Evidence of meeting #16 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was global.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
I'll clarify my question.
For the Beijing office, were there any possible partners other than BFSFC?
9:25 a.m.
Regional, Group Chief Operating Officer- APAC, CIS, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global
We do have other facility management companies operating throughout China. In Beijing as well, the answer is yes. In the operating environment that we follow, with the approval of our client governments, we have a number of FMCs that we operate with, the reason being to ensure de-risking our operations from a control perspective, and to ensure that we don't put all our eggs in one basket. That is, again, very important. Finally, just to reiterate, it's the approval of the client governments that we always take into account before appointing an FMC.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
How many partner applications were analyzed for the Beijing office?
9:25 a.m.
Regional, Group Chief Operating Officer- APAC, CIS, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global
In Beijing, in our operations we work with three different facility management companies.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Just for the IRCC office in Beijing, how many partners were analyzed?
9:25 a.m.
Regional, Group Chief Operating Officer- APAC, CIS, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global
For the IRCC operations in Beijing, when we set the operations in 2008, we analyzed two potential facility management companies. At that point in time the priority was, of course, the due diligence processes, approvals of client governments, i.e., IRCC, and then the requirements of client governments. How soon is one required to set the visa application centre operations, what are the volumes coming through and how soon will they be able to accommodate the entry/exit licence approvals? These are some of the factors that are taken into account before identifying and approving an FMC, subject to client government approvals, of course.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
9:30 a.m.
Regional, Group Chief Operating Officer- APAC, CIS, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global
Madam Chair, we have two other companies—
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
I think when we get to the second round you will have an opportunity.
We will now move on to Ms. Kwan.
Ms. Kwan, you have six minutes for your round of questioning.
February 22nd, 2021 / 9:30 a.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much.
According to The Globe and Mail article, Britain's corporate registry...Chengdong Investment Corporation is one of the most significant contributing partners to the parent company of TT Services, which runs the visa application centres for the Canadian government in 24 countries. In China alone there are 11 locations.
TT Services is owned by VFS Global. Is that correct?
9:30 a.m.
Head of Business Development, VFS Global
I will answer that question, if I may, Ms. Kwan.
9:30 a.m.
Head of Business Development, VFS Global
No, I'm afraid I can't answer it with just a yes or no. TT Services is a subsidiary of VFS Global, or a sister company. It is owned by VFS International Investments, AG Zurich.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Can you table for the committee the names of the parent companies, the subsidiaries, the ownership structure and subcontractors of the visa application centres for Canada in all 24 countries?
9:30 a.m.
Head of Business Development, VFS Global
We can provide that information to the committee.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you.
In a different Globe and Mail article, we have learned that the subcontractor Beijing Shuangxiong Foreign Service Company is delivering VAC services in China for the Canadian government, and that company is owned by the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau. Is that correct?
9:30 a.m.
Regional, Group Chief Operating Officer- APAC, CIS, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global
Beijing Shuangxiong is owned by Beijing Tongda Asset Management, which in turn is owned by the parent Beijing Sifu Enterprise Management, which is an investment of the organization. It has a number of private investments ranging from hospitality to transportation to retail.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Are you saying that the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau does not have any ownership of the Shuangxiong Foreign Service Company?
9:30 a.m.
Regional, Group Chief Operating Officer- APAC, CIS, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global
The BSFSC ownership that I just described is through Beijing Tongda Asset Management, and above that stands Beijing Sifu Enterprise Management. It is a common practice in China for private and state-owned companies to have investments in a number of organizations within the entities or the industries that I just described.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
I guess they are investments that they have within it. According to the company's own website, it was established in 1993 and is a state-owned enterprise with more than 180 employees. Is that what you found in your own due diligence?
9:30 a.m.
Regional, Group Chief Operating Officer- APAC, CIS, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global
Indeed, it is definitely a state-owned enterprise. I highlighted in my earlier response that it is an SOE, and it is also a common practice for SOEs to have investments in private organizations.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
9:30 a.m.
Regional, Group Chief Operating Officer- APAC, CIS, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global
I would not know that offhand. As far as VFS Global employees are concerned, every employee at VFS Global undergoes thorough checks regarding employment, education, criminal and identity, and every employee of VFS is then duly approved by the respective client government. It is only then that—