Gender-based analysis plus

Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus governance and capacity

Diversity and intersectionality are important considerations for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) when facilitating the arrival of immigrants, providing protection to refugees, offering settlement programming to newcomers, and granting citizenship and passport services. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), IRCC has a legislative requirement to report on Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) activities in the Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration.

Governance

IRCC strengthened its support mechanisms for employees in 2022–23, building initiatives introduced in the previous year.

In December 2021, IRCC implemented the Inclusion, Diversity and Employment Equity Sub-Committee, which is a sub-committee to the Human Resources National Labour Management Consultation Committee, a consultative table co-chaired by a senior manager representative and a union representative to foster effective communication between IRCC management and bargaining agents. Various topics pertaining to equity-seeking groups in the workforce are discussed in this forum.

In 2021, IRCC also created the Employee Support Office to become a centre of expertise and facilitate any Duty to Accommodate requests under the 13 grounds of discrimination prohibited under the Canadian Human Rights Act to ensure employees are provided with the right tools/solutions to perform their tasks and be successful on an equal basis with others. The Employee Support Office is also building capacity in the Department to identify and remove barriers for persons with disabilities and other employment equity (EE) and equity-seeking groups. Additionally, forums across the Department continued as safe spaces for staff to discuss diversity and inclusion topics, including anti-racism initiatives, commitments, and current affairs.

Additionally in 2022, the Settlement and Integration Sector established a working group to integrate GBA Plus and Gender Equality into the work of the settlement programs. Now in its second year, the Settlement and Integration Sector (SIS) working group is an established community of practice to build capacity by sharing resources, developing tools and guidance relevant to the sector, as well as organizing an annual learning series to hear from academics and practitioners on migration issues. 

Anti-racism

In 2022–23, IRCC enhanced the capacity of anti-racism governance within the Department to address systemic racism more effectively and foster more inclusion in policies, programs, operations and people management practices. The Department’s Anti-Racism Task Force (ARTF), reporting directly to the Deputy Minister, has worked collaboratively with all IRCC sectors to address racism in three key areas: equitable workplace, policy and program design, and service delivery. ARTF is supported in its work through an internal Anti-Racism Task Force Advisory Board, Anti-Racism Sector Leads, and working groups within business lines serving as primary agents of coordination of anti-racism initiatives within the sectors.

IRCC’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2.0 (2021–24) was developed in consultation with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion networks and stakeholders including Unions and published in July 2022. The Department has continued the Strategy’s implementation, socialization and refinement through expanded engagement with internal and external stakeholders. Key actions completed in 2022–23 to advance anti-racism in each of the five pillars of the strategy include:

• Leadership Accountability: Developing an Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion (ARDEI) index prototype to equip executives with the tools to achieve success in reaching employment equity goals and accelerate anti-racism efforts. Providing Quarterly Reports for the Minister’s Office to highlight areas of progress and focus the Department is taking to address racism and bias in workplace culture, policies and programs, and service delivery.
• Equitable Workplace: Releasing the second iteration of IRCC Anti-Racism Employee Survey, capturing indicators and sentiment around how the Department has improved or regressed in areas related to workplace culture and service delivery since the first Anti-Racism Employee Survey in 2020.
• Policy/program Design: Completing racial equity review pilots, enhanced with application of the Racial Impact Assessment Tool (RIAT), GBA Plus, and intersectional lenses to provide a baseline understanding of bias and generate recommendations to address systemic racism in targeted policy and program areas. Developing the Institutional Bias and Racism Identification method to address bias and racism in decision-making and risk management. Disseminating information within IRCC about equity in humanitarian responses.
• Service Delivery: Piloting an assessment of causes, gaps and biases in differential outcomes for populations from Black-majority countries through an application of the Institutional Bias and Racism Identification Method (IBRIM). Designing an expansion of IBRIM application for other comparative case loads to identify gaps in risk management in 2023–24. Supporting 17 new projects in the area of anti-racism, and mainstreaming GBA Plus within the Settlement and Integration Sector under 2022–23 Equity Request for Quotations to identify gaps and barriers to newcomer integration and fund initiatives to build the capacity of small, racialized organizations.
• Data and Research: Completing IRCC’s Disaggregated Data and Analytics Directive (DDAD) to ensure that standards for the collection, use and analysis of disaggregated data, including collection of race/ethnicity data in departmental surveys of client outcomes, are consistent, ethical and methodologically sound. Finalized review of results from the fourth annual Newcomer Outcomes Survey that includes disaggregated race/ethnicity data.

Data collection

IRCC is a data driven department that collects personal information on immigrants, temporary populations, refugees, asylum seekers, and citizenship and travel document applicants to process applications. ^{Footnote 1} This information includes gender, age, mother tongue, country of birth, and country of citizenship. Additionally, on an annual basis, IRCC conducts client experience surveys regarding its citizenship, immigration and passport programs, which includes the collection of personal information voluntarily provided by clients on gender, language spoken, age group, disability, racial group, and sexual orientation. The anonymized data is available for research and intersectional analysis for the development of IRCC policies, programs, and services.

The Settlement and Integration Sector has a robust system in place to measure and report on Settlement Program uptake and outcomes. For example, the Annual Project Performance Reports and iCARE provide evidence based on program delivery, reach and uptake, whereas the Newcomer Outcomes Survey collects and analyses how well clients (and non-clients) are progressing on their settlement and integration journey. Both iCARE and the Newcomer Outcomes Survey results are linked to IRCC’s administrative files to obtain disaggregated demographics by which results are examined.

To further support evidence-based policymaking and enhanced service delivery, IRCC is developing a Disaggregated Data and Analytics Directive (DDAD), formerly the Disaggregated Data Analytics Framework, to reveal and address systemic biases, inequities, and outcome gaps for diverse populations (e.g., Indigenous persons, racialized groups, gender, disability status, sexual orientation, official language, children and youth, seniors). The development of the DDAD is possible due to IRCC’s extensive data holdings and its longstanding strategic data partnership with Statistics Canada and other key data partners, including provinces and territories, non-governmental organizations, and academics.

The centrepiece of DDAD is a disaggregated data policy that will include guidelines and standards for the design, implementation and use of diverse population data within an IRCC context. DDAD will also include tools, such as a listing of internal and external data sources and a checklist for implementing identity-based questions, as well as support for consistency in data collection, use (analytics), and conceptual comparability across data sources.

DDAD will align with Statistics Canada’s Disaggregated Data Action Plan, IRCC’s Data Policy, and Statistics Canada data standards. ^{Footnote 2} These principles and standards, as well as requirements under the Privacy Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, provide guidance for the data to be trusted, accessible, interoperable and used ethically. As an evergreen plan, consultations to develop the Framework will continue through 2023. The Framework will start delivering results in 2022–23; the DDAF policy is planned for implementation by end of 2022–23.

IRCC’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Statistics Canada (STC), which provides the authority for information sharing between the departments, was renewed in May 2023. Among other updates, the renewed MOU established an interdepartmental governance framework for the agreement shared between STC’s Justice, Diversity and Population Statistics Branch and the Research and Data Branch at IRCC.

