Details on transfer payment programs

Transfer payment programs spending of $5 million or more

Canada-Quebec Accord Grant / Subvention versée en vertu de l’Accord Canada-Québec

General information

Name of program:

Canada-Quebec Accord Grant / Subvention versée en vertu de l’Accord Canada-Québec: Voted

Start date:

Financial compensation to the province (in the form of a grant) is based on the Canada‑Québec Accord relating to Immigration and Temporary Admission of Aliens, which came into force on April 1, 1991.

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Grant

Type of appropriation:

The program is appropriated annually through Government of Canada Estimates.

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

Ongoing

Link to Departmental result:

Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports

Link to Department’s program inventory:

Settlement, Resettlement

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, signed in 1991, Canada has devolved settlement and resettlement responsibility to Quebec, and provides Quebec with an annual grant that notionally covers settlement and integration services to permanent residents in the province.

The objectives of the Accord are the preservation of Quebec’s demographic importance within Canada; and the integration of immigrants into that province in a manner that respects the distinct identity of Quebec.

Under the Accord, Canada is responsible for defining overall immigration objectives, national immigration levels and admissibility, selecting applicants in the family category, determining in Canada protected person status, and granting citizenship.

The Accord provides Quebec with exclusive responsibility for selecting economic immigrants and resettled refugees destined to the province, as well as the settlement and integration of all permanent residents. This program uses transfer payment funding from the grant for the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration.

In accordance with section 26 and Annex B of the Canada-Quebec Accord, Canada is required to provide compensation to Quebec for these services, where it is established that:

• the reception and integration services (referred to in sections 24 and 25 of the Accord) offered by Quebec correspond, when considered in their entirety, to those offered by Canada in the rest of the country; and
• those services are offered without discrimination to any permanent resident in the province, whether or not that permanent resident has been selected by Quebec.

Expected results:

The Government of Quebec is responsible for developing and publishing its own immigration legislation and policies. It reports to the provincial National Assembly on its own expected results and spending related to immigration.

While Quebec has jurisdiction over settlement and integration of permanent residents destined to the province, the Accord specifies that the services covered by the grant must correspond to services offered by Canada in the rest of the country. To that end, Canada and Quebec collaborate on conducting regular comparative studies of their respective settlement and integration services to ensure that comparable services continue to be offered to newcomers across the country. Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the Joint Committee, co-chaired by Assistant Deputy Ministers of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, is mandated to jointly carry out the comparison of services. Since 2014, the Joint Committee has tabled six comparative studies that show reception and integration services for newcomers to be generally comparable in both jurisdictions, therefore meeting the requirements of the Accord. The last comparative study, covering April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021, was tabled at the Joint Committee meeting on November 1, 2022.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

The evaluation of the grant to Quebec is conducted every five years. The last evaluation was completed in 2019–20.

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

The next evaluation of the Canada-Quebec Accord Grant is planned for completion in 2025–26.

General targeted recipient groups:

The Government of Quebec is the only recipient of the grant.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

The Accord provides for a joint committee and an implementation committee comprising members of the Government of Quebec and the federal government. Those committees as well as ad hoc meetings of the parties take place several times per year. The next Canada-Quebec comparative study of settlement services will be tabled to the Joint Committee in fall 2024.

International Migration Capacity Building Program

General information

Name of transfer payment program:

International Migration Capacity Building Program: Voted

(Known prior to April 2019 as the “Migration Policy Development Program.”)

Start date:

In February 2003, the program was first launched as the Migration Policy Development Program. In 2019, it was renamed the International Migration Capacity Building Program (IMCBP).

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Grant

Type of appropriation:

Funds are appropriated annually through Government of Canada Estimates.

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2019–20

Link to Departmental result:

Potential permanent residents are selected for immigration to Canada

Link to Department’s program inventory:

Asylum

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

The purpose of the IMCBP is to provide funding for initiatives that advance global migration policies and programs, in support of Canada’s migration and humanitarian objectives.

The main objective of the IMCBP is to support the development of well-managed migration systems that facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration through:

• membership in international organizations related to migration
• the advancement of capacity building efforts
• an increase in the development and exchange of migration-related information and expertise

Expected results:

Expected results for the IMCBP are:

• strengthening migration and refugee protection systems in sending, transit and receiving countries
• facilitating safe, orderly and regular migration, while deterring irregular migration
• promoting open, evidence-based discourse on migration and refugee issues

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

2021–22: Evaluation of the International Migration Capacity Building Program – Funded Projects Component

2021–22: Evaluation of IRCC’s Memberships in International Forums and Organizations

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Following the evaluations of the program in 2021-22, IRCC will continue to address the key evaluation recommendations in 2022-23, as stipulated in the Management Response Action Plan. This includes by conducting an assessment of the objectives and scope of the program and of its terms and conditions, in consultation with IRCC stakeholders.

