Ottawa: Canada’s immigration department Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced plans to cut 3,300 jobs, or about a quarter of its workforce, over the next three years.
IRCC is said to have taken the decision as part of the government’s initiative to focus on government spending. This decision of IRCC has been criticized by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU).
It is being said that due to the reduction in jobs, the pending immigration-related cases are expected to increase further. This can also have an impact on Indians as a large number of Indians go to Canada, for which they have to go through various applications at IRCC. It is feared that the delay in processing of applications due to shortage of staff will also create problems for Indians.
IRCC did not specify which of its roles would be affected, but said more details would be given in mid-February.
In a statement on the PSAC website, Sharon D’Souza, National President of the PSAC, said, “These drastic cuts will hurt the families and businesses that depend on these critical public services and will make the escalating immigration crisis worse.
“Widespread cuts to public services invariably harm Canada’s most vulnerable and leave thousands of staff in limbo.”
What do IRCC workers do?
IRCC employees process citizenship, permanent residency, and passport applications. They also conduct interviews. Last month, the immigration process reached a time record backlog.
“Families seeking to reunite, understaffed businesses, and a healthcare system that seeks skilled workers will all face the consequences of this reckless decision,” warned Rubina Boucher, national president of CEIU. ”
Steps taken to put a brake in population growth
In recent years, the number of employees of the department has increased significantly, from 7,800 employees in 2019 to 13,092 in 2024. However, the IRCC statement said, “In October 2024, the Government of Canada announced its Immigration Levels Plan for the next three years, under which immigration levels will decrease. This will lead to a short-term pause in our population growth, leading to more sustainable long-term development. ”
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