Capacity

Other capacity building and awareness

The Department engaged in significant efforts to bolster its GBA Plus capacity in 2022–23.

In February 2022, the Equity Policy and GBA Plus Team was created within IRCC to provide advice on policy and operational initiatives, and review relevant aspects of Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board Submissions, and federal budget proposals, as required. To showcase how GBA Plus can support more robust policies, programs and initiatives that aid in reducing inequity, the team led three tailored information sessions that engaged staff and IRCC management, including staff in overseas missions. 

IRCC strengthened diversity within the organization through departmental employee networks, mentorship programs for equity-seeking/deserving groups, and diversity focused training opportunities.

The Department’s work in this area is supported by diversity, equity and inclusion champions at the senior management level, as well as a number of employee networks, including the Women’s Network, the Black Employee Network, the Persons with Disabilities Employee Network and Committee, the Jewish Employees Network, the Racialized Employees and Allies Network, the Latino Employee Network, the Indigenous Peoples Circle, and Pride@IRCC.

IRCC is advancing Diversity and GBA Plus departmental capacity through a Mentorship Plus program. The Department has worked in conjunction with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) to develop IRCC’s own Mentorship Plus Program. It was launched in May 2021 as a response to the calls to action made by employment equity and equity-seeking/deserving groups,^{Footnote 3} regarding their lack of opportunities for career growth. The objective of the program is to increase representation rates of EE and equity-seeking groups within the higher ranks of the public service by gaining access to development opportunities and networks through mentorship and executive-led employee support and development referred to as sponsorships. The first cohort was launched in October 2021 and the second cohort was launched in October of 2022 with planned completion in October 2023. The current cohort initially had four executive sponsorships, however, only two of these are ongoing due to employee departures. Additionally, sponsorship and mentorship programs were launched across the Department, with a focus on supporting junior-level racialized employees.

IRCC participates in the Mosaic Leadership Development Program, which is a program co-developed by the TBS Centre on Diversity and Inclusion for employees belonging to under-represented equity-seeking groups at senior management levels in the public service. The program consists of sponsorship, a learning component, coaching, and meaningful experience-building opportunities.

In addition, IRCC participates in two leadership programs from McKinsey’s Leadership Academies, open to employees who self-identify as Black, Asian, Latino or Hispanic. The Executive Leadership Program aims to enhance leadership capabilities and build networks through virtual, expert-led sessions and small group discussions. The Management Accelerator Program is geared toward developing leadership and general management skills, as well as expanding cross-functional knowledge through immersive digital courses, individual and group projects, and virtual workshops.

IRCC designed and delivered seminar-style workshops on Anti-Racism and diversity, equity and inclusion themes related to people management and service delivery reaching over 500 staff who are involved in processing cases. Topics discussed in training workshops include bias in case decision-making, risk tolerance and cross-cultural sensitivity.

In 2021–22, internal communication regularly promoted widespread training
(e.g., overcoming biases training, inclusive hiring practices for a diverse workforce, harassment and violence prevention training, middle managers anti-racism training, and anti-racism coaching for executives). It also promoted events related to commemorative periods throughout the year, such as International Women’s Day, GBA Plus Week, Indigenous History Month, Truth and Reconciliation and National Indigenous Day, Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month, Linguistic Duality Day, and International Day of Persons with Disabilities. For example, an all-staff meeting was planned for Black History Month as well as four anti-black racism events for IRCC’s senior executives. Guest speakers were invited with the purpose of increasing awareness of systemic racism and discrimination faced by the Black community in Canada.

The Settlement and Integration Sector also led a series of GBA Plus training events to raise awareness and build capacity among IRCC settlement sector staff.

The internal Communications team within IRCC continued to create and update intranet content on GBA Plus, persons with disabilities, anti-racism, the Black Employee Network, the Racialized Employees and Allies Network, the Pride Network, the Jewish Employees Network, the Women’s Network, and the Indigenous People’s Circle. IRCC’s intranet also highlighted personal stories of employee experiences related to ethnicity, gender and ability, with employee engagement (i.e., comments) on those articles increasing in 2021–22.

IRCC promotes the online training module titled Introduction to GBA Plus for all employees. The Digital Strategy, Services and Innovation (DSSI) sector provides a DEI Calendar with important dates to highlight or celebrate, has a dedicated Team Culture Captain to promote and emphasize gender equality, and a Diversity and Inclusion senior adviser to lead the DSSI Anti-Racism team and Anti-Racism Advisory Committee.

International contributions

On the international front, IRCC has continued to advocate for a gender-responsive approach to the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). As the department that leads Canada’s participation in the GCM Champion Countries initiative, IRCC has identified several priorities to guide its GCM engagements internationally, including the promotion of gender-responsive migration programs and policies. IRCC will continue to build on its previous efforts to promote an inclusive approach to migration. These past efforts include hosting a side event to encourage the gender-responsive implementation of the Global Compact for Migration at the Spring 2022 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), where Canada showcased the work of the Gender + Migration Hub by the International Migration Research Centre and migrant female voices, and provided a platform for stakeholders to share examples of gender-responsive practices and resources in support of GCM implementation. Canada also took on an informal rapporteur role on gender-responsiveness at the IMRF.

Through the International Migration Capacity Building Program, IRCC has continued to support international work on gender-responsive migration. This includes research work by the International Organization for Migration on the impacts that COVID-19 has had on migration and migrants, from a gender perspective, to inform policy and program responses over the short- and longer-term. In 2022–23, IRCC also supported the Gender and Migration Research Policy Action Lab (“GenMig”), an IOM multi-stakeholder initiative focused on research for supporting gender-responsive policies, operations, programming and practices in migration. IRCC looks forward to increased international collaboration on gender-responsive migration through this initiative. 

Canada also advocates for gender mainstreaming, equity and inclusion through its leadership role as a Bureau Member on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Working Party on Migration. Here, Canada supports the rules-based international order and the shared values of OECD members.

Canada was the Chair of the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Frameworks (“MIRPS” as per the Spanish acronym) Support Platform from July 2021 to September 2022. Canada remains involved as Past Chair, while the Chair position is currently filled by the United States. The MIRPS Support Platform is a regional application of the Global Compact on Refugees. Canada’s theme as Chair was “The Protection and Empowerment of Women and Girls on the Move,” which provided the opportunity to draw attention to the international protection and education needs of refugee women and girls, as well as the need to protect the human rights of displaced women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals in vulnerable situations. This theme framed a number of key events and activities throughout Canada’s tenure as Chair, including several high-level events. During a Solidarity event organized in September 2022, the World Bank, being the newest member of the MIRPS Support Platform, announced its plans to collaborate with UNHCR, IOM and other institutions on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence issues and increasing accessibility of services for women and girls on the move.

Section 2: gender and diversity impacts, by program

Core responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers

Program name: Visitors

Program goals: 

The Visitors Program facilitates the entry of travellers to Canada to foster economic, social, and cultural benefits. This results in positive societal and cultural impacts that can come from shared experiences and transfer of knowledge between visitors and Canadians alike. When Canada welcomes the world for major events, or enables international connections between friends, family and communities, the country grows both socially and culturally. Furthermore, there are positive residual impacts from visitors who return to Canada as students, workers or permanent residents.

