Canadian Citizenship

From Harder to get and easier to lose to a new balance

Andrew Griffith
Metropolis Toronto March 2016

Agenda

Policy context

Statistics

2010 Changes and impact

2014 Changes and expected impact

2016 Adjustments and expected impact

Longer-term implications
2

Government Context
Conservative

Liberal

Fearless advice and loyal

implementation breakdown

Openness to advice, trust in

public service

Ministerial certainty vs.

arrogance of the expert

More open style, internal and

external

Ideological/values divide

More aligned ideology/values

Evidence and anecdote

Evidence-based emphasis

Policy Context
Global vs Local

Citizenship: Facilitation vs. Meaningfulness

Multiculturalism: Accommodation vs. Integration

Conservatives stress meaningfulness (value),

integration

Liberals stress facilitation and accommodation

(diversity and inclusion)
4

Citizenship Take-up
Foreign-born by Place of Birth, Eligible, 2011 NHS
Europe
Southern Asia
Latin America
Africa
East and SE Asia
West Central Asia, Mid-East
Caribbean
United States
Oceania
625,000
Canadian Only

1,250,000
Dual Nationals

1,875,000

2,500,000

Non-Citizens

Citizenship
Visible Minorities, Eligible or Not, 2011 NHS
Total VisMin

22%

Southeast Asian

14%

Black

18%

Chinese

19%

South Asian

20%

Japanese

24%

West Asian

25%

Arab

28%

Latin American

30%

Filipino

32%

Korean

37%
2%

Not VisMin
25%
Canadian only

50%
Dual nationals

75%

100%

Non-Citizens
6

PRs, Applications, Citizens

2004 to 2015 IRCC Operational Data
300,000

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

* Jan-Sep

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015*

Permanent Residents

Applications

New Citizens
7

Citizenship Take-Up
6 Years Since Landing vs All Years Since Landing 2015
80%

79%

79%

76%

73%

71%

67%
62%

60%

57%
49%

40%

56%

50%

44%

47%

2007

2008

20%

2000

2001

2002

2003

6 Years Since Landing

2004

2005

2006

2009

All Years Since Landing

8

60%
N
ov
D 10
ec
Ja 10
n
Fe 11
b
M 11
ar
Ap 11
r
M 11
ay
Ju 11
n
Ju 11
l
Au 11
g
Se 11
p
O 11
ct
N 11
ov
D 11
ec
Ja 11
n
Fe 12
b
M 12
ar
Ap 12
r
M 12
ay
Ju 12
n
Ju 12
l
Au 12
g
Se 12
p
O 12
ct
N 12
ov
D 12
ec
Ja 12
n
Fe 13
b
M 13
ar
Ap 13
r
M 13
ay
Ju 13
n
Ju 13
l
Au 13
g
Se 13
p
O 13
ct
N 13
ov
D 13
ec
Ja 13
n
Fe 14
b
M 14
ar
Ap 14
r
M 14
ay
Ju 14
n
Ju 14
l
Au 14
g
Se 14
p
O 14
ct
N 14
ov
D 14
ec
Ja 14
n
Fe 15
b
M 15
ar
Ap 15
r
M 15
ay
Ju 15
n
Ju 15
l
Au 15
g
Se 15
p
O 15
ct
N 15
ov
D 15
ec
15

Citizenship Test
Monthly Pass Rates

100%

90%

80%

70%
2011
2012
2013

Monthly Rate
9

2014

6 Month Moving Average

2015

Impact 2010 Changes

Percentage Decline by Country of Birth
2010-13 and 2014 Compared to 2005-9 UPDATE IF POSSIBLE
Caribbean
South Asian
Southern & East African
West Asian & Mid-East
Central & West African
Latin American
North African
East & SE Asian
South European
East European
Oceania
French
West European
British
North American
North European

Overall Pass Rates

2005-9

96.3%

2010-13

82.7%

2014

90.3%

-20%
-15%
Percent Change 2010-13 from 2005-9
10

-9%
-4%
2%
Percent Change 2014 from 2005-9

Changes 2010

Emphasis on history, military,

responsibilities

More rigorous knowledge

test

Language pre-assessment

Anti-fraud

11

2014 Citizenship Act

Residency and Testing

Longer residency (4 out of 6), physical presence

From honour system to residency

questionnaire

Intent to reside

Knowledge and language required 14-65

Tax returns
12

2014 Citizenship Act

Business Processes

Removal of citizenship judges

Ability to cancel incomplete applications

Electronic means to verify citizenship.

Soft commitment one year processing

13

2014 Citizenship Act

Fairness

Lost Canadians fix

Fees from $100 to $530, plus language testing

(~ $200)

Revocation

Fraud: Ministerial discretion

Terror and Treason and dual nationals

14

Implications Conservative
Changes

Burden on low-income, less educated and

refugees

Further reduction in naturalization rate

Weaker due process

Revocation measures meant differential

treatment for single and dual nationals for the
same crime
15

Liberal Changes 2016

Adjustments, not full repeal

Principle: A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian

Repeal revocation for dual nationals for terror or treason

Remove barriers

Restore the previous age limits for knowledge and language

testing to 18-54 (~ 10 percent of applicants)

Repeal the intent to reside

Restore pre-permanent residency time 50 percent credit

Maintain physical presence but reduce time required to 3 out of

5 years

New Citizenship Study guide (replace Discover Canada)

16

Liberal Changes 2016 (2)

Integrity
Maintain Conservative integrity improvements

Physical presence, not just legal residency

Knowledge requirement met in English or French, not through an interpreter

Bar granting citizenship to those with foreign criminal charges and convictions

Regulations for citizenship consultants

Increased fines and penalties for fraud

Ministerial authority to revoke citizenship for routine cases (previously, had been Governor in Council)

Ministerial authority on discretionary grants of citizenship (previously, had been Governor in Council)

Departmental authority to decide what is a complete application (streamlines processing)

Single-step citizenship processing (previously was three-step), reduced role for citizenship judges

Requirement for adult applicants to file Canadian income taxes

New integrity measures

No longer counting time spent under a conditional sentence order towards meeting physical presence

Retroactive application of prohibition of applicants from taking oath if never met/no longer meet requirements

Authority to seize fraudulent documents of those used fraudulently

Other

No change to lost Canadians provisions

Fast-track mechanism for Permanent Residents serving in the Canadian Forces

17

Gaps

Review of citizenship fees

Refugee waiver?

Lack of service standards

18

Other

No machinery change (wise)

Experienced and knowledgeable minister

Lower relative priority of citizenship vs

immigration and refugees

IRCC organizational structure

19

Implications Liberal Changes

Revocation repeal ensures consistent treatment for all

Removal of testing for 55-64 greater impact than

14-17

Reduced residency requirement small impact

More welcoming approach (inclusive language in

citizenship study guide and related materials)

No weakening of integrity
20

Broader Issues

Dual nationality, diaspora politics and loyalty

Global mobility vs. belonging competitiveness

Declining naturalization rate and increased

proportion of non-citizens

Other: Voting rights, Birth tourism

21

Overall

Conservative integrity improvements with Liberal

facilitation measures

Restoring the Diefenbaker policy of not stripping

Canadians of citizenship

Common language on real and meaningful

commitment to Canada

Should reverse declining naturalization rate

22

Andrew Griffith
Email:

agriffith232@gmail.com

Twitter:

@andrew_griffith

LinkedIn:

andrewlgriffith

Facebook: Andrew Griffith C&M

Blog:

www.multiculturalmeanderings.wordpress.com

Books:

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