ARCHIVED – Express Entry Privacy Impact Assessment Summary 2015

Launched January 1, 2015, Express Entry marks a key milestone in the Government of Canada’s immigration system modernization agenda. Express Entry will facilitate faster and more flexible management of permanent economic immigration, and position Canada to target candidates with the skills and experience that result in positive labour market outcomes.

A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) was conducted for Express Entry to fulfill requirements under the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Directive on Privacy Impact Assessments. The objective of the PIA Report was to determine if there are privacy risks associated with Express Entry, and if so, to provide recommendations on the mitigation or elimination of the risks.

The report identified some privacy risks and recommendations related to information sharing, and retention and disposition of personal information, all of which have been addressed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

In particular, CIC has negotiated bilateral Express Entry information sharing arrangements with all participating Provinces and Territories. These arrangements are guided by the Treasury Board of Canada Guidance on Preparing Information Sharing Agreements Involving Personal Information and describe federal, and provincial or territorial privacy and consent authorities and requirements for information sharing in this context.

CIC and Employment and Social Development Canada have finalized a Memorandum of Understanding that governs the sharing of limited personal information required for the Job Bank system to register Express Entry candidates.

CIC's Access to Information and Privacy officials believe that existing Personal Information Banks (PPU 009, PPU 042, and PPU 053) are appropriate for the personal information collected through the Express Entry system, as it is information already collected by the department for the purpose of administering permanent immigration programs.

As Express Entry is an electronic pre-application phase, it is the department's view that these records should follow the existing schedule for Applications for Permanent Residence; two years if refused, five years in the case of misrepresentation or other irregularities, and 65 years in the case of an approved application.

Questions and Answers

Who is my information shared with and why?

Under Express Entry, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) shares information with provincial and territorial governments to facilitate nominations for the Provincial Nominee Program.

Participating provincial and territorial governments can search the Express Entry pool of candidates and nominate individuals that meet their local immigration and labour market needs. Provinces and territories will not be able to access a candidate's full name or contact information. Communication with candidates will occur via CIC through the candidate's MyCIC Account.

Provinces and territories are only permitted to share candidate information with employers to establish valid job offers to support nomination to the Express Entry Stream of their Provincial Nominee Program.

Limited information, such as Express Entry profile number, may also be shared with Employment and Social Development Canada for the purpose of facilitating a candidate's registration with the Job Bank.

If you have received an Invitation to Apply and have submitted an Application for Permanent Residence, your personal information may be shared with other governments or agencies to determine admissibility, eligibility for a visa or other immigration benefit, or eligibility to remain in either of the territory of their respective countries. For more information see Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Agreements.

What information is shared with the provinces and territories?

Provincial and territorial governments receive information on a candidate's province or territory of interest, whether the candidate has family in Canada, their work experience and education, language test scores, age, number of dependants, and whether the candidate meets the minimum necessary income threshold. In addition, provinces and territories will have access to information that will help them identify a candidate, such as Express Entry profile number, surname and date of birth.

Does Citizenship and Immigration Canada share my information with employers?

No, CIC will not share your information will employers. However, if you do not have a valid job offer or provincial or territorial nomination when you fill out your Express Entry profile, you will be required to complete a Job Bank profile. Employers can access Job Bank profiles of Express Entry candidates when they cannot find Canadians and permanent residents to fill their jobs. Job Bank profiles are anonymous. If an employer is interested in you based on your Job Bank profile, they will send you a message asking you to apply to their job.

Provincial and territorial governments are permitted to share candidate information with employers to establish valid job offers to support nomination to the Express Entry Stream of their Provincial Nominee Program.

How is my personal information protected by CIC?

CIC adheres to a range of legislation and policies to govern the privacy requirements related to Express Entry, including: the Privacy Act; Privacy Regulations; Access to Information Act; Library and Archives Canada Act; Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act; and TBS Policy and directives.

As a government institution, CIC is obliged to respect the privacy of individuals by controlling the collection, use, disclosure, retention and disposal of recorded personal information. Learn more about access to information and privacy at CIC.

How long does CIC keep my personal information?

CIC ensures that any personal information that has been used for an administrative purpose is retained by the Department in accordance with the Privacy Act and Privacy Regulations. As Express Entry is an electronic pre-application phase, these records follow the existing schedule for Applications for Permanent Residence: two years if refused; five years in the case of misrepresentation or other irregularities; 65 years in the case of an approved application.

Where is my personal information stored?

Personal information collected through Express Entry for the purpose of administering permanent immigration programs is stored in the Department’s existing Personal Information Banks.