Target population: Eligible foreign nationals seeking to enter Canada as visitors

Distribution of benefits: Issuance of Temporary Resident Visas and Electronic Travel Authorizations (eTA)

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

The Visitors Program facilitates travel to Canada by issuing visas or eTAs to visitors. Eligibility to obtain these travel documents is not based on gender or other diverse identity factors.

Summary of Key Trends:

• Visitor data indicates that more females  applied for super visas (a visa that provides multiple entries for a period up to 10 years) than males. In July 2022, the period for which a super visa holder could remain in Canada was increased to five years per entry to support family reunification.
• While visitor applicants who do not identify as males or females make up less than 0.01% of all TRVs and eTA issued, the number of applicants who are selecting Gender X on their visitor applications is steadily increasing since the introduction of the expanded options.
• Individuals unable to communicate in either English or French make up almost half of Super Visas issued.

Other key program impacts

COVID-19 travel restrictions continued to impact the number of visitors applying to come to Canada in 2022–23, due to backlogs, despite these restrictions being lifted in 2022. With the resumption of global travel, a modernized Visitors Program is essential for meeting client expectations and upholding program integrity.

On June 6, 2023, IRCC lifted the visa requirement on eligible travellers from 13 countries flying to or through Canada (eTA Expansion program), resulting in a faster, easier, and more equitable client experience for racialized visitors to Canada. This contributes to IRCC’s ongoing commitment to improving equitable access for diverse visitors.

Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET)

In response to the war in Ukraine, IRCC implemented a series of measures to support Ukrainians seeking temporary safe haven while they flee war. On March 17, 2022 the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) was introduced as a facilitative temporary resident measure that expedites the issuance of fee-exempt travel documents to Ukrainian nationals and their family members, as well as fee-exempt status documents that enable them to live, work and study for up to three years in Canada. Certain clients are exempt from providing biometrics and the immigration medical exam overseas. As of March 25, 2023, close to 973,000 CUAET applications have been received, over 626,000 of which have been approved. Furthermore, since its introduction in March 2022, a significant percentage of CUAET visa holders have been women and girls. 

As of June 2, 2022, Ukrainians arriving in Canada under CUAET can apply to receive transitional financial assistance. These funds help Ukrainian nationals and their family members meet their basic needs—such as transportation and longer-term housing—as they arrive in communities across Canada and find a job. The benefit consists of a direct one-time payment of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child (17 years and under). As of March 25, 2023, over 141,000 individuals have been approved for payment.

GBA Plus data collection plan

In 2022, the Visitors Program conducted an internal review to examine its Performance Measurement and Strategy Framework from a GBA Plus and Anti-Racism perspective. This internal review was completed in March 2023. The program will continue to explore visitor identity factors and how diversity ensures an adequate evidence base to inform policy design and development. The Department will continue to use GBA Plus data from the annual Client Experience Survey of Citizenship and Immigration to assess whether specific client groups or demographics experience certain aspects of the Visitors Program differently.

Core responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers

Program name: International Students

Target population: Eligible foreign nationals seeking to enter or remain in Canada as international students

Distribution of benefits

Core responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers

Program name: Temporary Workers

Program goals:

IRCC facilitates the entry of foreign nationals who wish to work temporarily in Canada, through two main streams: the Temporary Foreign Workers Program and the International Mobility Program.

Through IRCC’s Global Case Management System, IRCC collects several socio-economic variables like age, country of birth, country of residency, official language on work permit holders that allow for monitoring, reporting and analysis of program impacts by gender and diversity.

Target population: Vulnerable workers in Canada

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes

Workers with an open work permit for vulnerable workers (OWP-V) would have come to Canada on an employer-specific work permit and subsequently applied for an open work permit for vulnerable workers to escape workplace abuse. While not all OWP-V holders are low-income earners, many came to Canada for low-skill/low-wage occupations that are typically classified in NOC codes C & D. Examples of these industries include trade, transport, and agriculture. Workers in these industries are vulnerable due to their dependence on their employer, and—especially for those in low-skill jobs—their lack of information, language skills, and supports to exercise their rights without fear of reprisal.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Other key program impacts

The open work permit for vulnerable workers (OWP-V) facilitated temporary foreign workers in leaving abusive employment in Canada and work for another employer, without compromising their authorization to work in Canada. In 2022, there were 750 holders of the open work permit for vulnerable workers (OWP-V).

GBA Plus data collection plan

Significant data analysis of anonymized data on gender, age, country of citizenship, ability to speak in English/French, and location of work (in Canada) has been conducted to better understand program barriers for clients. Analysis shows there is still a gap in useful data related to education and racialization/ethnicity, and how they may play a factor in foreign workers applying and successfully obtaining an OWP-V.

Additionally, analysis of OWP-V applications and approvals is used to improve the internal trauma-informed training course for immigration officers who process OWP-V applications. The continued delivery of this training provides support to immigration officers through the provision of a decision-making framework and procedures for following up with clients to address systemic barriers that prevent vulnerable foreign workers from applying and being successful in obtaining an OWP-V.

Core responsibility 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers

Program name: Temporary Workers

Program goals:

Through the negotiation of youth mobility arrangements, International Experience Canada (IEC) facilitates international work experience opportunities for youth aged 18–35 in partner countries around the world. In its work identifying potential new country partners, IEC assessed countries for opportunities and other factors that could impact work and travel for diverse populations, including female, Indigenous youth, racialized youth, and youth identifying as 2SLGBTQI+ and will continue to do so.

Target population: Canadian and Foreign youth (ages 18–35) citizens from IEC countries and territories

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes

Canadian and foreign youth (ages 18–35) citizens from IEC countries and territories.

Other key program impacts of IEC’s promotional and engagement activities in 2022–23 included seven events directed to Indigenous youth/organizations and six directed to 2SLGBTQI+ youth/organizations.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Anonymized data exchanges with partner countries, including on age and gender, are included in each of the youth mobility arrangements of the IEC. In Spring 2023, IEC started the annual data exchange with partner countries for the 2022 season.

Core responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Program name: Federal Economic Immigration

Program goals:

Canada’s economic immigration programs select immigrants with an enhanced likelihood of establishing themselves economically in Canada. Program criteria vary, but there are usually thresholds for work experience, post-secondary education and training, and language proficiency.

The federal pathways managed through Express Entry include the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Class. The minimum thresholds for these programs must be met in order to be an eligible candidate in the Express Entry pool. A portion of the Provincial Nominee Class is also managed through the Express Entry System.

Drawing on human capital and other factors, Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System identifies the higher ranking among a pool of eligible candidates, and invites them to apply for permanent residence under one of the above programs. Gender-disaggregated data, along with data on country of citizenship and residence of applicants, level of official language skills, educational background, and so on is collected and analyzed to understand the socio-demographic profile of candidates in the pool and admitted individuals, to assess whether selection policies are resulting in equity-based outcomes, and not privileging particular groups.