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

For the overall IMCBP, the next planned evaluation will take place in 2026–27.

Evaluation of the Migration Cooperation and Engagement Envelope (MCEE) is planned for 2023–24.

General targeted recipient groups:

• International organizations and other foreign grant beneficiaries;
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), institutions, organizations, and agencies that are not for profit, operating at the international level from within or outside Canada; and
• Individuals and private sector organizations operating at the international level from within or outside Canada.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

The IMCBP promotes Canada’s priorities related to well-managed migration and protection by funding migration and protection related capacity building projects. It also pays membership fees to allow Canada to be a member of key international forums and organizations.

IRCC provides support to four established migration-related multilateral organizations with which the Department has long-standing engagement and that help advance departmental priorities: the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM), the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC), and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI). IRCC regularly attends and is an active participant in the governance meetings of these organizations, exchanges information on best practices in migration policy and management, and uses the multilateral platforms provided through Canada’s membership in these organizations to advance Canadian migration priorities and strengthen bilateral partnerships with other countries.

The capacity building projects and initiatives undertaken through the IMCBP are divided into funding streams.

The only permanent funding stream is a core budget of $1M, leveraged to pay membership fees and fund small- scale projects that support the development of well-managed migration systems that facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration. These projects are selected following thorough consultations with various IRCC branches and developed with key implementing partners.

IRCC’s other funding streams include:

• The Migration Cooperation and Engagement Envelope (MCEE), which was approved as part of the Border Action Plan (now referred to as Border Enforcement Strategy) and designed to increase migration and border management cooperation with selected countries. The MCEE includes CAD $21 million in funding over six years which is scheduled to sunset in 2024–25.
• The Venezuela Crisis Capacity Building Program Envelope supports targeted host countries (i.e., Peru, Colombia and Panama) to better respond to the migration and protection needs of Venezuelan migrants and refugees, and mitigate irregular migration in the region. This Envelope includes CAD 3.5 million in funding over 2 years, starting 2021–22, where projects will be ongoing into 2023–24.
• IRCC also supports the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Comprehensive Action Plan for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (CAP), and has committed CAD $21 million in funding over three years, starting in 2022–23. This funding supports projects under the CAP in support of migration-related and humanitarian activities and initiatives to assist Afghan nationals affected by the situation in Afghanistan.
• Additionally, starting in 2022–23, a new funding stream is dedicated to Capacity Building in the Americas. This envelope includes CAD $75 million over six years to help address irregular migration and forced displacement in the hemisphere.

As a result of the growth of the IMCBP, and in response to the 2021–22 evaluations, IRCC will continue to examine the program’s governance to ensure appropriate oversight and monitoring. This will include reviewing processes, such as those related to project selection, to ensure that they are efficient while offering good program management.

Where possible, the Department will engage targeted countries through meetings, reporting and country visits to ascertain their needs and priorities. The Department will engage directly with potential programming partners regarding country and regional needs, and will invite organizations to submit concept notes outlining main objectives and scope of the proposed initiatives prior to requesting full proposals. If aligned with program objectives and Terms and Conditions, the Department requests full proposals which will be consistently assessed against eligibility, strategic priorities, host country needs and priorities, impact and value for money. This approach will ensure organizations only invest a high level of effort into proposals if they receive a positive signal check from IRCC.

Throughout each project’s implementation, there is regular contact between IRCC and recipient organizations to ensure progress against expected results and compliance with the terms and conditions outlined in the grant arrangement. Monitoring is done through direct contact with applicant (videoconferences, email, phone, etc.); support from Canadian missions (International Network and Government of Canada partners, such as the Canada Border Services Agency); in-country monitoring; and reporting. For smaller scale capacity building projects, monitoring is performed through mid-year reporting and end of project reports, pursuant to the grant arrangement. Larger projects may involve more frequent engagements and reporting requirements.

For all projects, the monitoring focus maintains awareness of projects’ implementation status through open communication with implementing partners, and ensures that on issues or /challenges that could impact project implementation are effectively mitigated. This ensures that the Department receives regular updates on projects’ execution and preliminary results, as well as any implementation delays, risks and challenges, significant adjustments in activities, and funding expenditure.

