Details of its study on the citizenship program were published by the IRCC between 2013 and 2018.
A recent self-evaluation of the immigration department highlights areas where Canadian citizenship procedures may be strengthened.
Released in November, the study reported the conclusions and recommendations of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on how to fix problems in the citizenship program.
As it is now, permanent residents may apply for citizenship if, among other eligibility criteria, they have resided in Canada for at least three years. Generally, citizenship applicants must pass a citizenship test, or interview, and prove their language skills in English or French.
The self-assessment by the IRCC covered the period from 2013 to 2018, taking into account previous years. It was done as part of a Treasury Board transparency initiative, which regulates the financing of federal agencies, including the IRCC.
They found that, by December 31, 2018, 50 per cent of the more than 2.8 million permanent residents who came to Canada between 2005 and 2015 were citizens. An additional 7 per cent applied for citizenship. This is not to be confused with the citizenship rate of Canada, or the number of people who became permanent residents, which in 2016 was around 86.2 percent. The desire to feel truly Canadian and to make Canada their permanent home motivates most permanent residents who get citizenship.
While citizenship status is obtained by most permanent residents, citizenship rates vary for different populations. Here is a summary of the guidelines from the IRCC on how the new citizenship process can be strengthened.
Citizenship costs should be discussed
The IRCC wrote that the fee structure needs to be re-examined in order to allow fair access to citizenship.
The Liberal Party has vowed to axe citizenship fees in the 2019 federal election campaign. On this promise, they have not yet delivered.
More transparency for language exemptions and awareness exemptions
With existing awareness and language criteria, people who face socio-economic difficulties in Canada often face barriers to citizenship.
The IRCC found that it can be difficult to meet these two criteria, especially for refugees and people with low language skills and education. On humanitarian grounds, these conditions can be waived, but the criteria for these situations are not well-defined.
As a consequence, most waivers on a medical opinion end up being released. Applicants have to seek exemptions, but the procedure is hard to follow and not well documented. During the assessment phase, very few waivers were requested.
Improving the method of language verification
The IRCC found that the range of evidence approved for language verification is very broad and does not always reflect the actual language skill of the applicant. The evaluation of language skill can be challenging for immigration officers, as the methods in place are subjective. In addition, officers are not official assessors themselves.
In consideration of these results, the IRCC recommended that a plan be developed to equip officers to verify language evidence and to provide better support for evaluating language skills when necessary.
New Information Requirement approach
The vocabulary test and study guide have greater criteria for the language level than the actual language test itself. As such, IRCC found that there is a need for more resources and help for applicants.
Therefore, the IRCC continues its strategy to introduce a new approach to the necessity of information. This may include an updated study guide or other resources to increase the usability of the necessary details.
Promote active involvement in societies in Canada
Typically, immigrants who become people have good integration effects. Many feel a sense of belonging, and their culture, to Canada.
In Canadian institutions, they have social ties and trust. Economically, many do well and engage in charitable organizations.
These results show that there is a greater desire to become Canadian in permanent residences with stronger feelings of relation with Canada.
There was a disparity between citizens and permanent residents in job earnings, but this was due to the individual’s socio-economic characteristics and not because of residency status. Volunteering and community membership often differed according to the socio-economic situation of the participants, but citizens were more likely than permanent residents to participate. The least likely to participate in these practices were permanent residents who did not wish to apply for citizenship.
These forms of community participation are at the center of the goals of the citizenship program, but IRCC has minimal processes in place to impact these effects.
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