In addition to the above Express Entry programs, there are several other regulatory and pilot programs supporting the admission of economic immigrants to meet the Government’s goals for economic immigration that track gender-disaggregated data. These include regional programs (Atlantic Immigration Class, Regional and Northern Immigration Pilot) and pilots such as the two caregiver pilots (Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot) and the Agri-food Pilot. The pilots are temporary, volume-limited pathways, testing new approaches and partnerships, to meet specific economic goals.

Furthermore, the time-limited Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway, which ran from May to November 2021, was developed to help retain the talent of those already living and working in Canada in support of economic recovery. The pathway targeted recent international graduates and workers in over 130 essential occupations, including in areas such as health care, caregiving, agriculture, manufacturing, service industry, trades and transportation. Dedicated streams for French-speaking and bilingual temporary residents were also included, whereby an unlimited number of applications were accepted. Admissions continue throughout 2023. Gender-disaggregated information is tracked for this pathway as well.

Canada’s economic immigration programs also include two Federal Business Immigration Programs, the Start-Up Visa Program and Self-Employed Program. These programs support economic growth and competitiveness by facilitating access to permanent residence for entrepreneurs and exceptional individuals in athletics or cultural activities. Both of these programs provide direct pathways to permanent residency for business owners and their families. In 2022, IRCC admitted 1,364 foreign entrepreneurs and their family members to become permanent residents and launch their businesses in Canada. In March 2023, the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) recognized Canada as the most attractive country for start-ups, largely due to the Start-Up Visa program.

Target population: Foreign nationals of working age

Specific demographic group outcomes

People admitted to Canada through Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Workers Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program consist of 49% females and 51% males, with some variation by program.

In 2022, 48% permanent residence admissions under the Federal economic immigration programs and pilots (Canadian Experience Class, Caregiver pilots, Federal Skilled Trades, Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Business, Atlantic Immigration Program, Agri-food Pilot, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, and Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway) were welcomed from those identified as female and 52% from those identified as male.

Since Express Entry and the programs it manages requires skilled work experience and favours those with higher levels of education, it benefits individuals with higher income. Individuals admitted with the other economic programs that are not managed within the Express Entry application system would have varied income levels as skill level and education requirements vary.

In 2022, for the Federal economic immigration programs and pilots (the Canadian Experience Class, Caregiver pilots, Federal Skilled Trades, Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Business, Atlantic Immigration Program, Agri-food Pilot, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway), the majority of admissions were between the ages of 15–29 (41%) and 30–44 (41%).

As mentioned in the distribution of benefits chart, the Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program require skilled worker experience, therefore favouring those with higher levels of education. As a result, the program benefits individuals with higher income. Furthermore, although the program is open to adults, those between the ages of 20–29 (without a spouse) receive a maximum point score of 110, while the number of points allotted decreases for those who are older than 29 years. No points are given to those who are 45 years and older. In 2021, 64% of those who were invited to apply for permanent residency (PR) were between the ages of 20–29. As a result, differences in point allocations according to age may negatively impact the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of those who are 30 years and older; hence, their chance to be invited to apply for PR will decrease. Furthermore, although the distribution of benefits by gender is broadly gender-balanced, males who are admitted to Canada are more likely to be unaccompanied than females in general.

For other federal economic programs, age is not always a factor (e.g., caregivers pilots, agri-food pilot and the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway) and as a result, the age range is slightly higher than the high-skilled programs managed under Express Entry. Furthermore, education requirements and skill levels for other economic programs are varied, resulting in differing income levels. Among the federal economic programs, almost half (45%) of those admitted were married.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Other key program impacts

Federal economic immigration programs support Canada’s prosperity goals for immigration with the selection of immigrants likely to establish well in Canada, as measured by indicators such as earnings and employment rates. As such, they discriminate in targeting persons likely to be self-supporting following their admission to Canada. However, within that profile of admitted immigrants, there remains considerable diversity in levels of skill, income and education.

In February 2022, IRCC analyzed the high human capital model of immigration from a GBA Plus and anti‑racism lens by reviewing criteria such as language and education. The federal high-skilled immigration pathways generally favour those able to accumulate high levels of human capital abroad or in Canada, an ability that may be impacted by gender and race. Decisions on program mix, volumes and priorities can either mitigate or compound the risk of normalizing certain biases in selection. For instance, reliance on factors such as arranged employment (job offers) and certain occupations in demand (caregivers and construction workers) can have particular gender and equity outcomes. By comparison, relying on core factors such as language proficiency and post-secondary educational attainment (which use third-party tests and assessments) can actually counter bias (compared to labour market factors), and in general have proven to benefit certain equity groups, including francophones and females. 

In 2022, under the time-limited Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway, 55% of admissions were male (principal applicants and dependents) and 45% were female. The majority of the admissions were individuals aged 15–29 years (63% overall), followed by those aged 30–44 years (26%) in 2022. This influx of young permanent residents also provides an opportunity to address Canada’s aging workforce.

The admissions of caregivers in 2022–23 derives from several caregiver programs including the legacy Live-in Caregiver regulatory program, two 2014 Ministerial Instructions pilots, the 2019 public policy referred to as the Interim Pathway for Caregivers, and the current Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots launched in 2019. The caregiver programming provides permanent resident pathways for those working in the care sector, and therefore has tended to be female dominated. Following a 2014 GBA Plus analysis of the Live-in Caregiver Program, the 2014 pilots removed the mandatory live-in requirement of the program. Additionally, features of the current pilots seek to address vulnerabilities identified in relation to working in private households and ensure clear pathways to permanent residence. On January 1, 2023, special measures were introduced to ensure that applicants unable to apply online to the highly subscribed Home Child Care provider pilot (e.g., due to disability, or access challenges) would have reasonable opportunity to apply. Monitoring of the outcomes of the current pilots will continue, which considers how program design affects caregivers and their families, including GBA Plus considerations.

Core responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Program name: Regional Economic Immigration

Program goals:

Regional economic immigration programs, namely the Provincial Nominee Program, Atlantic Immigration Program, and Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, are designed to allow delivery partners, (i.e., provinces, territories, and communities) to select immigrants with the skills and experience needed to fill labour market needs in local and regional labour markets. In doing so, regional economic immigration programs support the full economic participation of females and diverse groups of people, which contributes to the Gender Results Framework, particularly the pillar on economic participation and prosperity.

Target population: Foreign nationals of employment age

Distribution of benefits: Total number of permanent resident admissions, against the annual immigration levels plan

Core responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Program name: Family Reunification

Program goals:

Canadian permanent residents and citizens may sponsor certain relatives^{Footnote 4} to come to Canada as permanent residents, bringing many economic, social, and cultural benefits to communities across the country. In 2022, 97,338 persons were admitted under the family class, consisting of 58% females and 42% males. By far the largest categories within the family class are the spouse/partner category (66% of family class admissions in 2022) and the parent/grandparent category (28% of family class admissions in 2022).

Target population: While the target population is foreign nationals who have relatives in Canada (Canadian citizens or permanent residents), family members can accompany the principal applicant to Canada (they can be adult or dependent children).

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes:

For the parent/grandparent program, due to the income requirements to sponsor parents and grandparents, given that females, on average, earn less than males, females (especially single females) may be more negatively impacted by the income requirement. There is no income requirement for the spousal program.

