IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2021: Citizenship & International Experience Canada

Introduction to Citizenship

Citizenship is a federal responsibility governed by the Citizenship Act, which defines who is Canadian, and who may become Canadian.

Birth on Soil

• Any child born in Canada is Canadian, except for children of those granted diplomatic privileges and immunities.
• Canada is among approx. 30 countries that provide for automatic citizenship for those born on its territory.

Descent

• Any child born outside Canada is Canadian if one of the parents (legal or biological) was either born in Canada or naturalized before the birth of the child.
• This automatic passing on of citizenship is limited to the first generation born abroad; those born abroad in subsequent generations may apply for a grant of citizenship if they are permanent residents.

Naturalization

• Naturalized Canadians are those who apply for and meet the requirements set out for any one of several grants contained in the Act. 
• Requirements for an adult grant include: being a permanent resident; being physically present in Canada for a specified number of days; having knowledge of Canada and one of its official languages; filing taxes; not being prohibited; and, taking the Oath of Citizenship.

The Citizenship Program

The Citizenship Program administers citizenship legislation along the following lines of business:

Citizenship Grants

• Provided to permanent residents who have applied and met the requirements.

Proof of Citizenship

• Provided to Canadian citizens who apply for evidence of their citizenship.

Renunciation

• Individuals may apply to renounce their citizenship; they need to be at least 18, and must have or will have another citizenship.

Revocation

• Individuals may have their citizenship revoked if it was acquired through fraud or misrepresentation.

International Experience Canada

• Facilitates international work and travel opportunities for Canadian and foreign youth that secure social, cultural, bilateral, and economic benefits for Canada.

Citizenship Numbers by Program Activity

Citizenship by the Numbers and Impact of COVID-19

Active Citizenship

• The Citizenship Program is also responsible for promoting awareness of the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of citizenship through activities that seek to educate newcomers and Canadians about Canadian citizenship and Canadian identity with the aim to:
  • Increase knowledge of rights, responsibilities, and privileges of Canadian citizenship.
  • Increase knowledge of rights, responsibilities, and privileges of Canadian citizenship.
  • Promote core citizenship competencies to all Canadians.
• Governor-in-council appointed citizenship judges support awareness activities, preside at citizenship ceremonies, and decide on some grant applications.
• Educational resources include a citizenship study guide that supports the knowledge test.
  • The citizenship knowledge test is administered to all applicants between the ages of 18 and 54, after the submission of a citizenship application.
  • The citizenship study guide is used by newcomers to prepare for the citizenship test. It contains information about the history of Canada, how our government works, symbols of Canada and its regions.
• There were 9,426 citizenship ceremonies held in fiscal year 2020-2021 and 974 ceremonies held between April and July 2021.

Accessible Citizenship

• Access to Canadian citizenship enables full participation in Canadian society and provides a number of rights and privileges (e.g. the right to vote, a passport).
• Research has shown that citizenship leads to better economic outcomes and a stronger sense of belonging.
• Citizenship uptake rates vary for different populations and some groups remain underrepresented and face barriers to citizenship. The 2016 census reported an overall naturalization rate of 85.8%.
• While the volume of applications is expected to increase with growing immigration levels, recent research suggests a decline in uptake rates among those within five to nine years of landing (from 75.4% in 1996 down to 60.4% in 2016).
• The program undertakes targeted research, partners with external organizations to promote Canadian citizenship, and reviews policies and program requirements that affect equitable access to Canadian citizenship. In particular this includes:
  • The costs and fees associated with citizenship.
  • Evidence and demonstration of proficiency in an official language.
  • The application of waivers and exemptions from certain requirements of the Act.
  • The use of the Minister’s discretionary authority to grant citizenship.

