold improvements having an initial cost of $10,000 or more are recorded at their acquisition cost.

Amortization of tangible capital assets is done on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset as follows:


Asset Class   Amortization Period
Machinery and equipment   15 years
Informatics hardware 5 years
Purchased software 7 years
Furniture and other 10 years
Motor vehicles 8 years
Leasehold
improvements		 Lesser of remaining term of the lease or
useful life of the improvement
Asset under construction Once in service, in accordance with asset type

(l) Measurement uncertainty – The preparation of these financial statements in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies, which are consistent with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses reported in the financial statements. At the time of preparation of these statements, management believes the estimates and assumptions to be reasonable. The most significant items where estimates are used are contingent liabilities, the liability for employee severance benefits, the useful life of tangible capital assets and deferred revenues. Actual results could significantly differ from those estimated. Management’s estimates are reviewed periodically and, as adjustments become necessary, they are recorded in the financial statements in the year they become known.

3. Parliamentary appropriations

CIC receives all of its funding through annual Parliamentary appropriations. Items recognized in the statement of operations and the statement of financial position in one year may be funded through Parliamentary appropriations in prior, current or future years. Accordingly, the Department has different net results of operations for the year on a government funding basis than on an accrual accounting basis. The differences are reconciled in the following tables.

(a) Reconciliation of net cost of operations to current year appropriations used.


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Net cost of operations
770,400
549,442
Adjustments for items affecting net cost of operations
but not affecting appropriations

 

  
Add (Less) :    
Revenue not available for spending
432,457
521,009
Services provided without charge by
other government departments
(237,160)
(231,596)
Refunds of previous year’s revenues
53,895
12,306
Amortization of tangible capital assets
(8,207)
(7,994)
Employee severance benefits
(5,079)
(5,101)
Inventory consumed in operations
(1,678)
(3,956)
Vacation pay and compensatory leave
(1,182)
1,663
Other
3,217
4,232
 
Adjustments for items not affecting net cost of operations
but affecting appropriations		    
Add (Less):    
Acquisition of tangible capital assets
47,746
36,875
Inventory purchased and prepayments
4,283
5,601
Non-budgetary loans
(2,191)
(1,672)
Other
(65)
(29)
Current year appropriations used
1,056,436
880,780

(b) Appropriations provided and used


  Appropriations provided
  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Vote 1 – Operating expenditures
489,636
428,908
Vote 2a – Write-off of loans

987
0
Vote 5 – Grants and Contributions
598,704
429,405
Statutory amounts
94,607
53,856
Less:
Lapsed Vote 1: Operating expenditures
(49,377)
(18,430)
Lapsed Vote 2a: Write-off of loans
(9)
0
Lapsed Vote 5: Grants and Contributions
(75,898)
(11,279)
Lapsed: Proceeds from disposal of Crown assets
(8)
0
Non-budgetary item
(2,191)
(1,672)
Appropriations available for future years
(15)
(8)
Current year appropriations used
1,056,436
880,780

c) Reconciliation of net cash provided by Government to current year appropriations used


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Net cash provided by Government
621,147
357,073
Revenue not available for spending

432,457
521,009
 
Change in net position in the Consolidated Revenue Fund
Refunds of previous years’ revenues
53,895
0
Variation in accounts receivable and advances
(9,111)
11,526
Variation in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
3,053
7,233
Variation in deferred revenue
(47,831)
(38,220)
Other
2,826
22,159
Subtotal
2,832
2,698
Current year appropriations used
1,056,436
880,780

4. Expenses
The following table presents details of expenses by category.


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Transfer payments
Other level of governments within Canada

276,722
234,215
Non-profit organizations
211,483
152,591
Individuals
33,164
30,063
Other countries and international organizations
1,436
1,256
Refund of previous year transfer payments
(2,474)
(3,138)
Total transfer payments
520,331
414,987
 
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits
459,195
431,445
Professional and special services
124,938
129,327
Accommodation
29,998
28,894
Transportation and communications
25,372
21,739
Repairs and maintenance
6,421
12,990
Utilities, materials and supplies
16,037
12,125
Amortization of tangible capital assets
8,207
7,994
Information services
3,832
3,239
Rentals of equipment
6,779
2,362
Other
1,747
5,349
Total operating expenses
682,526
655,464
Total expenses
1,202,857
1,070,451
 
Detail of transfer payments
Grant for the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration
193,893
188,353
Language instruction for newcomers to Canada
122,288
93,561
Contributions to provinces
82,829
48,975
Immigrant settlement and adaptation
70,208
42,900
Resettlement assistance
44,128
39,754
Host program
5,023
3,326
Grant for the Institute for Canadian Citizenship
3,000
0
International Organization for Migration
1,075
1,012
Migration policy development
361
244
Refund of previous year transfer payments
(2,474)
(3,138)
Total
520,331
414,987

5. Revenues
The following table presents details of revenues by category.


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Immigration service fees
315,066
292,366
Right of permanent residence
70,266
158,774
Citizenship service fees
27,249
37,359
Right of citizenship
19,011
31,561
Interest on loans
734
799
Other
131
150
Total
432,457
521,009

6. Accounts receivable and Advances
The following table presents details of accounts receivable and advances.


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Receivables from other federal government departments and agencies
17,887
10,131
Receivables from external parties
4,746
3,352
Advances to employees
161
240
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts on external receivables
(177)
(217)
Total
22,617
13,506

7. Loans
In accordance with the IRPA, CIC can issue immigration loans up to a maximum of $110,000 000. Since February 28, 1995, all immigration loans bear interest at a rate determined by the Minister of Finance at the beginning of each calendar year. Regulations provide for a period of up to 7 years for the repayment of the loans. The interest rate on oustanding interest-bearing loans varies between 3.56% and 10.842% Allowance for doubtful accounts is made for loans when recovery is considered uncertain.