Key program impact statistics

Key disaggregated statistics related to the spousal and partner program (55,394 admissions of principal applicants - adults):

Key program impact statistics

Key disaggregated statistics related to the parent and grandparent program (27,262) admissions of principal applicants and accompanying spouses/partners - adults):

GBA Plus data collection plan

For the Family Reunification Program, as well as other immigration programs, an important data gap is the lack of race data collection. The Department currently collects data on country of citizenship, country of birth, and country of residence, but this can only give a proxy when it comes to analyzing the racialized impact of a program. As raised in the subsection on data collection in the Anti-racism section of this report, the Department is working on a Disaggregated Data and Analytics Directive, which will be a useful tool.

As a result of IRCC’s commitment to review its policies for bias and better understand the impact of bias on clients, the Department sought input through its public opinion research surveys and public engagement activities. For example, IRCC’s 2022 immigration levels consultation involved a request for stakeholder feedback on how to improve equitable access to opportunities for permanent residence through economic immigration. Stakeholders had additional opportunities to provide feedback through an online engagement platform called “Let’s Talk immigration” and during regional town hall conversations with the Minister and Parliamentary Secretary.

the 2022 survey on newcomers’ experiences of discrimination in their communities sought IRCC client feedback on discrimination based on the diverse identity factors of respondents.

Core responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Program name: Resettled Refugees

Program goals:

Refugees are individuals residing outside of their home country who are unable to return for fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular group, or have been seriously affected by civil war or armed conflict, or have been denied basic human rights on an ongoing basis. Refugees resettled to Canada land as permanent residents and are provided with financial and social support to facilitate their settlement and integration.

IRCC officers abroad assess vulnerability on the basis of intersectional identity factors, as well as country conditions. Both Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) and Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) refugees are referred by UNHCR and other referral partners, who prioritize referrals for individuals and families that face acute risks, such as survivors of violence and torture, LGBTQI+ persons, females and children at risk, human rights defenders, and others.

Under the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), the Government of Canada helps GARs and other eligible clients when they first arrive in Canada by providing direct financial support and funding the provision of immediate and essential services. In 2022–23, RAP continued to provide referrals and orientations on community resources, including information sessions on employment, schooling, and child care, as well as Canadian laws, rights and responsibilities. For example, it included informing clients that in Canada females and males have the same rights and opportunities and that abuse of any sort (e.g., physical, psychological or sexual) is a crime. Orientations also included referrals to specialized services to address the specific barriers faced by LGBTQI+ refugees, as well as supports for newcomers with disabilities, seniors, youth, and to address gender-based violence.

Target population: Resettled refugees

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes

The Department has several facilitative measures for vulnerable refugees at risk due to intersectional identity factors. The Urgent Protection Program (UPP) provides expedited resettlement to persecuted persons who are facing immediate threats to their life, liberty, or physical safety. In 2022, 269 individuals came to Canada through UPP.

Gender-based persecution is one of the grounds upon which Canada grants refugee protection. As a result of forced displacement, refugee women and girls in particular are at a heightened risk of violence. Although female refugees are often persecuted on similar grounds as males, the types of persecution may take different forms. In some cases, females may be subject to persecution simply because they are females. As such, referral organizations and IRCC officers may attach the Assistance to Women at Risk (AWR) flag to refugee referrals and case files to indicate women or girls in perilous or permanently unstable situations; and in situations where urgent or expedited processing may be necessary. Females at risk may be offered a Joint Assistance Sponsorship and a longer period of support to become integrated and established in Canada. In 2022, 2,087 resettled refugees were flagged as AWR.

Additionally, individuals in a number of countries around the world experience serious human rights abuses and other forms of persecution due to their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics (SOGIESC). Individuals fleeing persecution for reasons related to their SOGIESC can qualify as refugees as members of a particular social group. Canadian migration officers will assess a resettlement applicant’s vulnerability in their country of asylum to determine if the applicant requires expedited processing. This may include individuals whose legal or physical safety is at risk due to their SOGIESC.

For Canadian citizens and permanent residents who wish to privately sponsor LGBTQI+ refugees, the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership, established in cooperation with the Rainbow Refugee Society, encourages Canadians to support 2SLGBTQI+ refugees and strengthens collaboration between 2SLGBTQI+ organizations and the refugee settlement community in Canada. Through the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership, the Government provides start-up costs and three months of income support, while private sponsors offer nine months of income support. In 2022, there were 40 landings of refugees through this partnership. Additionally, the partnership was expanded in response to the crisis in Afghanistan, providing an additional 150 spaces per year between 2022 and 2024.

Other key program impacts

In 2022, the Department initiated a GBA Plus assessment of the Refugee Resettlement Program to examine the extent to which biases (related but not limited to, inequitable processing outcomes or other biases as a result of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, or other identity factors) may be present in Refugee Resettlement Program policy and its implementation. The GBA Plus assessment will include qualitative and quantitative data analysis and the findings will inform recommendations for changes to policy or program design.

In 2022–23, IRCC regularly consulted with RAP SPOs through national and regional engagement tables to help support capacity to provide immediate and essential services to refugees, including those from Afghanistan. In 2022–23 IRCC continued to support the resettlement of Afghan GARs in 44 communities across Canada, including small- and medium-sized centres, outside of Quebec. 

GBA Plus data collection plan

The annual voluntary IRCC Newcomer Outcomes Survey (NOS) gathers information from clients of the Resettlement Assistance Program, as well as resettled refugees who access settlement services. The NOS is a vital tool for understanding the resettlement outcomes (meeting their immediate needs) and overall integration outcomes of all newcomers, including resettled refugees to Canada. An intersectional lens applied to the analysis of the survey enables the Department to understand the particular needs of resettled refugees belonging to all equity-seeking groups.

In 2022, questions that identify gender, 2SLGBTQI+, disability, household income, and number of children in the household were added to the survey. A question on race was also included for the third time, with respondents providing us with their self-identified race/ethnicity, with only a very small percentage (less than 3%) selecting “prefer not to say.” Analysis of this data is currently underway and will contribute to a more comprehensive picture of the trends and barriers faced by resettled refugees, which in turn will inform resettlement and Settlement Program policy decision-making. 

In Spring 2021, IRCC analyzed RAP operational anonymized data against client characteristics such as gender, age, education levels, mother tongue, knowledge of official languages, and country of birth. Information will be shared with partners involved in the delivery of RAP, and the results will contribute to policy and operational decision-making.

In 2021, Canada was among the first countries to have launched a special humanitarian resettlement program for vulnerable Afghans, including LGBTQI+ refugees. As part of this program, the U.S. Government has referred LGBTQI+ refugee cases identified by the Rainbow Railroad. Recently, IRCC has also engaged with a range of stakeholders, including Rainbow Railroad, to help facilitate the resettlement of specific groups or individuals facing extraordinary circumstances, including additional LGBTQI+ Afghan refugees.

In addition, the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership was expanded in response to the Afghanistan crisis, providing an additional 150 spaces for Afghan LGBTQI+ refugees between 2022 and 2024.

