February 25, 2019

As part of the Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan with the United States (U.S.), the Government of Canada committed to the Entry/Exit Initiative to collect entry and exit information on travellers entering and departing from Canada.

IRCC will use the information to support the administration of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the Citizenship Act and the Canadian Passport Order.

Bill C 21, which allows the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to systematically collect and share routine biographical information on all travellers, including Canadian citizens, received Royal Assent on December 13, 2018. Regulations are expected to come into force by June 2019 for land and June 2020 for air.

Entry/Exit Program

The Entry/Exit Program allows for the collection and sharing of entry and exit information of travellers entering and departing from Canada. Access to entry and exit information in the Global Case Management System (GCMS) will be based on an employee’s security clearance and organizational requirements to carry out day-to-day work activities.

IRCC will obtain accurate and objective entry and exit information from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to support the administration of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Citizenship Act and the Canadian Passport Order.

IRCC will be able to query the CBSA’s Entry/Exit Information System directly to

• verify residency requirements to process an ongoing application to objectively verify the information provided by the client, such as applications for grants of citizenship (CIT) or permanent resident cards (PR cards)
• verify if a temporary residence applicant may have previously overstayed their allowable period of admission in Canada
• assist in an investigation into an individual’s entitlement to a Canadian travel document

In addition, IRCC will be able to use entry and exit information to

• verify that sponsors are residing in Canada where required by law
• verify relationships and compliance with conditions for spouses and partners applying or admitted under the family class
• verify if a refugee claimant entered Canada using their travel documents
• support investigations into possible fraud in relation to immigration, citizenship, and passport (PPT) and travel document programs
• verify residency requirements to validate if a medical examination is required

Entry/Exit use by line of business (LOB)

The entry and exit information will be used for the following application types across all LOBs at IRCC. Officials are to refer to the chart above for data availability timelines, as all LOBs will be implicated differently.

• Temporary residence
• Permanent residence
• Citizenship
• Passport

Temporary residence

The following temporary residence application types can use entry and exit data:

• temporary resident visas
• temporary resident permits
• visitor records
• work permits and work permit extensions
• study permits and study permit extensions
• electronic travel authorizations (eTAs)

Entry and exit data can be used to identify if a foreign national has previously exceeded their authorized period of stay in Canada.

Permanent residence

The following permanent residence application types can use entry and exit data:

• PR cards
• permanent resident travel documents
• overseas refugee applications
• family class sponsorships

Entry and exit data will be used to outline the periods of time spent in and outside Canada for people applying for permanent residence. This will provide a full picture of whether or not residence has been maintained.

For sponsorship applications, entry and exit data can be used to determine if a sponsor is residing in Canada.

Applications for in-Canada asylum can also use entry and exit data to verify information presented by the claimant.

In-Canada asylum

Claimants’ entry and exit data could be used as a more thorough and robust travel history when there are concerns related to program integrity, credibility and exclusions under Article 1(E) of the United Nations Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. Records could demonstrate inconsistencies with the claimant’s basis of claim narrative, and they could prompt further investigations.

Citizenship

Citizenship applications

Exit and entry data will be used to

• verify compliance with physical presence requirements for grants of citizenship contained in subsection 5(1) of the Citizenship Act
• assist in the verification of other requirements, such as
  • the flagging of potential loss of permanent resident status
  • the need for applicants to submit foreign police certificates
  • misrepresentation
• verify compliance with physical presence requirements for resumption of citizenship contained in subsection 11(1) of the Citizenship Act (physical presence in Canada for at least 365 days during the 2 years immediately preceding the date of application)

Citizenship revocation investigations

Entry and exit data will be used to support administrative investigations into an individual’s acquisition of citizenship. Specifically, data will be used to confirm if the client misrepresented their residence in Canada for the purpose of acquiring citizenship.

Passport

Passport investigations

Entry and exit data will be used to support administrative investigations into an individual’s entitlement to Canadian passport services. For example, data can be used to validate a travel document bearer’s travel history and use of a Canadian travel document to determine if grounds exist to pursue refusal or revocation under the Canadian Passport Order in cases of passport misuse, passport fraud and identity fraud.

Please Contact Us for more information.