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Immigration loans
38,080
40,271
Less: Allowance for doubtful collection
(3,673)
(4,287)
Total
34,407
35,984

 


  (in thousands of dollars)
Aging Number of loans Capital Interest Total
0 to 1 year
4,278
11,146
0
11,146
1 to 2 years
3,398
7,932
3
7,935
2 to 3 years
2,603
5,015
9
5,024
3 to 4 years
2,155
3,688
39
3,727
4 to 5 years
1,159
1,727
45
1,772
5 to 6 years
813
1,467
86
1,553
6 to 7 years
599
1,328
140
1,468
7 years and over
2,079
4,584
871
5,455
TOTAL
17,084
36,887
1,193
38,080

 


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Opening balance
40,271
41,943
New loans (including accrued interest)
13,049
13,574
Repayments
(14,270)
(15,246)
Write-off
(970)
0
Closing balance
38,080
40,271

There were no write-offs in 2005-2006 as no Supplementary Estimates were approved by Parliament

8. Tangible Capital Assets


(in thousands of dollars) COST   ACCUMULATED AMORTIZATION
Capital asset class Opening Acquisitions Disposals
and write-offs		 Closing   Opening
balance		 Amortization Disposals
and write-offs		 Closing
balance		 2007
Net book
value		 2006
Net book
value
Machinery and equipment
1,810
124
0
1,934
 
620
121
0
741
1,193
1,190
Informatics hardware
29,553
1,239
2,187
28,605
19,870
4,766
2,184
22,452
6,153
9,683
Purchased software
20,053
234
110
20,177
4,787
1,982
109
6,660
13,517
15,266
Furniture & other
835
305
20
1,120
238
93
20
311
809
597
Motor vehicles
985
163
160
988
515
111
103
523
465
470
Leasehold improvements
7,428
5,939
0
13,367
2,216
1,134
0
3,350
10,017
5,212
Assets under construction
152,398
39,742
0
192,140
0
0
0
0
192,140
152,398
Total
213,062
47,746
2,477
258,331
28,246
8,207
2,416
34,037
224,294
184,816

Amortization expenses for the year ended March 31, 2007 is $8,207 (2006, $7,994)

9. Deferred revenue
The deferred revenue account was established to record fees and rights derived from the Citizenship Act and Regulations and the IRPA and Regulations where the service has yet to be provided or the right granted.


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Opening balance
282,876
337,958
Payments received
180,345
210,347
Revenue recognized
(184,507)
(265,429)
Remissions – reduction of the right of permament residence
(43,669)
0
Closing balance
235,045
282,876

10. Employee Benefits
(a) Pension benefits: The Department’s employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, which is sponsored and administered by the Government of Canada. Pension benefits accrue up to a maximum period of 35 years at a rate of 2 percent per year of pensionable service, times the average of the best five consecutive years of earnings. The benefits are integrated with Canada/Québec Pension Plans benefits and they are indexed to inflation.

Both the employees and the Department contribute to the cost of the Plan. The 2006-2007 expense amounts to $29,867,771 ($30,569,614 in 2005-2006), which represents approximately 2.2 times the contributions by employees (2.6 in 2005-2006).

The Department’s responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan’s sponsor.

(b) Severance benefits: The Department provides severance benefits to its employees based on eligibility, years of service and final salary. These severance benefits are not pre funded. Benefits will be paid from future appropriations. Information about the severance benefits, measured as at March 31, is as follows:


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Accrued benefit obligation, beginning of year
46,555
41,454
Expense for the year
9,461
8,746
Benefits paid during the year
(4,382)
(3,645)
Accrued benefit obligation, end of year
51,634
46,555

11. Contingent liabilities

Claims and litigation
Claims have been made against the Department in the normal course of operations. As at March 31, 2007, no significant liability is expected to result from these claims. However, some potential liabilities may become actual liabilities when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. To the extent that the future event is likely to occur or fail to occur, and a reasonable estimate of the loss can be made, an estimated liability is accrued and an expense recorded in
the financial statements.

12. Contractual obligations
The nature of the Department’s activities can result in some large multi year contracts and obligations whereby the Department will be obligated to make future payments when the services/goods are received. Significant contractual obligations that can be reasonably estimated are summarized as follows:


(in thousands of dollars) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
and after		 Total
Transfer payments

325,000
338,000
338,000
338,000
338,000
1,677,000
Operating expenditures
2,200
2,300
2,300
2,200
2,000
11,000
Total
327,200
340,300
340,300
340,200
340,000
1,688,000

13. Related party transactions
The Department is related as a result of common ownership to all Government of Canada departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. The Department enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms. Also, during the year, the Department received services that were obtained without charge from other government departments as presented in part (a).

(a) Services provided without charge by other government departments

During the year, the Department received, without charge from other departments, accommodation, legal fees and the employer’s contribution to the health and dental insurance plans. Additionally, the Department received international immigration services from Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), staff and facilities at missions abroad. These services without charge have been recognized in the Department’s Statement of Operations as follows.