Target population: Afghan foreign nationals

Following the fall of Kabul in August 2021, IRCC announced the expansion of Canada’s resettlement program in response to the situation in Afghanistan. This expansion includes a humanitarian program that aims to resettle members of vulnerable and at-risk groups of Afghan nationals, including female leaders, 2SLGBTQI+ people, human rights defenders, journalists, and members of religious and ethnic minorities.

The Department has considered GBA Plus in the design of the Afghanistan resettlement initiative by partnering with referral organizations that are experts in identifying priority vulnerability factors for refugees and also by offering tailored supports are for vulnerable Afghan refugees (e.g., females, LGBTQ+, etc.). Informed by the recommendations of the House of Commons Special Committee on Afghanistan, in 2022, the Government of Canada facilitated the resettlement of vulnerable Afghans facing elevated risks due to their connection to Canada or membership in a group experiencing increased marginalization and discrimination with, among others, Rainbow Railroad, Journalists for Human Rights, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, and Focus Humanitarian Assistance. More generally, the Afghan resettlement initiative has supported the advancement of gender equality goals for Canada by offering protection and support to Afghan refugees and, in particular, specific vulnerable populations, by settling them in Canada permanently. By March 31, 2023, Canada had welcomed 29,733 vulnerable Afghans and refugees under the initiative.

Core responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Program name: Humanitarian/ Compassionate and Discretionary

Program goals:

The Humanitarian and Compassionate Program and temporary public policies provide flexibility and discretion to the Minister to grant exemptions or facilitate permanent residence in exceptional circumstances and/or cases not anticipated in the legislation. Humanitarian and Compassionate and Discretionary programs delivers immigration programs to individuals and their families who would not otherwise qualify under a regular immigration category. When developing and managing Humanitarian and Compassionate and Discretionary programs, GBA Plus is used to ensure that intersecting identities are taken into account, and to assess outcomes. on diverse groups.

Target population: Asylum claimants across the country who worked in the health-care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes

The majority of principal applicants admitted under this public policy were racialized females who were refugee claimants working in the health-care sector and providing direct care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The top five countries of citizenship were Haiti, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon and Angola.

Key program impact statistics admissions for principal applicants only

Other key program impacts

Many temporary public policies are used to facilitate immigration for populations with humanitarian needs. For example, in recognition of their exceptional contribution to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, on December 14, 2020, IRCC implemented a special measure to provide a pathway to permanent residence for asylum claimants across the country working in the health-care sector providing direct patient care, known as the Guardian Angels Public Policy. While the aim of the policy was not created with the intent of targeting females, 77% of principal applicants in 2022 were female. The initiative ended on August 31, 2021.

The Guardian Angels Public Policy also had an important positive Anti-Racism component. Approximately 90% of applicants were from Sub-Saharan Africa or Black Caribbean nations.

Target population: Hong Kong residents with high human capital

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes

This public policy is relatively gender-balanced. In regards to age, recent education was used as a proxy to target applicants with high human capital, there was a small number of applicants who graduated from a post-secondary institution at an older age, met the eligibility requirements and were admitted under the public policy.

Key program impact statistics 2022 admissions for principal applicants only

Other key program impacts

The Temporary Public Policy creating pathways to permanent residence for Hong Kong residents targets Hong Kong residents with high human capital. The measure facilitates permanent residence to Hong Kong residents following China’s adoption of a controversial national security law introduced in Hong Kong in June 2020. It is also aligned with Canada’s interest in supporting its own economy and democracy worldwide. In 2022, out of the 701 Hong Konger principal applicants who were admitted to Canada under the special immigration policy, 81% were 34 years of age and under. The policy expires on August 31, 2026.

Target population: Foreign nationals in vulnerable situations

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

In 2019, the Department implemented initiatives to support foreign nationals in Canada who are in situations of family violence in finding safety, including an expedited process to apply for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds or an expedited, fee-exempt temporary resident permit (TRP). These measures specifically support those whose immigration status may be precarious, due to their reliance on an abusive spouse or partner for their status in Canada (including, but not limited to, sponsored spouses and partners). In 2022, 118 applicants were approved for the expedited Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) measure for victims of family violence and 142 applicants were approved for the TRP for victims of family violence The majority of applicants for both measures are female between the ages of 25-54. This data includes dependant children.

Distribution of benefits

Target population: Out-of-status construction workers in the Greater Toronto Area

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes

This public policy is broadly gender-balanced and is likely to benefit low-income individuals most, as undocumented migrants typically have lower wages that immigrants with proper work authorization. While the majority of beneficiaries are working age (70% between the ages of 30-59), many children and youth are also benefiting from this initiative, which has positive generational impacts.

On July 30, 2021, the Temporary Public Policy for Out-of-Status Construction Workers in the Greater Toronto Area was implemented. In January 2023, the public policy was extended for another year (until January 2, 2024) and the cap was expanded from 500 principal applicants to 1,000 principal applicants. While the policy targets a male-dominated industry, it also provides an opportunity for their dependents to attain permanent resident status. In 2022, while 98% of principal applicants were male, 76% of the related dependents were female. This public policy will end on January 2, 2024, or once 1,000 principal applicants have been granted permanent residence.

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Department continues to gather results and lessons learned to inform future regularization policy and programming. Significant data analysis of anonymized data on gender, age, country of birth, occupation and uptake of settlement services, has been conducted to better understand program barriers for clients. An important data gap, as with other immigration programs, is the lack of race data collection.

Core responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Program name: Asylum/Protected Persons

Target population: Asylum claimants

Distribution of benefits

Other key program impacts

The in-Canada asylum system provides specific protection to in-Canada refugee claimants, supported by the Immigration and Refugee Board’s Chairperson Guidelines on female refugee claimants fearing gender-related persecution, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, and with respect to vulnerable persons. Moreover, IRCC has developed specific program delivery instructions with respect to processing in-Canada claims for refugee protection of minors and other vulnerable persons.

Core responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration

Program name: Settlement

Program goals:

IRCC supports the successful integration of newcomers to Canada through a suite of settlement and integration services provided through the Settlement Program. Services include pre-arrival and post-arrival orientation and information services, needs and assets assessment and referrals, language training, employment-related services including mentorship and apprenticeship programming, and services that help newcomers connect and contribute to their communities. These services also help newcomers navigate the labour market as well as barriers to employment.

Multiple factors, such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, income, language, and age may influence newcomer’s access to settlement services and their social and economic outcomes. For this reason, the Settlement Program continues to provide tailored supports to newcomer populations that face additional barriers to services and who are at increased risk of marginalization.

Based on the Settlement Program’s logic model, the Settlement Program collects activity and output data on funded activities targeting the needs of specific populations with intersecting characteristics, such as racialized females, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community, persons with disabilities, and seniors. Newcomer outcomes data is collected through the Newcomer Outcomes Survey. As it is linked to immigration information, it allows for disaggregation by client characteristics (e.g. age, gender, education level, etc.) and, since 2020, by race. This data provides important insights on access to services and on program design, which in turn builds evidence to support future settlement policy and programming.  