Resettlement Assistance Program

General information

Name of transfer payment program:

Resettlement Assistance Program: Voted

Start date:

1951 as the Adjustment Assistance Program; Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) in its current form was implemented in 1998

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation:

The program is appropriated annually through Government of Canada Estimates.

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2018–19

Link to Departmental result:

Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports

Link to Department’s program inventory:

Refugee Resettlement Program

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

RAP’s objective is to meet the resettlement needs of clients by funding refugee resettlement activities and services for clients, the delivery of immediate and essential services and providing direct financial support. RAP supports activities related to resettled refugee identification, referrals and pre-departure refugee resettlement activities and services for individuals identified for or being considered for resettlement to Canada. Eligible clients include Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs) and certain persons in refugee-like situations admitted to Canada under a public policy consideration. The province of Quebec receives a separate funding allocation as part of the Canada-Quebec Accord to provide similar services to eligible refugees destined to that province.

This funding supports key international resettlement partners including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other referral organizations for the identification and referral of refugees to Canada annually and the International Organization for Migration for its work to provide direct pre-departure support globally to refugees. Immediate and essential services after arrival in Canada are delivered through contribution agreements with RAP Service Provider Organizations (SPOs). RAP services include, but are not limited to: overseas and in-Canada orientation sessions; port of entry services; temporary accommodation and assistance in securing permanent accommodation; assistance opening a bank account; life skills training; links to mandatory federal and provincial programs; and to settlement programming.

Income support is administered directly by the Department and can be provided for up to 12 months, depending on client eligibility, if the RAP client’s income is insufficient to meet their own needs and/or the needs of any accompanying dependants. In most cases, RAP clients also receive start-up allowances for expenses related to furniture and other household supplies.

Limited services (port of entry services) are provided under RAP to all resettled refugees. Refugees resettled under the Blended Visa Office-Referred Refugees (BVOR) Program may receive up to six months of RAP income support.

RAP also funds certain in-Canada activities to support the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (e.g., the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program), as well as activities overseas, such as those administered by the International Organization for Migration to support resettlement and RAP objectives.

Expected results:

RAP is an element of the overarching Refugee Resettlement Program. The immediate outcomes for the broader Refugee Resettlement Program are that resettled refugees receive timely protection and their immediate and essential needs are met. The intermediate outcome is that resettled refugees have the tools to live independently in Canadian society. The ultimate outcome is that resettled refugees live independently in Canadian society.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

Evaluation of the Resettlement Programs (GAR, Private Sponsorship of Refugees, BVOR and RAP) – completed in 2016–17

Evaluation of the BVOR Program – completed in 2021–22

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Not applicable

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

The evaluation of the Refugee Resettlement Program is currently underway which includes an evaluation of the RAP. The evaluation is expected to be completed
in 2023–24.

General targeted recipient groups:

RAP targets three types of recipients: (1) resettled refugees and persons admitted to Canada under similar circumstances; (2) service providers that provide immediate and essential services to eligible clients; and (3) service providers engaged in activities that support the Refugee Resettlement Program more broadly (e.g., funding to international organizations to facilitate the overseas processing of refugees and to the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program to support private sponsors in Canada).

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

Refugees receiving RAP services are engaged throughout their resettlement journey, starting with overseas processing of refugees with international organizations (e.g., International Organization for Migration) and intake assessment upon arrival in Canada of refugees to determine the level of support needed and the types of services required. The Department works closely with international organizations (e.g., United Nations Refugee Agency) to plan annual targets as well as the timing of services to assist refugees during the application process and pre-departure. The Department maintains close collaboration and regular communication with international organizations and SPOs in order to adequately respond to resettled refugee needs.

Settlement Program

General information

Name of transfer payment program:

Settlement Program: Voted

Start date:

May 15, 2008

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation:

The program is appropriated annually through Government of Canada Estimates.

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2019–20

Link to Departmental result:

Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports

Link to Department’s program inventory:

Settlement

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program:

For Canada to realize the economic, social and cultural benefits of immigration, newcomers must integrate successfully into Canadian society. Integration is a two-way process that involves commitment on the part of immigrants to adapt to life in Canada, and on the part of Canada to welcome and adapt to new peoples and cultures. Settlement refers to a short period of mutual adaptation between the newcomers and the host society, during which the government provides support and services to newcomers.

