Citizenship and Immigration Committee on March 12th, 2020

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

The complex cases still mean that there is processing happening over there.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Are there any cases other than complex cases being processed?

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

Yes, there are other cases that are being processed.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Are they visitor visa cases?

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

Yes, visitor visa cases.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Okay.

Who made the decision?

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

It is an operational component. We depend on where the capacity is in the network. We are optimizing our network so as to make sure that all the processing happens in the time standard in which we are supposed to do it.

There is a lot of intake because of two visa application centres in the vicinity of Chandigarh—Chandigarh and Jalandhar. We have capacity in Delhi. That's how, operationally, we move the applications around.

However, let me assure you of one thing. The people who make those decisions are well-trained visa officer officials, and they have been trained to work under the premise of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Would the number of employees in Chandigarh be the same now as before this decision was made?

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

The number of employees always varies, depending on where the need is for that. We do have a continuous presence in Chandigarh. We have locally engaged staff. We have Canada-based staff.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

How many employees are currently in the Chandigarh office?

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

I'll get you that number very quickly.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Great. Can you also get me the number of how many employees were there when the decision was made to start moving files out of Chandigarh?

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

I will get you that number.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Great.

Why was no one told that this decision was being made?

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

As I mentioned earlier, this is an operational optimization of our network capacity. This kind of movement within the network happens all the time. This is a way that we can actually—again, I might be repeating myself—make sure that we stay within the processing time standard, which is set so that the clients get optimal client service. We continue to move our files around where the capacity exists and depending on what the intake is of the applications.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Are you suggesting that the processing time for visitor visas through the Chandigarh office is now faster than it was before this decision was made?

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar]

We have really come to a point where our visa application processing in the Indian network—and, again, I will emphasize the Indian network, which includes Chandigarh, Bengaluru and Delhi—is below nine days. The client standard is 14 days. We've been there since December 2018.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Okay.

Minister, you proceeded with recommendation 94 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was to add words to the oath of citizenship. It took you five years to come up with 17 words.

Recommendation 93 is a more significant recommendation. It requires changes to the actual citizenship course.

Can we anticipate that if you make 34 word changes in that, it will take 10 years?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

No, I don't think that is a fair way to put the question. Given the urgency and the tone with which it was put to me, I would certainly hope that you will encourage your colleagues to support Bill C-6, because it is a call to action and it represents a significant step forward in reconciliation.

I would just say that the process of coming up with that amendment required consultation with—

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Are you working on recommendation 93?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Could I just be permitted to finish the answer?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Your time is up, but—

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Just to complete the answer, it required consultation with national indigenous leaders right across the country, and we did that. We arrived at a good proposal, and I look forward to studying the bill here, in conjunction with this committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Minister.

Before I move forward, I want to let all the committee members know, if you pose a question, that you should let the witness have the time to answer the question. Don't speak over. Just out of respect, I think we need to make sure that we provide the opportunity to our witnesses to answer the question.

Thank you.

We will now move to Mr. Regan for five minutes.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, good morning. Thank you for being here. It's good to have you here.

Thank you for mentioning the Atlantic immigration pilot. As you know, this program is an employer-focused model and one that has been well received throughout the region. Certainly I hear from businesses in my riding that they have appreciated it.

One issue that you know you've had traditionally in the region is retention. Certainly in the Halifax area and in Nova Scotia we have seen recently increases in population. Part of this is due to this program and other immigration. That's encouraging.

Your mandate letter says you're to “take the steps required to make the Atlantic Immigration Pilot permanent”. How do you intend to proceed to do this, and what are the lessons that have been learned from this pilot?