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Accommodation
29,998
28,894
Employer’s contribution to the health and dental insurance plans
20,316
18,565
Workers’ compensation costs
143
140
Legal services
38,703
38,797
International immigration services
148,000
145,200
Total
237,160
231,596

The Government has structured some of its administrative activities for efficiency and cost-effectiveness purposes so that one Department performs these on behalf of all without charge. The costs of these services, which include payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada are not included as an expense in the Department’s Statement of Operations.

(b) Payables and receivables outstanding at year-end with related parties


  2007 2006
  (in thousands of dollars)
Accounts receivable – other government departments and agencies

11,361
8,386
Accounts payable – other government departments and agencies
5,960
8,960

14. Other liabilities
The Immigrant Investor Program allows qualified immigrants to gain permanent residence in Canada by making an investment of $400,000 in the Canadian economy. The investment is returned to the investor, without interest, five years and two months after payment.

After meeting other immigration requirements, applicants are then required to pay their $400,000 investment to the Receiver General for Canada. CIC acts as an agent for the approved provincial funds by collecting the investments and distributing them to the approved funds according to a prescribed allocation formula (50 percent divided equally and 50 percent distributed according to provincial gross domestic product). The investment is distributed to the participating provinces and territories (Ontario, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador) on the first day of the second month following receipt from the investor.

The participating provinces and territories are responsible for investing their allocations to strengthen their economies and to create or continue employment. They report to CIC quarterly, and after the five-year holding period, remit the $400,000 investment back to CIC. CIC, within 30 days of receipt of the $400,000 from the participating funds, returns the $400,000 investment to the investor (without interest).

The value of financial transactions processed during the year is as follows.


(in thousands of dollars) April 1, 2006 Receipts and
other credits		 Payments
and other
charges		 March 31, 2007
Immigrant Investor program
28,000
579,116
583,116
24,000

Table 12: Response to Parliamentary Committees, Audits and Evaluations

Response to Parliamentary Committees

Report 4: Immediate Moratorium on Deportations of All Undocumented Workers

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration recommended that the government place an immediate moratorium on deportations of all undocumented workers and their families who pass security and criminality checks while a new immigration policy is put in place.

The Government of Canada’s response can be found at the following link:
http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/CommitteePublication.aspx?SourceId=210586

Response to the Auditor General (including to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)
OAG – Large Information Technology Projects

The OAG carried out an examination of large information technology projects across the federal government. Seven projects, including the GCMS, were examined. The OAG noted that GCMS was reasonably well managed but improvements were needed in the areas of governance and organizational capacity.

Additional information can be found at the following OAG link:
www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/20061103ce.html/$file/20061103ce.pdf

External Audits (Other external audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.)

N/A

Internal Audits and Evaluations

INTERNAL AUDITS

Annex 13 of the 2006-2007 Reports on Plans and Priorities indicated that the Internal Audit and Accountability Branch was in the process of developing a risk based audit plan for 2006-2009 as indicated in TBS’s new Internal Audit Policy. The risk-based audit plan was developed and approved by the Audit Committee in November 2006.

Audits completed in 2006-2007

Audit of the Bucharest Immigration Program
www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/audit/bucharest.asp

Audit of the Designated Medical Practitioner Management Control Framework
www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/audit/dmp.asp

Audit of the Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program and the HOST Contribution Program
www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/audit/isap-host.asp

Audit of the Seoul Immigration Program
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/audit/seoul.asp

Audit of Immigration – Contribution Accountability Measurement System (iCAMS)
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/audit/icams.asp

Audits that were started in 2006-2007 and completed in 2007-2008
These audits will be presented at the next Audit Committee meeting (Summer 2007):

  • Audit of the Buenos Aires Immigration Program
  • Audit of the Caracas Immigration Program

EVALUATIONS

Results-Based Management and Accountability Frameworks (RMAF) and Evaluation Frameworks completed in 2006-2007

Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA)
Enhanced Language Training (ELT)
Foreign Students – Off-Campus Employment Program
Foreign Students – Post-Graduate Employment Program

Participated in the following horizontal RMAFs

Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program
2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games
Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism

Evaluations and reviews completed in 2006-2007

Metropolis Review
Formative Evaluation of Official Languages in Minority Communities Initiative
Summative Evaluation of the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program

Several major studies are also currently underway. Due to insufficient data, the planned Skilled Workers formative evaluation was not undertaken, but is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2007-2008.

Table 13: Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS)


Points to Address Departmental Input
1. What are the key goals, objectives, and/or long-term targets of the SDS?

Goal I – Minimize the negative environmental impacts of departmental operations.

Goal II – Promote awareness of sustainable development principles and objectives among departmental staff, clients and stakeholders.

Goal III – Support sociocultural sustainability.

Goal IV – Promote accountability and ensure compliance.
2. How do your key goals, objectives, and/or long-term targets help achieve your Department’s strategic outcomes?

Sustainable development consists of finding a balance between the economic and social needs of Canadians and the need to protect the environment. This principle is based on elements founded on values such as fairness and quality of life, as well as on integrated decision making.

Since CIC’s strategic outcomes are focused on the economic, social and cultural development of Canada; on sharing Canadian values with the international community; and on the integration of newcomers into Canadian society, CIC’s sustainable development goals are designed to support all of these aspects.

Goal I aims to take into account an important Canadian value, protecting the environment, in the management of the immigration process. Goal II focuses on providing all those involved in the immigration process (employees, stakeholders and clients) with the opportunity to obtain the knowledge that will help them to participate in Canada’s progress toward sustainable development. Goals I and II both contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of the country.

Goal III involves the Department’s paying special attention to the sociocultural aspect of sustainable development. In the long term, this will help CIC achieve its third strategic outcome.