IRCC Settlement Program plays a major role in the integration of newcomers by assisting immigrants and refugees to overcome barriers specific to them so that they can fully engage in social, cultural, civic and economic life in Canada. The program aims to provide newcomers with support prior to their arrival in Canada. Once in Canada, the program provides needs, assets assessments and information required to make informed decisions, develop and leverage employment and language skills, and support to build networks within their new communities. The program also supports the integration of French-speaking newcomers through the Francophone Integration Pathway, which consists of a suite of settlement services in French, offered by Francophone communities outside Quebec, and aimed at facilitating reception, support, economic and socio-cultural integration, as well as the creation of lasting ties between newcomers and Francophone communities. IRCC funds the delivery of settlement programming across the country and outside Canada, and contributes to the capacity enhancement of recipient organizations.

Expected results:

The Settlement Program’s ultimate outcome is as follows: successfully integrated and settled clients benefit Canada.

Immediate outcomes:

• Access to IRCC-funded settlement services is facilitated
• IRCC increases its understanding of client settlement needs and appropriate linkages to other services
• Clients increase knowledge of life in Canada
• Clients improve official language skills
• Clients acquire knowledge, skills, and connections to prepare for the Canadian labour market
• Clients increase participation in communities and social networks
• Partners deliver responsive and coordinated settlement and community services

Intermediate outcomes:

• Clients access services that meet their needs
• Clients make informed decisions about life in Canada
• Clients use an official language to function in Canadian society
• Clients participate in the Canadian labour market
• Clients are connected to communities and institutions
• Communities foster welcoming environments for immigrants

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

• 2020–21 for the Evaluation of Language Training Services
• 2021–22 for the Evaluation of Settlement Workers in Schools
• The most recent evaluation of the Settlement Program was completed in 2017–18.

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation.

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

• The Evaluation of the Settlement Program is expected to be completed in 2025–26.
• The Rapid Evaluation of the Ukraine Response evaluation in 2023–24.

General targeted recipient groups:

To fulfill IRCC’s objective of promoting the successful integration of permanent residents into Canada, IRCC uses grants and contribution agreements. These agreements may be signed with the following eligible recipients for settlement services:

• Provincial, territorial or municipal governments
• International organizations
• Not-for-profit organizations including non-governmental organizations, non-profit corporations, community groups, umbrella organizations, regulatory bodies and apprenticeship authorities
• Businesses, including those that provide indirect services (such as assisting employers in hiring newcomers, private language schools, conference organizers, Web or production firms for tool development)
• Educational institutions (including school boards, districts and divisions)
• Individuals

Restrictions:

• Unless specifically allowed in the grant and contribution agreement, no user fees can be charged to clients for services funded by IRCC.
• For-profit organizations may be eligible for funding provided that the nature and the intent of the activity is non-commercial and, not intended to generate profit and that it supports program priorities and objectives.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

IRCC funds over 500 different organizations, including nearly 80 francophone organizations located in Francophone minority communities, to deliver a diverse range of services that support the settlement and integration of newcomers to Canada. Settlement SPOs vary in size, which has an impact on the type and scope of services that they offer to newcomers.

IRCC plays a key role in the disseminating and sharing information to and among SPOs and other settlement organizations in a variety of ways, formally and informally at both the national and regional levels. IRCC has a number of forums that bring together SPOs from the National Settlement and Integration Council, which is a pan-Canadian mechanism for ongoing national dialogue, collaboration, consultation, planning and information exchange among governments and key partners and stakeholders, to newly established regional summits designed to address region-specific information needs. Before COVID-19, much of this engagement was in person, but the pandemic has forced the Department shift to virtual engagement, which allows more partners and stakeholders to be engaged proactively and more often.

IRCC engages in extensive consultations before and after it launches intake processes under the Settlement Program. Engagement with service providers supports IRCC’s information gathering to inform open and transparent intake processes to establish grant and contribution agreements and improves delivery methods to carry out IRCC programming priorities.

The most recent intake processes include a 2018 Expression of Interest for Pre-arrival Settlement Services, with five year agreements that began on January 1, 2019; proposals solicited in November 2018 for language training services adapted to the needs of French-speaking newcomers, in support of the Francophone Integration Pathway to last until 2023 and funded through the Government of Canada’s Action Plan for Official Languages (2018–23); and a national call for proposals for the Settlement Program launched in February 2019 for 5-year agreements that began on April 1, 2020.