International Experience Canada

• International Experience Canada facilitates international work and travel opportunities for Canadian and foreign youth.
• Canada has arrangements with 36 countries and territories spanning Europe, East Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.
• Arrangements with international partners promote cross-cultural understanding, and support Canadian youth to build language, life, and leadership skills.
• Eligible youth aged 18-35 (or 18-30 under some agreements) are able to travel and work for one or two years, depending on the arrangement.
• While each arrangement is unique, International Experience Canada has three categories of participation for foreign youth which vary in purpose:
  • Working Holiday (Travel and Work)
    • Participants are eligible to apply for an open work permit to allow them to work for any employer or location in Canada for up to one year.
    • Eligibility criteria vary by country.
  • International Co-op (Internships for Students)
    • Students are eligible to apply for an employer-specific work permit to complete a work placement as part of their studies.
  • Young Professionals (Career Development)
    • Participants are eligible to apply for an employer-specific work permit to help them gain professional work experience in their field by way of a fixed-term employment contract.
• The Minister of IRCC is responsible for approving new arrangements, adjusting current arrangements, and deciding on annual quotas for the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.
  • The Department works closely with Global Affairs Canada and, when treaties are required, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
• In 2019, pre-pandemic, approximately 58K foreign youth came to Canada under IEC, while just under 20K Canadian youth went abroad.
  • Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and France are the most popular destinations for Canadian youth, accounting for 80% of outbound travel.
  • Youth from France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Germany, and South Korea account for about 82% of inbound youth.
• The Department is negotiating new or revised arrangements with a variety of existing and prospective partner countries.

COVID-19 Impact

Citizenship Program

• In 2018-2019, 250,173 citizenship applications were received, followed by 256,728 applications in 2019-2020. Due to the pandemic, this fell to 196,540 in 2020-2021. Between April and July 2021, 25,196 citizenship applications were received.
• Prior to the onset of the pandemic, the Citizenship Program accepted only paper grant applications and citizenship tests and ceremonies were in-person group events held in offices or other venues throughout the country.
• In-person services were cancelled and citizenship application processing was disrupted with the onset of the pandemic.
• Since spring 2020, the Program has been moving to virtual and online services.
  • Virtual citizenship ceremonies to administer the Oath of Citizenship were launched in April 2020; since then more than 91,000 have taken the Oath via video.
  • The online citizenship knowledge test was launched in December 2020; since then over 118,000 clients have taken the online test.
  • An online grant application (e-application) was launched in November 2020 using a phased approach. As of August 11, 2021, the e-application is available to all applicants who are 18 or older.
  • An online tracker was launched in May 2021 allowing clients to check the status of their application as it moves through the various processing steps, up until the citizenship ceremony.

International Experience Canada

• In 2019, the Department approved 78K applications and issued 58K work permits to foreign youth; in 2020, these figures decreased to 23K and 7K, respectively.
• The program is aligned with public health measures in place to restrict discretionary travel during COVID-19:
  • Borders closed to discretionary travel: only foreign youth with current and active job offers were invited to apply and travel to Canada
  • Borders open to discretionary travel: foreign youth must either be fully vaccinated or have a job offer and undergo quarantine to enter Canada
• Some partner countries remain closed to Canadian youth, some require quarantine, and others are fully open.

Key Takeaways

Citizenship Program

• Canadian citizenship remains sought after by many newcomers to Canada.
• Higher immigration levels have resulted in increased volumes of applications for citizenship. The COVID-19 pandemic added to processing times. Consequently, the 12‐month service standard for grants is not being met, as processing times for grants averaged 22 months between August 2020 and July 2021.
• Citizenship is responsible for and contributes to three Truth & Reconciliation Calls to Action:
  • Fees for replacing passports, permanent resident cards, and citizenship certificates will be waived in certain circumstances, enabling residential school survivors and their families to reclaim Indigenous names changed by the residential school system, in support of Call to Action 17.
  • In June 2021, the Oath of Citizenship was amended in the Citizenship Act in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action 94.
  • Work continues to update the Citizenship guide and knowledge test in support of Call to Action 93.

International Experience Canada

• Inbound and outbound participation in International Experience Canada Program is expected to return to pre-pandemic volumes with the reopening of borders to discretionary international travel.