Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

The Departmental Results Report (2018–2019), stated that a total of 7,414 full-time equivalent employees are currently employed with IRCC. The Minister of IRCC administers the Citizenship Act of 1977 and its subsequent amendments. The Minister of IRCC works closely with the Minister of Public Safety in relation to the administration of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. IRCC, together with its partners, has the responsibility of conducting "the screening of potential permanent and temporary residents to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians." The issuance and control of Canadian passports and other travel documents that facilitate the travel of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons is also under the responsibility of IRCC. ==History==

Further Information: History of immigration to Canada Formerly known as Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the department was established in 1994 following a reorganization within the government and was renamed to its current name with the swearing in of the 29th Ministry in 2015. Prior to the establishment of the Naturalization Act of 1947, persons who were born in Canada, as well as those who were naturalized Canadians regardless of their country of origin, were all categorized as British subjects. Therefore, during these times, "citizen" and "citizenship" referred to people living in Canada rather than those in possession of Canadian citizenship status. The Citizenship Act of 1947 established Canadian citizenship as distinct from British subject status. Under the British North America Act 1867, immigration responsibilities were shared by the federal government and provincial/territorial governments and commissions. Citizenship and immigration legislations Immigration and citizenship legislation are laws that set standards, policies and practices in accordance with the Citizenship Act. The following is the chronology of Canadian immigration and citizenship laws. == Facilities ==

IRCC operates a large network of "Citizenship and Immigration Centres" throughout Canada such as Case Processing Centres (CPCs), Centralized Intake Offices (CIOs), and Operations Support Centres (OPCs), as well as an important number of embassies, high commissions, and consulates abroad. International Canadian embassies and consular offices abroad handle immigration, refugee, and visa applications, as well as provide consular services to Canadians overseas. There are identified countries in different regions around the globe that are strategically located and serve as case processing centres for students, temporary residents, visitors, refugees and landed immigrants visa applications. Service Canada is responsible for some of the domestic field operations of the department, while the Canada Border Services Agency controls enforcement and entry control at ports of entry. IRCC remains responsible for the establishment of policies and processing of permanent and temporary resident visa, refugee protection and citizenship applications. ==Funding==

The Departmental Results Report for 2018–2019 reported that the actual spending amount by IRCC was . The budget was spent through various immigration programs. As part of an initiative called the "Settlement Program and Resettlement Assistance Program," updated application forms are provided online by IRCC for available funding opportunities for settlement organizations across Canada. These programs support organizations that provide settlement and integration services, such as language instruction and employment assistance. The Government of Canada resettled 25,000 Syrian refugees by February 2016 through several sponsorship programs.: • Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs), who were financially supported by private citizens or organizations; • Government Assisted Refugees (GARs), who were funded by IRCC through the Refugee RAP; and • Blended Visa Office-Referred Refugees (BVORs), which is a type of refugee classified by UNCHR and subsequently paired with Canadian private sponsors. ==Citizenship Commission==

Under Immigration, Refugees and Immigration Canada, the Citizenship Commission is responsible for the administration of citizenship grants to new applications who are admissible for Canadian citizenship. Composed of citizenship judges across Canada, the Commission's mandate is to administer Oath of Citizenship; process and approve citizenship applications that meet residency requirements. Citizenship judges Citizenship judges are obliged to obey the mandate as stated by the Citizenship Commission under the Citizenship Act and the Citizenship Regulations. They provide citizenship application assessment ensuring that the applicants meet the necessary requirements, such as residency, they will administer the Oath of Citizenship during ceremonies and review the rights, privileges and duties of a Canadian citizen, conduct hearings, and supply written decisions following timeline set by the regulation. They are also asked to maintain the integrity of the citizenship application process. == Family reunification delays in Quebec ==

In Quebec, the family reunification program has faced extended processing times due to the limited number of admission places set under provincial quotas. The province establishes annual caps for this category, which were nearly reached in 2023. These limits prevent the federal government from accelerating the processing of applications without exceeding the targets defined by the Quebec government. As of late 2023, applicants in Quebec faced waiting times of up to 42 months to sponsor a spouse abroad, compared with about 13 months in other Canadian provinces. In July 2023, approximately 38,800 sponsorship applications were pending in Quebec. The Quebec Ministry of Immigration stated that the federal government is responsible for processing applications once Quebec issues selection certificates. Federal authorities have also reported backlogs across several immigration programs, as noted by the Auditor General of Canada. Opposition parties and immigration advocates have called on the provincial government to review its immigration priorities and allocation of quotas. Some experts have suggested reducing the share of economic immigrants and increasing family reunification targets to address the growing delays. ==See also==