For the first time, following a high degree of engagement and co-planning with Francophone-minority communities, the Department introduced a “by and for Francophones” lens/priority in the 2019 call for proposals process. In parallel, it experimented with a community-based funding model through the Welcoming Francophone Communities Initiative. This initiative moved away from the traditional intake process approach, to fund community plans featuring activities/projects that the communities themselves have identified to best meet their needs in terms of welcoming and integrating French-speaking newcomers. Community plans were initially funded over a 3-year period (beginning in April 2020) and have subsequently been extended until March 2024.

In April 2020, the Department launched the Comité consultatif national en établissement francophone with the mandate to provide recommendations to IRCC by Spring 2023, for a national coordination and support model for the Francophone settlement sector and on the development of policies and programs to improve direct Francophone settlement services to immigrants.

Transfer payment programs spending of under $5 million

Annual Assessed Contribution to the International Organization for Migration

General information

Name of transfer payment program:

Annual Assessed Contribution to the International Organization for Migration (IOM): Voted

Start date:

The IOM is the leading United Nations agency in the field of migration, having joined the UN system as a related organization in 2016. Canada was a founding member of the IOM in 1951, but withdrew membership in 1962. Canada subsequently rejoined the organization as a full member in 1991 and has paid its annual Assessed Contributions ever since.

End date:

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment:

Contribution^Footnote1

Type of appropriation:

Funds are appropriated annually through Government of Canada Estimates.

Fiscal year for terms and conditions:

2010–11

Link to Departmental result:

Potential permanent residents are selected for immigration to Canada

Link to Department’s program inventory:

Asylum

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment programs:

Contributions to the IOM allow Canada to:

• Participate in the organization’s governance and decision-making mechanisms, including evaluation and audit, and budget setting practices.
• Enhance its knowledge on global trends and approaches to managed migration.
• Advance its international priorities on migration, which include: helping to ensure the orderly and humane management of migration; promoting international cooperation on migration issues; and assisting in the search for practical solutions to migration problems.
• Provide humanitarian assistance for migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons.
• Deliver IRCC programs in the areas of resettlement, migration health and capacity building.

As an IOM member, the Department has an increased capacity to meet its objectives related to:

• Managed migration that promotes Canadian interests and protects the health, safety and security of Canadians.
• International recognition and acceptance of the principles of managed migration consistent with Canada’s broader foreign policy agenda.

Expected results:

The expected results are to:

• Allow IRCC to influence IOM programs and policies in order to ensure Canada’s own objectives, values and interests are reflected in the IOM's approach to global migration.
• Gain knowledge and understanding of global migration and insights on the migration policies, activities and priorities of other countries, in order to inform IRCC policies and programs.
• Advance Canada’s position on managed migration and international protection in multilateral fora.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

Evaluation of IRCC’s Membership in International Forums and Organizations was completed in 2021–22.

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

The next evaluation of the IOM assessed contribution is scheduled to take place
in 2026–27.

General targeted recipient groups:

International organizations.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

IRCC officials actively monitor, engage and consult with the IOM through institutional and ad hoc meetings.

On an ongoing basis, IRCC participates in the two IOM governing bodies: (1) the Council and the Standing Committee on Programmes and Finance, and (2) the organization’s formal working groups on Partnerships Governance and Organizational Priorities and Budget Reform. This participation allows Canada to play a role in the organization’s governance and decision-making, including that related to budget issues. Moreover, IRCC is present at all informal consultations organized by the IOM.

Government of Canada senior officials meet with the IOM senior management to discuss shared priorities and ways to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Canada and the IOM. Continuous and ongoing open communication between IRCC and IOM takes place at the working level on a regular basis.

While IRCC is the lead in the overall Government of Canada–IOM relationship, Global Affairs Canada also maintains a strong relationship with the IOM as they partner in the delivery of development and humanitarian assistance.

The evaluation of the IOM Assessed Contribution in 2021–22 found that Canada derives high value from its membership in the IOM in meeting IRCC and whole-of-government objectives.

To note, following several years of negotiations, a Member State decision was made in 2022 for the IOM to increase membership dues starting in IRCC’s FY 2022–23 to account for USD $60 million of a $75 million deficit to their core administrative budget. For Canada, this means the total budget for IOM membership dues will rise from approximately CAD $2.2 million to CAD $4.2 million by FY 2026–2027 and ongoing; additional funding to cover this increase has been received through the 2022–24 Immigration Levels Plan.