Goal IV focuses on the smooth progress of the Department’s sustainable development program, which will support the other three goals.
3. What were your targets for the reporting period?

Only four targets in the SDS that CIC tabled in Parliament in February 2004 have to be reached in 2006-2007. Most of the other activities in the strategy were to be implemented in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 and continued in subsequent years.

2006-2007 targets:

1.1.1. Develop an overarching resource reduction strategy that will cover the following management areas: Fleet, Facilities Procurement and related issues.

1.1.2 As a part of the overarching resource reduction strategy, prepare a section that will cover information technology (IT) equipment and related issues.

1.2.10 Use 10 percent ethanol (minimum) fuel for CIC vehicles.

2.1.9 Grow support for resource reduction strategy above (Objective 1.1). Highlight the role of physical and other measures in contributing both tangible and intangible benefits (i.e., attitudes toward change).
4. What is your progress to date?

Activities 1.1.1, 1.1.2 and 2.1.9
These three activities are related. CIC does not have a detailed document outlining a resource reduction strategy for the Department. However, the following practices have been adopted.

1. Since April 1, 2005, CIC has been implementing The Way Forward, a wide-ranging strategy led by Public Works and Government Services Canada that aims to improve how the Government of Canada does business, particularly by greening its operations.

2. In 2006-2007, CIC staffed a position in Procurement and Contracting Services to implement green procurement at the national level.

3. To ensure maximum use of IT resources, CIC does not replace any equipment because of age alone. All IT equipment is used as long as possible before it is replaced. In Canada, CIC sends all surplus IT equipment to the Computers for Schools Program for reuse. Overseas missions sell their surplus equipment locally at auction. Servers are kept much longer than five years, and when they are upgraded, older servers are redeployed to smaller sites or are used for development and testing. Spare parts are kept on hand so that malfunctioning equipment can be repaired rather than replaced.

4. CIC recycles empty plastic printer ink cartridges, which vendors now take back for reuse.

Activity 1.2.10
CIC’s National Headquarters issued a directive to all CIC drivers stipulating that vehicles be fueled up only in service stations that offer ethanol fuel, if possible.
5. What adjustments have you made, if any? (To better set the context for this information, discuss how lessons learned have influenced your adjustments.)

The changes that CIC has made to its sustainable development strategy are outlined in the fourth edition of the strategy, which was tabled in Parliament on December 13, 2006.

In SDS IV, CIC’s approach to sustainable development will be focused on areas where it is felt that the Department can make a tangible difference. In the coming years, CIC will concentrate on building capacity in the Department through training and communications, and through preparing Strategic Environmental Assessments of its policy, plan and program proposals to ensure that all three pillars of sustainable development are factored into them.

CIC will also tighten its guidelines and procedures for documenting its management system and will work with senior management to integrate sustainable development considerations into decision making.

Lastly, instead of adopting a departmental resource reduction policy, each branch will be encouraged to create its own green plan. Best practices will be circulated throughout the Department. In this way, CIC hopes to establish a true culture of change among its employees.

Table 14: Client-Centred Service

CIC’s Service Improvement Office is a member of the interdepartmental working group on service standards chaired by TBS. The working group has developed a policy and directives on services and standards which should be approved in the fall of 2007. In anticipation of the adoption of the policy and directives, CIC has developed a plan of action, that includes developing an inventory of CIC services, defining service standards and evaluation procedures, and communicating information to the public and staff — all with the intent of respecting the policy’s time frames once adopted.

Table 15: Travel Policies

CIC adheres to the TBS Special Travel Authorities and the TBS Travel Directive, including rates and allowances.



Section 5 : Other Items of Interest

The Global Case Management System (GCMS)

GCMS is a critical component of the infrastructure that will help CIC accomplish its strategic outcomes and priorities. GCMS is a multi year initiative designed to replace 12 legacy systems currently used by the staff of both CIC and the CBSA. With an integrated, automated case management system to support client operations around the globe, GCMS will facilitate the move towards more streamlined operations, standardized business practices and improved client service in both organizations. A key component of CIC’s client service improvement plan, GCMS will also help communicate and share appropriate data with partners and provide timely and accurate information needed for effective operations and sound management decisions.

Based on departmental requirements, CIC received approval to initiate the GCMS project in 2000-2001. The contract to purchase the system and develop the application was signed in March 2003. Later that year, the creation of the CBSA and the subsequent transfer of immigration functions between CIC and the CBSA resulted in GCMS becoming a shared system and a key tool for both organizations to manage the movement of clients.

The first GCMS release was deployed to citizenship offices across Canada and the citizenship case processing centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia in September, 2004. The successful rollout of the Citizenship component of GCMS proved that the system was viable. As work continued on the project, however, it became clear that the completion of all remaining functionality would take longer than initially expected. Complications revealed during the testing phase resulted in the decision to carry out a thorough review of the project. It was assessed based on the entire client continuum in order to determine the most effective means of successfully completing it. The findings of an independent review conducted in December 2006 indicated that the decision to re-evaluate was indeed prudent. In February 2007, CIC sought the TBS’s authorization, through a Treasury Board Submission, to revise the Amended Effective Project Approval (A/EPA) with respect to budget and schedule. This amendment was to allow the review and analysis work to continue and to prepare, by October 31, 2007, an amended EPA submission for the authority to complete the project, supported by a revised plan with proposed schedule and estimated cost. With the February 2007 submission, the project team also committed to provide a comprehensive progress report to TBS in June 2007.

The goal for the GCMS project remains to ensure the safe, low-risk implementation of the system.