Target population: Permanent Residents and some Temporary Residents

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes

Newcomers to Canada benefit from the Settlement Program, including permanent residents of Canada, protected persons, and individuals who have been selected to become permanent residents.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Under the Settlement Program, eligible clients have access to information to help newcomers make informed decisions about their settlement and to better understand Canada’s laws and institutions, language training to help their integration into communities and the labour market, community connections services to help build a sense of belonging, and employment-related services such as job-search orientation, employer connections and information about foreign credential recognition pathways. Tailored supports are available to newcomer populations that face additional barriers to services and who are at increased risk of marginalization, including female, youth, seniors, people living with a disability and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. In addition, over 30 funding recipients provide tailored supports and activities to address gender-based violence (GBV), in addition to service provider organizations across the sector that provide referrals to community-based GBV resources. Support services include females’s only language programming, peer mentoring, provisions for persons with disabilities, translation/interpretation, short-term counselling, and child-care services. In 2022–23, 76% of child-care services were provided to female clients and 2,135 newcomers received disability services. About 22% of Settlement Program clients were resettled refugees who are considered more vulnerable than many other immigration categories.

In addition, the Settlement Program is advancing Truth and Reconciliation by delivering programming that builds awareness and understanding of Indigenous-related history and culture among newcomers, and facilitates meaningful connections between Indigenous peoples, newcomers and Canadians. This also includes partnerships between some settlement service providers and Indigenous organizations and/or peoples.

*2022–23 or most recent

GBA Plus data collection plan

The annual voluntary IRCC Newcomer Outcomes Survey (NOS) gathers information from Resettlement Assistance and Settlement Programs clients as well as from those who did not use the programs. The NOS collects information from newcomers who became permanent residents (PR) over a 7-year period to enable analysis of short-, medium-, and longer-term outcomes. Clients are identified if they have accessed at least one settlement service since becoming a permanent resident.

The NOS is a vital tool for understanding the overall integration outcomes of all newcomers to Canada yet an intersectional lens in the analysis of the survey enables the Department to address the needs of all equity-seeking groups. In 2022, questions that identify gender, 2SLGBTQI+, disability, household income, and number of children in the household were added to the survey. A question on race was also included for the third time, with respondents providing us with their self-identified race/ethnicity, with only a very small percentage (less than 3%) selecting “prefer not to say.” Overall, 86% of client respondents identify themselves as racialized. Analysis of this data is currently underway and will contribute to a more comprehensive picture of the trends and barriers faced by various newcomers groups, which in turn will inform Settlement Program policy decision-making. 

Target population: Permanent Residents and some Temporary Residents experiencing gender-based violence.

Other key program impacts

Under the Government of Canada strategy It’s Time: Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence announced in 2017, IRCC received $1.5 million in funding over five years (2017–22) to further enhance the Settlement Program. The funding supports implementation of a settlement sector strategy on gender-based violence through a coordinated partnership of settlement and anti-violence sector organizations (ngbv.ca). The Gender-based Violence Strategy Partnership is continuing through Budget 2021 investments with an additional $2M in funding for five years until 2026. The GBV Partnership has advanced best practices that address emerging GBV issues for the settlement sector, along with effective resources for stakeholders to support a strong cross-sectoral approach. These resources include online training webinars covering specific issues and a bilingual online course designed specifically for the settlement sector, Bridges to Safety. In addition, the GBV Partnership has piloted a client information session with participants, established a settlement sector Champion Network, and produced multiple guides. Initial project results indicate that the initiative has successfully established a common base of knowledge for service providers and has increased collaboration between the settlement and anti-violence sectors, as well as between agencies.

Supplementary information sources

Refer to the settlement sector strategy on gender-based violence.

Target population: Racialized Newcomer Females

Distribution of benefits

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

2022–23 was the final year for the Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot (RNWP). The Pilot was designed to support employment outcomes and career advancement for racialized newcomer females, which included testing and evaluating the effectiveness of services for racialized newcomer females through the Settlement Program, such as work placements, mentorships and employment counselling for female-only cohorts. Results to date show improvements in career adaptability and employment outcomes, including the likelihood of working, wages, and hours of work for participants.

The Department anticipates integrating overall learnings from the Pilot into broader employment-related settlement services to help ensure the program can better meet the needs of clients facing barriers on the basis of gender and ethnicity. While RNWP has concluded, funding for select projects has been extended until March 2025. In 2022–23, 1,496 recipients received supports under the Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot.

Core responsibility 3: Citizenship and Passports

Program name: Citizenship

Program goals:

The Citizenship Program aims to provide equitable access in the delivery of citizenship services, including citizenship grant processing, proof applications, and citizenship ceremonies. In addition, the program is working to improve client access and experience while advancing accessibility and inclusion through online applications, virtual interviews, oath and hearings. 

To support these program goals, the Department collects demographic data (gender, age, country of birth, etc.) and other available data, such as citizenship test results, compassionate waivers, language results, tax filing history, and linkages with permanent residence admissions data. The Department also uses data from Statistics Canada to inform program analyses. Collectively, these data support GBA Plus analyses and outcomes, including access to citizenship. For example, a GBA Plus lens is being applied to understanding the impacts of options being considered to help make citizenship more financially affordable for applicants.

As the program becomes more digital, GBA Plus will also be applied. Through its modernization efforts, the Department is planning to leverage technology to make it easier for clients to apply for citizenship. In addition, the Department is planning to provide more proactive, real-time communication with clients, so that they are regularly updated on the status of their applications and prompted when action on their part is required. The program has very high citizenship grant approval rates (99% in 2022–23) and supporting technology would enable quicker approval decisions and improve service delivery, upholding the facilitative nature of the Citizenship Program. The program will continue to assess GBA Plus indicators as modernization initiatives are designed and implemented. A gradual and cautious uptake of technology is planned to ensure that such tools are built to detect and prevent bias or any discriminatory impacts, and performance will be monitored to identify any potential unintended impacts.

Target population: Permanent residents for citizenship grant; Canadians citizens for other citizenship services (proofs, renunciation and revocation, citizenship promotion).

Distribution of benefits

Specific demographic group outcomes

All Canadians and Newcomers/Immigrants.

While many applicants will benefit from enhanced accessibility and affordability as modernization initiatives are implemented and options are advanced for fee elimination, the positive impact is expected to be greater for some groups, including low-income and vulnerable populations and families.

Digital literacy and access to the internet may be a barrier to applicants from lower-educated, low-income, and newcomer/immigrant populations, but accessibility options will help mitigate these impacts.

Key program impacts statistics

Other key program impacts

During 2022–23, the Citizenship Program applied GBA Plus in the development of the new citizenship study guide. The new citizenship guide will respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 93 by providing a more balanced and inclusive history of Indigenous peoples. The new guide will also cover the evolution of civil rights and freedoms, especially those of racialized minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, females, and individuals with disabilities. In addition, the new guide will be available in accessible formats such as large print, braille and audio. A GBA Plus lens was also applied in developing digital study tools to accompany the new citizenship guide and support clients who will be taking the citizenship test.

Workshops with internal and external partners and stakeholders were held in 2022–23. The workshops focused on assessing the feasibility of further disaggregating data for key program performance indicators to better support diversity, including anti‑racism. Work is ongoing to update these key performance indicators.

