Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 31st, 2018

[Marta Morgan]

There is no additional funding allocated in this year's main estimates for eTA processing. The approval rates for eTAs is 99%, and the vast majority of applications are processed within minutes. That said, we do realize that when those eTA applications fall out, it takes a little more time, although we normally try to have those processed within two to three days.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

My next question is on the passport program revolving fund. Are passport fees not in the general revenue? Is this the expenditure for the cost of processing them?

[Marta Morgan]

Passport fees go into the passport revolving fund, and then the fees are utilized to pay for the cost of the passport program, including capital and operating costs.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

I'm a little concerned that you're anticipating a decrease as a result of the 10-year passport, which I agree with. But I assume, and I think it's a safe assumption, that in the next couple of years we'll have an increase in citizens who will require new passports because of our reduction in the citizenship requirement from five years to three. I assume that in the next two years there will be a surge of new citizens who would not have been eligible before. In addition, it's now easier for those who are 55 and over who perhaps were hesitant to take the test due to the language requirements, because they're now not required to do so.

Would there not be an increase in passports on that front, which would perhaps make it necessary to have more funding for them?

[Marta Morgan]

We will be closely watching that. Clearly, we have had a big surge in applications for citizenship with the change in the legislation. Should that increase result in an increased demand for passports, we will be able to adjust. I think one of the advantages of having a revolving fund is that resources can be deployed very quickly in order to adjust to operational requirements.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

How much of an increase has there been since last fall? I've heard about an increase, but is there a number on that?

[Paul MacKinnon]

I can say we've had a high volume of applications for proof of citizenship. The average annual intake was 55,000 over the past five years. I'm trying to see what the overall increase is.

We might have to come back to you with that, Mr. Chair.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

If you could table that, it would be great, or if you get it in the next minute or so, that would be fine.

My next question is in terms of settlement agencies and LINC funding. I still hear from time to time in my riding of Surrey Centre that English-language training has a wait time—three months or more. Originally, it was eight months. I don't believe it's that long.

Is there more funding now for English-language training in this budget? What wait times do you see nationally?

[Marta Morgan]

We continue to work to reduce wait times. We created nearly 10,000 new language training spaces. We don't really measure wait times on a national basis, because they are so local. It really does depend on the locality.

We spend about 36% of our total settlement funding on language training, and one of our priorities this year is improving the way we manage and track wait times as well as seeking continual reductions in those. It's certainly something we have heard about. It's clearly a priority for immigrants to get into language training when they arrive here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

I think I need to stop you there.

We've really come to the end, but I'll just look around to see if someone has one more minute....

Mr. Maguire and Ms. Kwan, I'll give you each a minute.

Mr. Maguire.

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In 2017 the IRB saw that record number of asylum claims at 47,000. It jumped to almost 49,000 on March 31 of this year.

Mr. Vulpe, what are the current wait times for IRB hearings to be scheduled for new applicants? If I could follow up on that, what's the current refusal rate for the Nigerian applicants?

[Thomas Vulpe]

The average current processing time is approximately 20 months for claimants to be seen by the board. In terms of the acceptance rate for Nigerians, it's at around 40%—32% for the border crossers.

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

This is my last one, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Goodale made an announcement at a press conference a couple of weeks ago that 90% of those crossing illegally in 2018 have no legitimate asylum claim and will see their application to stay fail.

Do you believe this to be accurate?

[Thomas Vulpe]

The IRB doesn't comment on statements made in public. All our decision-makers are independent and make their decisions based on the merits of individual cases.

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Then can any panellist answer as to whether that is accurate?

[Mike MacDonald]

Chair, I believe the minister's comment was related to the Haitian approval and rejection rate that is currently being experienced at the IRB, which is around 10% acceptance.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Thank you.

Ms. Kwan, you have a minute.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you.

Given that there's only one minute, I wonder if I could have the officials table for the committee how much funding is allocated to the SWIS program? This is the settlement workers in schools program. Was there an increase in the SWIS program in budget 2018? If so, what is that breakdown? Can we get that budget allocation broken down province by province and community by community—that is to say for Vancouver, Surrey, or whatever? How this does this figure compare to that for previous years since 2014?

The other issue I would like to get clarification on is the question around Iranian nationals. How many Iranian nationals are above and beyond the processing time in the EE, the PNP, and the Quebec skilled workers program in comparison to the processing time for other applicants from other countries in the same stream? If I could get that comparison broken down by country of origin I would appreciate that.

Last, on the question around the Japanese adoption issue, I suspect there's not a large number, but a number of those cases have made their way to my office and I'm curious to know how many of those cases are in fact impacted as a result of this holding pattern while the investigation needs to take its course.

I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't do the investigation. Of course we should and we want to make sure that adoptions are done properly and that there are no issues of human trafficking or anything like that, but I would like to know how many people are impacted. Then, can we get a projected timeline for when this would be resolved so that I can at least provide that information to the people?

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

We'll leave that with you, deputy. Do the best you can on those requests.

Thank you for your appearance today.

We're going to move to a quick vote.

Just before you leave, I want to thank the deputy, particularly for support from the department regarding our trip that's happening next week. As you know, we are going to be looking at visa processing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and some refugee issues, as well as refugee issues in Uganda. We've had a number of people who have supported us well already, and we'll report on how well they survive our trip.

Thank you.

Before we adjourn, we have to vote.

IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE BOARD

Vote 1—Program and expenditures..........$118,949,994

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

Shall I report the main estimates 2018-19, less the amount from the interim estimates, which were handled at committee of the whole, to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Last is a note that my hope is to report this to the House tomorrow. We know that routine proceedings have been disturbed. I just want your approval that that if I am not able to do it tomorrow, a member of the committee who is not travelling with the committee can do it next week.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

All right. Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.