IRCC works with other departments to process applications. Moreover, it enforces rules & regulations highlighted in the IRPA.
Canada’s immigration minister shares responsibility for IRPA with the Minister of Public Safety. He is also the head of the Canada Border Services Agency. This implies the two departments frequently intersect & are both involved in the immigration process.
The Act covers almost every aspect of Canada’s immigration system, including how applications are submitted, program requirements, ensuring that immigration policies are geared towards strengthening Canada’s economy, reuniting families, & protecting national security.
Other departments are also involved in processing or completing immigration applications. For instance, ESDC plays a vital role in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
IRCC’s Role In Immigration
IRCC is the main government department involved in evaluating an immigration application. It ensures that candidates are eligible for their chosen program, & that applications are completed correctly & truthfully.
The department sets annual immigration targets for new PR admissions & processes the facilitation of applications for economic immigration, refugees, family class sponsorship, & asylum claimants. It is also an IRCC that grants citizenship & issues travel documents, like passports.
Canada Border Services Agency
IRCC works with other departments to process applications. Moreover, the legislation in IRPA also includes laws surrounding inadmissibility & maintaining national security.
CBSA is responsible for immigration enforcement, like making decisions regarding admissibility at the applicant’s port of entry. To do so, CBSA should work closely with IRCC.
In simpler terms, IRCC might decide to approve an application. However, it is up to CBSA to allow the newcomer into Canada.
This implies that CBSA evaluates if a newcomer will be a security risk to Canada. They perform background checks that include a criminal record check. If they find that the individual has committed an offense in the past, they can be deemed inadmissible & the newcomer will not be allowed to enter Canada. This could be for anything from a serious felony offense to a DUI charge.
Well, the department also issued security clearances wherever necessary. IRCC has no control over the processing time of an application reviewed by the CBSA for a security clearance & this can cause processing delays.
Employment & Social Development Canada
EDSC is responsible for issuing LMIAs in TFWP. Canadian employers wish to recruit temporary foreign workers because they cannot find enough workers in Canada with the necessary skills for a job.
To do so, they need to submit an LMIA to ESDC, which determines if hiring TFWs for the position will positively, negatively, or neutrally impact Canada’s economy. IF ESDC decides that the impact will be neutral/ positive, the employer will be allowed to hire temporary foreign workers.
From here, the TFW must obtain a copy of the LMIA from the employer to submit along with their work permit application to IRCC. Processing time for an LMIA can be anywhere from 9-57 days, depending upon the stream. This is in addition to the IRCC service standard for a work permit application.
How Do These Relationships Impact IRCC?
According to a recent report by former Deputy Immigration Minister Neil Yeates, the relationship between IRCC & other governmental departments is overly complicated. The report asserted that the current split responsibilities & accountabilities are not optimal.
Moreover, this has been the case since the inception of CBSA & remarked upon by the previous deputy ministers. The report further stated that this creates unnecessary friction in the IRCC/ CBSA relationship & runs the risk of reducing the effectiveness of both organizations.
The minister also said that a review will be undertaken of this split of responsibilities between CBSA & IRCC under IRPA in order to help rationalize & streamline roles & accountabilities.
Since the report was submitted, IRCC has released a strategy to streamline how IRCC operates to serve clients better. Of note, IRCC is planning to review & update IRPA to reflect the present demand for immigration. This could imply that the responsibilities of each department under IRPA could shift.