Research

Objective and timely research is a condition for making informed decisions on policy action and program development. CIC’s core strategic research involves three key activities: ongoing investment in data sources, research and analysis that support policy and programs at federal and provincial/territorial levels, and dissemination of this information.

In 2006-2007, CIC continued to invest resources in major data sets, including the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC), the Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB), the Citizenship Language Survey (CLS), the World Values Survey (WVS), and the Census. In addition, CIC continued to work closely with Statistics Canada to explore the feasibility of using existing databases to study immigrant businesses. Methodological approaches were also investigated to extend the use of existing data in the analysis of immigrant sponsorships. As well, significant progress was made with Statistics Canada and HRSDC to pilot new content for the Labour Force Survey in order to enhance our understanding and monitoring of immigrant participation in the labour market.

CIC continued to monitor the economic performance of immigrants, with emphasis on skilled workers as well as occupational and industry mix. One report comparing outcomes in Canada and Australia is now available and reports focusing on income and social assistance dynamics will be available shortly. CIC’s Citizenship Language Survey was completed and analysis of the results is well underway. The composition of immigrant neighbourhoods, from both residence and work perspectives, was investigated and results have been shared with provincial colleagues. A survey of available research focusing on immigrant youth was completed as a first step to examining research outcomes for this age cohort. CIC continued to expand the range of information available to the public through such products as Facts and Figures and The Monitor.

Evaluation

In 2006-2007, CIC strengthened its strategic approach to evaluation by developing a risk-based evaluation plan that will ensure those programs and policies of greatest impact and greatest risk are critically evaluated at regular intervals. CIC also finalized its departmental Evaluation Policy, which outlines the governance and operation of the evaluation function, and the formal roles and responsibilities of the Deputy Minister, CIC senior management, program managers and the Evaluation Directorate. See Table 12 of this report for information regarding specific evaluation activities in 2006-2007.

Metropolis

The Metropolis Project Secretariat and Portuguese officials organized the 11th annual International Metropolis Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, from October 2 to 6, 2006. The Conference theme was “Paths & Crossroads: Moving People, Changing Places.” It addressed a wide range of issues related to globalization, diversity and current complex migratory phenomena. Metropolis and the Joint Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement (CERIS) organized the 9th National Metropolis Conference, held in Toronto from March 1 to 4, 2007. Over 800 participants attended. The theme of the conference was “Exploring Canada’s Diversity, Today and Tomorrow.”

Metropolis produced editions of the Project’s national newsletter, the Metropolis World Bulletin, a special issue of Canadian Ethnic Studies on multicultural futures, a special issue of the Canadian Journal of Urban Research on “Our Diverse Cities: Challenges and Opportunities,” and a special magazine issue of Our Diverse Cities focusing on rural communities. With the Association of Canadian Studies, Metropolis produced the 2006 Winter issue of Canadian Diversity magazine titled Integration of Newcomers: International Approaches.

Metropolis helped the Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements and the Australian Multicultural Foundation to hold the “Immigrations Futures Conference” in Prato, Italy, from May 17 to 19, 2006. It also organized the following events.

Metropolis Presents series:

  • “Second Generation Youth in Canada” in Ottawa, Ontario on March 20, 2007. This was a CIC Research Network event supported by Strategic Research and Statistics at CIC, Youth Justice (Justice Canada), Multiculturalism Program (Canadian Heritage), and Research and Academic Relations (Public Safety Canada).
  • The final three of a series of 12 on “Ottawa, Our Diverse City.”

Metropolis Conversations:

  • Selection of Economic Immigrants and Alignment with Labour Market Needs (April 2006);
  • Policing and Security in a Diverse Society: Balancing Justice and the Rule of Law (January, 2007); and
  • The Canadian Multiculturalism Act: Twenty Years Later (March 2007).

There were four meetings of the Interdepartmental Committee and two of the International Steering Committee.

Collectively the five Centres of Excellence continue to develop research adding to the articles, books and academic conference presentations generated by the Metropolis Project.

Metropolis negotiated renewal of the Canadian project for another five-year period.

Gender-Based Analysis at CIC

Under IRPA, CIC is accountable to Parliament for conducting gender-based analysis (GBA) of the impact of the Act and its regulations. The Department developed a strategic framework for gender-based analysis at CIC for 2005-2010. The overall objective of the framework is to integrate GBA into CIC’s work in order to meet the reporting requirement through branch GBA plans and to achieve the broader departmental policy and program objectives and commitments on GBA.

CIC was reorganized in April 2006, and the GBA function was transferred to the Corporate Services Sector, which affords greater opportunities to integrate GBA into planning and reporting processes. In addition, the CIC Policy Committee, which guides departmental policy directions, priorities and decision making, will provide an oversight role to ensure that gender considerations are taken into account in the policy and program development process.

CIC continued to provide policy development training courses in GBA in order to build the knowledge needed to make GBA part of the Department’s daily work. CIC undertook a range of other initiatives in 2006-2007 as part of its GBA plans.

In 2006, CIC followed up on its commitment to monitor the Safe Third Country Agreement to establish baseline data of gender impacts and trends over time. The proportion of females among total claimants and among border claimants has remained relatively constant, with a slight increase over the last five years (42 percent in 2002 to 45 percent in 2006). This would suggest that the Agreement has not been a strong deterrent and that women continue to make asylum claims in Canada and were eligible to do so under the terms of the Agreement. Although the total number of unaccompanied minor refugee claimants remained unchanged in 2006, the proportion of female claimants decreased to 35 percent. Given the particular vulnerability of this subgroup, and the Government’s commitment to considering the best interests of the child, this category will continue to be monitored closely. Details of these results can be found in the Annual Report on Immigration 2007.

