Канада иммиграциясы, қашқын және азаматтық департаменті

Government department

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC; ) is the department of the Government of Canada with responsibility for matters dealing with immigration to Canada, refugees, and Canadian citizenship. The department was established in 1994 following a reorganization.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's mandate is specified in the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act. The Minister of IRCC administers the Citizenship Act of 1977 and its subsequent amendments. The Minister of IRCC works closely with the Minister of Public Safety in relation to the administration of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. IRCC, together with its partners, has the responsibility of conducting "the screening of potential permanent and temporary residents to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians." The issuance and control of Canadian passports and other travel documents that facilitate the travel of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons is also under the responsibility of IRCC. Under the British North America Act of 1867, immigration responsibilities were shared by the federal government and provincial/territorial governments and commissions. +Chronology of Canadian immigration and citizenship departmentsDepartment titleYears activeDescriptionDepartment of the Interior1873 to 1936Administered the Western Canada settlement program and development which subsequently created Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, respectively. Department of Immigration and Colonization1917 to 1936This was the first and original Department of Citizenship and Immigration. Department of Mines and Resources1936 to 1950By 1950, immigration administration was shifted to this federal department from the Department of Citizenship and Colonization. Department of Citizenship and Immigration1950 to 1966During and after the Second World War, some federal agencies were sharing the same duties and responsibilities for immigration policy enforcement and administration. Following amendments to the Canadian Passport Order which dissolved Passport Canada as an independent agency, IRCC took over responsibility for issuing Canadian passports effective July 1, 2013.

Immigration and citizenship legislation are laws that set standards, policies and practices in accordance with the Citizenship Act. The following is the chronology of Canadian immigration and citizenship laws. +Chronology of Canadian immigration and citizenship lawsActYearDescriptionNaturalization ActMay 22, 1868 – December 22, 31, 1946All Canadians born inside and outside Canada, were subject to the crown or "British Subjects. "Canadian Citizenship ActJanuary 1, 1947This Act legitimized and acknowledged Canadian citizenshipCitizenship ActFebruary 15, 1977This Act recognized dual citizenship and abolished "special treatment" to the British subjectsAn Act to amend the Citizenship Act (Bill C 14)December 23, 2007An Act which provided that adopted children will automatically acquire Canadian citizenship without going through the application for permanent resident stageAn Act to amend the Citizenship Act (Bill C 37)April 17, 2009An Act intended to limit the citizenship privilege to first generation only and gave the opportunity to Canadian citizens to re acquire their citizenship, hence, repealing provisions from former legislation Strengthening the Canadian Citizenship Act (Bill C 24). Royal Assent: June 19, 2014;

Came into force: June 11, 2015"The Act contains a range of legislative amendments to further improve the citizenship program. "An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (Bill C 6)June 19, 2017 (Royal Assent);

October 11, 2017 (Came into force)This Act will give "stateless" person an opportunity to be granted with Canadian citizenship which "statelessness" is considered as a legal ground for granting such privilege. This is only one of the many changes included in this new amendment of the Citizenship Act.

IRCC operates a large network of "Citizenship and Immigration Centres" throughout Canada such as Case Processing Centres (CPCs), Centralized Intake Offices (CIOs), and Operations Support Centres (OPCs), as well as an important number of embassies, high commissions, and consulates abroad.

+Citizenship and Immigration Centres in CanadaTypeLocationDescriptionCase Processing CentreEdmonton, AlbertaFocuses on the processing of temporary resident visas, from extension of the date of expiration, student visas to applications for permanent residency of protected persons, refugees, live in caregivers, and workers under the "Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs" program and also, processes fees for the right of the permanent residence. Mississauga, OntarioAccepts all applications for the family sponsorship program, both inside and outside of Canada. Ottawa, OntarioResponsible for processing visitor visas inside Canada only and restricted to temporary foreign workers and student visas only which meet valid status requirements. CPC O processes applications for permanent residents within Canada and from the United States of America that satisfactorily meet requirements according to the standard procedures set by the case processing centre in Mississauga and the intake office in Sydney. Case Processing Centre and Centralized Intake OfficeSydney, Nova ScotiaResponsible for releasing permanent resident cards for first time holders, as well as renewals. Its intake office handles all applications for all types of work visas and applications for provincial nominee programs across Canada. The Nova Scotia office is also responsible for processing all types of citizenship applications. Operations Support CentreOttawa, OntarioWorks specifically on applications for work permits for International Experience, "Verification of Status or VOS", online applications of temporary residents, replacement of temporary resident documents and amendments of immigration documents

Canadian embassies and consular offices across the world play an important role in safeguarding its citizens while abroad. There are identified countries in different regions around the globe that are strategically located and serve as case processing centres for students, temporary residents, visitors, refugees and landed immigrants visa applications. Service Canada is responsible for some of the domestic field operations of the department, while the Canada Border Services Agency controls enforcement and entry control at ports of entry. IRCC remains responsible for the establishment of policies and processing of permanent and temporary resident visa, refugee protection and citizenship applications.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada was created and is guided by the principles provided in specific Canadian laws. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom is its guiding light in enforcing immigration policies and laws, and preserving human rights. The below list of acts and regulations highlights the guiding principles for IRCC's operations and dealings with other organizations, both in Canada and abroad.

Enumerated below are the Acts that are used and applied under any circumstances related to Canadian immigration, refugees, and citizenship. +Acts that govern the IRCCActDescriptionCanadian Multiculturalism ActProtects the heritage of each citizen to practice freedom of religion, opinion, conscience, and use of official languages to name a few. Citizenship ActDefines and identifies persons living in Canada as Canadian citizens in legal circumstances such as natural born citizen or naturalized citizen. Department of Citizenship and Immigration ActThe act that created this federal government department to oversee the immigration and citizenship operations. Financial Administration ActA provision created to guide financial management in the Government of Canada applicable to all its federal agencies, which the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is one of the agencies. Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)Created for Canadian immigration policies and provisions for protecting people seeking refuge in Canada who are being persecuted, country less and lives are in imminent danger. Revolving Funds ActUnder the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration can utilize this for passport and related travel documents services within Canada and abroad. User Fees ActAn "Act respecting user fees." College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants ActThe act created the College, the only regulatory body authorized to govern the profession of immigration and citizenship consultants. In force since December 2020.