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Citizenship Program currently collects data through the Global Case Management System (GCMS), Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB), and General Social Survey (GSS), and through IRCC’s annual client experience survey.

Program Name: Passport, including Certificates of Identity, Refugee Travel Documents, Diplomatic and Special Passports

In 2022–23, the Passport Program conducted a review of its operational policies using an adapted Racial Impact Assessment Tool, which applied a GBA Plus intersectional analysis and included themes of systemic racial inequality, socio-economic barriers, truth and reconciliation, and digital modernization. This work carries on in 2023–24 as the Passport Program makes continuous adjustments to the identified policies and procedures to advance more equitable practices in areas such as:

• Reducing barriers for disadvantaged groups
• Improving access for individuals with disabilities
• Recognizing family structures under custody, foster care, adoption and surrogacy
• Eliminating prejudices

The Passport Program collects several key data elements through the application form, such as gender (including the gender “X” identifier), date of birth (age), and place of birth. Additional client demographics are collected through the annual client experience survey. Data collected through both the application form and the client experience survey enable GBA Plus throughout various stages of client interactions with the program.

The Passport Program has collected data that shows that applicants come from diverse family structures. For example, the mother’s maiden name requirement is not inclusive terminology that considers the diversity of family structures such as same-sex male parents; instead a parent’s surname at birth is better, more inclusive terminology.

Target population: The number of Canadian citizens, combined with the number of non-Canadians eligible for Canadian passport or travel document services, is impossible to accurately calculate due to many different avenues and eligibilities to these services. According to Statistics Canada, the total number of Canadian citizens is 40 million.

Distribution of benefits

Internal Service

Program name: Acquisition Management Services

Target population: Indigenous populations

Other key program impacts

IRCC has successfully implemented the mandatory minimum target of 5% of the value of federal procurements awarded to Indigenous-owned businesses. In 2022–23, IRCC awarded $26.6 million to Indigenous-owned businesses, surpassing its target of $14 million of planned procurements. Additionally, 21 IRCC Requests for Proposals included diversity evaluation criteria. Diversity was also reflected in major projects with targeted questions on social procurement, diversity, and accessibility in the Request for Information (industry engagement) for the IRCC Digital Platform Modernization Phase III procurement. In 2022–23, 100% of IRCC Requests for Proposals with technical rated evaluation will include the diversity criteria.

Program Name: Communications Services

Target population: The Canadian public and IRCC stakeholders and clients

GBA Plus data collection plan

IRCC’s public opinion research (POR) surveys, including the Annual Tracking survey, include demographic questions asking participants to share their gender, age, race, citizenship status, etc., to allow for the disaggregation of data when results are being analyzed and/or used in informing the Department’s programs, policies, and services. Additionally, whenever possible while conducting focus groups with the general population, efforts are made to include groups of typically under-represented populations (e.g., newcomers, Indigenous peoples, Francophones outside of Quebec, etc.) to ensure that their perspectives are included.

As a result of IRCC’s commitment to review its policies for bias and better understand the impact of bias on clients, the Department also sought input through its public engagement activities with stakeholders and key partners from the immigration sector. For example, IRCC’s 2022 consultations on immigration levels included a survey question designed to gather feedback on how to improve equitable access to opportunities for permanent residence. Stakeholders had additional opportunities to provide feedback through an online engagement platform called “Let’s Talk immigration” and during regional town hall conversations with the Minister and Parliamentary Secretary. Equity considerations were also embedded in IRCC’s consultations on category-based selection in Express Entry, whereby participants were asked to share their thoughts on how the online system that IRCC uses to manage immigration applications from skilled workers could also improve access to opportunities for permanent residence.

Work is ongoing to diversify and broaden the scope of stakeholders invited to attend or participate in the Department’s consultation and engagement activities, with a significant increase expected in the number of 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous and faith-based organizations involved in IRCC’s outreach efforts. Additionally, the Department proactively asks participants to identify any needs for accommodation when engaging with them, whether as part of virtual, hybrid, or in-person activities.

Program name: Human Resources Management Service

Target population: IRCC employees

Distribution of benefits

Other key program impacts

Human Resources continues to work closely with the Anti-Racism Taskforce to address bias within processes that could negatively affect individuals from a racialized group. In 2021–22, this involved implementing recruitment initiatives for the Department where consideration was given to equity-seeking groups. The Department was also represented at career fairs targeted toward increasing the representation of equity-seeking groups in under-represented areas, such as information technology. In addition, the Department expanded its leadership program offerings by focusing on building leadership capabilities, networks and sponsorship of members within racialized groups to support their career progression, as outlined in Section 1. In 2022–23, employment equity baselines were leveraged to inform recommendations made by Human Resources to senior management with respect to the centralized investments in executives for leadership development programs. More specifically, this included prioritizing investments for VM males and for programs specializing in females in leadership. In addition, for executive buddy and mentor matches, gender is one of the factors that may be considered when providing a recommended shortlist.

Human Resources also developed a tool that allows us to better identify employment equity gaps by gender. This allows us to better target our recruitment efforts to attract the right candidates. Additionally, data from the Executive Feeder Talent Management Questionnaire continues to be used to provide recommendations to Executive Resourcing looking to staff vacant EX-01 positions with candidates from EE groups, with experience in a particular field. Gender is one of the factors considered when providing lists of potential candidates.

Program name: Management and Oversight Services - Evaluation

Program goals:

As evaluations help to inform decision-making, innovation and accountability within IRCC, where appropriate, evaluations undertake a GBA Plus lens, including the disaggregation of data and surveys to provide information to program managers and executives to better understand program results, with a view to improvements and toward addressing challenges and barriers.

Target population: IRCC programs, newcomers to Canada and all Canadians

Distribution of benefits

Other key program impacts

IRCC’s Inclusive Evaluation and Performance Measurement Guide includes techniques for applying diversity analysis and GBA Plus at different phases during the development of an evaluation or logic model. The guide also includes key diversity-related questions to ask when conducting evaluations and performance measurement activities.

GBA Plus data collection plan

The techniques in the guide were applied to the planning stages of six evaluations in that were launched in 2022–23. For example, all evaluations have incorporated a GBA Plus lens where appropriate, which included, among other factors, consideration of a client’s age, gender, immigration status, country of origin, mother tongue/linguistic profile, and geographic location (i.e., urban and rural).

Program name: Administration, Security and Accommodation (ASA)

Target population: IRCC employees

Distribution of benefits

Other key program impacts

An Accommodation Strategy aimed at consolidating and modernizing IRCC’s office space will support a remote workforce that has access to modern, accessible and agile workspaces. IRCC continues to include diversity considerations in workplace design. Universal accessible washrooms with gender neutral signage, privacy film, and glazing on boardroom windows, as well as modesty panels on collaborative tables, are under development. GBA Plus has been integrated in the development of security policy instruments by consulting with subject-matter experts. All personnel security screening administrators and investigators have completed key courses in relation to GBA Plus, unconscious biases, harassment, and violence prevention. This training supports the conducting of a fair security screening process, without any bias.