CIC supported the government’s introduction of amendments to IRPA to help prevent vulnerable foreign workers from being exploited or abused. The amendments would give CIC’s Minister the authority to issue instructions, based on objective evidence, that would allow immigration officers to deny work permits to individuals, including exotic dancers, who could be subjected to humiliating and degrading treatment, including sexual exploitation, in Canada.

CIC has committed to creating a new avenue to immigration for Canadian-educated foreign students and experienced temporary foreign workers. Creating an immigration opportunity for Canadian-educated foreign students and experienced temporary foreign workers may create more gender balance in our immigration programs by providing more women an opportunity to apply to stay in Canada as principal applicants. Impacts by gender will continue to be monitored with this new initiative.

Other initiatives have just begun. As part of the Department’s commitment to protecting victims of human trafficking, guidelines released in May 2006 encourage immigration officers to issue possible victims a short-term TRP. Although international data indicates that human trafficking is mostly aimed at women and children, men can also be victims of trafficking. This will be reflected in the training materials on human trafficking.

Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative

Responsibility for TWRI was transferred from CIC’s Minister to the President of the TBS through an Order in Council dated February 6, 2006. The TWRI currently falls under Environment Canada.

Footnotes

1 For more information on CIC’s programs, see www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp.

2 This figure does not include the 1,236 locally-engaged staff in missions around the world (as of September 30, 2006).

3 St. Petersburg office was closed on March 31, 2007.

4 For more details on the CBSA, see Critical Partnerships section.

5 For further information on the Government of Canada outcomes as they appear in Canada’s Performance Report 2006, see www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/govrev/06/cp-rc_e.asp.

6 For specific details regarding results and spending for each Program Activity, see Section 2: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome.

7 People, Service and Trust: Links in a Public Sector Service Value Chain
www.psagency-agencefp.gc.ca/veo-bve/publications/atricle_e.asp?printable=True.

8 In his 14th Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada, the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet stressed the importance of Integrated Business and HR Planning that accounts for workforce strengths and gaps that need to be filled through recruitment or development, and that engages employees in the future of their organization.

9 For more information on CIC’s provincial and territorial agreements, see www.cic.gc.ca/english/about/laws-policy/agreements/index.asp.

10 For further details, see www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/index_e.htm.

11 See: www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/settlement/plan-minorities.asp.



Table 7-B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees


A. External Fee

Service Standard
[notes 1 and 2]

 

Performance Results
[note 2]

Stakeholder Consultation

Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) (formerly Right of Landing Fee)

This fee is not a processing fee, but rather a fee that is paid in order to receive the right of permanent residence. Legally, this fee is only required to be paid before PR visas are issued abroad or before the grant of PR status in Canada. The timing of its payment is, to a certain degree, voluntary on the part of the applicant; i.e. at any time during the processing of the PR applications in Canada, before finalization of PR visa abroad, or before PR status is granted in Canada. Because the client determines when the fee is paid, no specific service standards are attached to it. Instead, the service standard and processing times are attached to processing of the application itself, which carries a separate fee. (see next item on list)

This fee is closely linked to the processing of permanent resident applications.

Payment of RPRF fees is, to a certain degree, subject to the wishes of the individual client. Legally the only requirement is that they be paid before a PR visa is issued abroad and before PR status is granted in Canada.

The government has indicated its desire to eliminate the RPRF during its mandate. The fee was reduced by half at the beginning of fiscal year 2006–2007.

 

Permanent Residence Application Fee,
Permanent Resident Card Fee, and Permanent Resident Travel Document Fee

Immigration levels are set by Cabinet once a year. CIC complies with these set levels. Since demand (intake) far outstrips the set levels, excess applications may wait in queue for lengthy periods until “levels room” opens up the following year. Without intake controls, and without being in contempt of Parliament, it is not possible for CIC to set service standards for applications outside of the priority processing queue.

Highest priority processing is given to immediate family class (spouses, etc). At overseas missions and in Canada the service standard is to finalize the majority of cases within 6 months. Second priority processing is given to Provincial Nominees and Quebec Economic (Skilled Worker and Business) classes.

At overseas missions.

Permanent Resident Cards: Majority within 30 days.

Permanent Resident Travel Document: 2 days for routine cases.

Permanent Residence Applications
Overseas: Immigrant Visas: In calendar year 2006 overseas missions delivered 96.7% of the overall visa target. A total of 217,003 immigrant visas were issued abroad.
In calendar year 2006, missions finalized 50% of immediate Family Class applications within 4 months, 70% within 7 months and 80% within 9 months. Missions finalized 50% of provincial nominees within 8 months, 70% within 10 months and 80% within 12 months.

 

Domestic: Sponsorship:
99% of undertakings (spouse, child) are currently processed within 32 days. Other classes: First-stage approval for in-Canada PR applications is currently between 6–19 months depending on the immigrant category.

Permanent Resident Card: Domestic: Cards for new PRs are processed within 3–4 weeks. Initial, replacement or renewal of PR card for existing PRs is currently 30 days at the CPC.

Permanent Resident Travel Document:
Overseas: While no processing data is reported, 70% of applications are generally processed within 2 days.

All the current fees are to the Government of Canada regulatory process for cost recovery fees which includes consultation requirements. Consultations took place at the time each fee was imposed as part of the regulatory process.

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration holds regular consultations on various issues related to its mandate including fees and service standards.

