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 Fearless advice and loyal implementation breakdown Ministerial certainty vs. arrogance of the expert Ideological/values divide Liberal Openness to advice, trust in public service More open style, internal and external More aligned ideology/values Evidence and anecdote Evidence-based emphasis 3
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 1,250,000 1,875,000 2,500,000 Canadian Only Dual Nationals Non-Citizens 5
Citizenship Visible Minorities, Eligible or Not, 2011 NHS Total VisMin Southeast Asian Black Chinese South Asian Japanese West Asian Arab Latin American Filipino Korean Not VisMin 22% 14% 18% 19% 20% 24% 25% 28% 30% 32% 37% 2% 25% 50% 75% 100% Canadian only Dual nationals Non-Citizens 6
PRs, Applications, Citizens 2004 to 2015 IRCC Operational Data 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 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% 60% 79% 79% 76% 73% 71% 67% 62% 57% 49% 40% 20% 56% 50% 44% 47% 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 6 Years Since Landing All Years Since Landing 8
Citizenship Test Monthly Pass Rates 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Nov 10 Dec 10 Jan 11 Feb 11 Mar 11 Apr 11 May 11 Jun 11 Jul 11 Aug 11 Sep 11 Oct 11 Nov 11 Monthly Rate Dec 11 Jan 12 Feb 12 Mar 12 Apr 12 May 12 Jun 12 Jul 12 Aug 12 Sep 12 Oct 12 Nov 12 Dec 12 Jan 13 Feb 13 Mar 13 Apr 13 May 13 Jun 13 Jul 13 Aug 13 9 6 Month Moving Average Sep 13 Oct 13 Nov 13 Dec 13 Jan 14 Feb 14 Mar 14 Apr 14 May 14 Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Jan 15 Feb 15 Mar 15 Apr 15 May 15 Jun 15 Jul 15 Aug 15 Sep 15 Oct 15 Nov 15 Dec 15
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% -9% -4% 2% Percent Change 2010-13 from 2005-9 Percent Change 2014 from 2005-9 10
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: lulu.com