CIC consults regularly with stakeholders including the Canada Bar, the Canadian Council for Refugees, Immigration Practitioners, etc.

Future processing fees will be subject to the User Fee Act Bill C-212. Section 4 of the User Fee Act specifies the consultative requirements that will apply when new user fees are considered.

 

 

 

Work Permit Fee (individual and performing artist groups)

Overseas: 4 weeks for the majority of cases.

Domestic: 40 calendar days (includes 10 days mailing time) for majority of cases.

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 72% of applications were finalized within 28 days.

Domestic: Recent average processing times are 24 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

See above

Study Permit Fee

Same as above.

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 76% of applications were finalized within 28 days.

Domestic: Recent average processing times are 37 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville. 

See above

Temporary Resident Visa Application Fee (TRV) and Extension of Authorization to Remain in Canada as a Temporary Resident Fee

Overseas: 2 days for the majority of cases.

Domestic: 40 calendar days (includes 10 days mailing time) for majority of cases.

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 62% of TRV applications were finalized within 2 days.

Domestic: Extension of status: Recent average processing times are 34 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville. 

See above

Temporary Resident Permit Fee (TRP)

Overseas: TRPs are processed to overcome an inadmissibility identified during the processing of any type of visa application. The majority are processed in 2 days but variability in the complexity of the cases and the inadmissibility that is being addressed can influence the service standard.

Domestic: 40 calendar days (includes 10 days mailing time) for majority of cases.

Domestic: Recent processing times are 34 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

 

See above

Restoration of Temporary Resident Status Fee

Domestic: 40 calendar days (includes 10 days mailing time).

Recent processing times are 34 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

See above

Other immigration services (various)

Certification and replacement of immigration document: 6–8 weeks for majority of cases.

Overseas: Authorizations to Return to Canada (ARCs) are processed expeditiously but the extremely variable nature and complexity of ARC cases can influence the service standard.

Replacement of immigration documents: currently within 6–8 weeks.

See above

Right of Citizenship Fee

Service standard is linked to the processing of the application for a grant of citizenship, similar to the Right of Permanent Residence Fee.

This fee is linked to acquisition of citizenship status (see Change of Citizenship Fee below).

See above

Change of Citizenship Fees: Grant, Retention, Resumption, Renunciation of Citizenship

12–15 months for majority of cases.

In 2006–2007, processing times for individuals applying to become a citizen (grant of citizenship) were reduced from 15–18 months to 12–15 months.

See above

Citizenship Status Document Fees: Proof of Citizenship and Search for Record of Citizenship

3 months for majority of cases

In 2006–2007, processing times for the issuance of a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) were reduced from 5–7 months to 3 months.

See above

Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act (ATIA)

 

 

30 days following receipt of request unless an extension is requested

In 2006-2007, CIC received 10,497requests under the Access to Information Act in 2006–07 and completed 10,667 requests during the same period (some requests carried over from previous year). CIC provided a response within 30 days following receipt of the request in 67.8% of cases. Response time was extended in 32.2% of cases.
Overall, CIC met deadlines for 95% of the requests over the course of the year.

The service standard is established by the Access to Information Act and the Access to Information Regulations. Consultations with stakeholders were undertaken by the Department of Justice and the Treasury Board Secretariat for amendments done in 1986 and 1992.

Notes:

Note 1:   Service standards for immigration and citizenship processes are not published, but are internal benchmarks. Average processing times for all processes are published on CIC’s Web site and are updated regularly http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp. NOTE — overseas processing times are not expressed as averages. Providing good service for fee paid is not only a question of processing time. Often, faster processing would be poor client service (for example, by giving a client an unreasonably short time to provide needed documentation; or by rejecting a reasonable excuse for not attending a scheduled interview). Many elements of processing time are beyond CIC’s control; they are under the control of the applicant, or of other agencies such as CSIS, RCMP and CBSA. Due to case complexity and legal requirements, processing standards cannot represent finalization of “all” cases, but rather “a majority” of cases, within any given time frame.

Note 2:    All fees or modifications to fees that existed before the UFA came into force on March 31, 2004, are not subject to that legislation. Therefore:

  • Performance standard, if provided, may not have received Parliamentary review,
  • Performance standard, if provided, may not respect all requirements under the UFA (e.g. international comparison; independent complaint address), and
  • Performance result, if provided, is not legally subject to UFA section 5.1.


Table 8: Progress against Department’s Regulatory Plan


Regulations

Expected Results

Performance Measurement Criteria

Results Achieved

CIC is reviewing the measures needed to modernize Canada’s citizenship program as it relates to the adoption of foreign born children.

Introduce Bill and pre-publish regulations that will facilitate the access to citizenship for foreign born children adopted by Canadian citizens.

Bill passed and regulations introduced.

Bill C-14, Citizenship Act (adoption) was introduced on May 15, 2006.  On March 31, 2007, the Bill was awaiting Third Reading in the House of Commons.

CIC will seek direction on an approach to address inventories and seek approval for legislative or regulatory changes necessary while exploring options for a new application intake system.

Create a sustainable basis to manage the application intake for permanent residence.

A sustainable approach to managing application intake for permanent residence is created and implemented.

Over 2006–2007, CIC undertook detailed analysis, including consideration of possible legislative and regulatory changes, in support of potential options for addressing inventories and the development of a new application intake system. However, additional work is required over 2007–2008, and beyond, to address the outstanding policy issues, implementation considerations and resource implications.
           

CIC intends to develop amendments to regulations to reflect updated policies and support the Government agenda.

Support the renewal of targeted policies and increase flexibility in the administration of programs.

Regulations reflect updated policies and support the Government agenda.

Several initiatives were undertaken in the last year, including:

  • lifting the visa requirement on Estonia,
  • introducing Bill C-57: Discretionary Authority,
  • submitting phase I of the department’s response to the Standing Committee on the Scrutiny of Regulations, and
  • halving the Right of Permanent Resident Fee.

The department also received approval to begin work on improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and to make it easier for Canadian educated foreign students and temporary foreign workers to become permanent residents from within Canada.



Table 9 : Status Report on Major Crown Project

GLOBAL CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (GCMS)

Description

The GCMS is a multi year program that will replace several aging, archaic and incompatible core business systems of CIC and the CBSA, some of which are 30 years old and support over 240 points of service across Canada and around the world. It is an integrated, case-management-based set of applications and infrastructure components that will support the client operations of CIC and the CBSA.

Once in place, the GCMS will improve overall program integrity, effectiveness and client service delivery. It will also facilitate communications and data sharing between CIC and the CBSA and with our other partners for the purposes of the administration of the IRPA. In addition, the GCMS will provide the technological foundation to support new business initiatives and capitalize on innovative technology by replacing outdated systems that are extremely difficult to support and maintain.

Project Phase: The GCMS Project is currently in a review phase with continuing work on improving the quality of the system

Lead Department: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Participating Agency: Canada Border Services Agency
Contracting Authority: Public Works and Government Services Canada
Prime Contractor: Accenture Inc., 160 Elgin Street, Suite 2100, Ottawa, ON K2P 2C4


Major Milestones

Date

Treasury Board approves full funding for the GCMS project at the same time as CIC’s Treasury Board submission on the implementation of policy reforms and the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

August 2000

Treasury Board grants preliminary project approval and major Crown project designation to the GCMS.

March 2001

Treasury Board grants Effective Project Approval (EPA) to the GCMS.

January 2002

Request for proposal for the acquisition of a commercial, case management off-the-shelf software package posted for tender by Public Works and Government Services Canada.

February 2002

Contract for the case management off-the-shelf software package awarded.

March 2003

Business modelling and high level requirements completed.

May 2003

Treasury Board grants Amended Effective Project Approval to the GCMS.

October 2003

The first GCMS business component (Citizenship) is implemented.

September 2004

Treasury Board grants a second amendment to the EPA.

September 2005

Preliminary findings of the System Under Development Audit of the GCMS project are available at the time of the amended EPA submission, and the final report is presented in November 2005.

November 2005

Treasury Board approves a technical amendment to the EPA.

December 2006

Development of the remaining GCMS functionality.

Ongoing

Treasury Board grants a third amendment to the EPA.

February 2007

Implementation of the remaining GCMS functionality.

Under review

Progress Report and Explanation of Variances

  • Preliminary project approval was obtained from Treasury Board on March 1, 2001, with a planned cost of $194.8 million (excluding GST).
  • EPA was obtained from Treasury Board on January 31, 2002, with a planned cost of $194.8 million (excluding GST) and a completion date of March 31, 2005.
  • Shortly after the preliminary project approval, a decision was made to acquire and configure a commercial client relationship management software package rather than custom develop the functionality required for the GCMS. This necessitated a lengthy competitive procurement process that began in March 2001, with an expected completion date of July 1, 2002. Cumulative procurement and contracting delays beyond CIC control, totalling nine months, prevented the contract from being awarded until March 26, 2003. This delay affected activities and resources highly dependent on the outcome of the procurement process. While the project took steps to mitigate the impact of the delay, the cost of the delay was assessed at $7.8 million.
  • Approval of an amended EPA was obtained from Treasury Board on October 9, 2003. In recognition of the impact of the procurement delay, Treasury Board increased the project spending authority by $7.8 million to $202.6 million (excluding GST). Subsequent implementation plans addressed the impact of the procurement delay and adjusted the overall project completion date to December 31, 2005.
  • The transfer of certain CIC functions to the newly created CBSA beginning in December 2003, as well as lessons learned from the first GCMS deployment in September 2004, necessitated further adjustments to the GCMS project plan. These changes formed the basis of a second amendment to the EPA, granted by Treasury Board in September 2005, and resulted in a net increase of $40.2 million to the project budget over two additional fiscal years, for a total budget of $242.8 million (excluding GST) between fiscal years 2000–2001 and 2007–2008. The increase includes approved new functionalities related to security that were not in the original project ($6.2 million) and a $16.3 million contingency. Despite significant schedule adjustments, the forecast variance over original project objectives, excluding the procurement delay, funded scope changes and contingency, was about 10%.
  • In preparing for the September 2005 amended EPA, the TBS requested that a System under Development Audit (SUD) be performed on the GCMS. Preliminary audit findings were available at the time of the amended EPA submission, and final SUD audit results were released in November 2005. The SUD suggested that the project management team bring more discipline into some project management elements. All of the SUD audit recommendations have been accepted and corrective actions have been taken.
  • CIC and CBSA are currently reconsidering implementation options as a result of an independent review conducted in December 2006. The review recommended that the project take the time to conduct a project quality verification and options analysis. As a result, in February 2007, CIC sought and received Treasury Board’s authorization to revise the amended EPA to allow for this work to take place, bringing the total budget to $277.0 million (excluding GST) or $290.9 million (including GST) until October 31, 2007. The results of the project quality verification and options analysis will be taken into consideration in developing a revised implementation plan to ensure a successful completion of the GCMS and the safest possible implementation worldwide.