RCMP Fact Sheets

Immigration and Passport Program

QUICK FACTS

• There are 15 dedicated Immigration and Passport Sections across Canada. • In areas where there are no Immigration and Passport Sections, this function is carried out as needs arise by Federal Enforcement Sections.

Overview
The Immigration and Passport Program is primarily responsible for the investigation of violations against the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, Citizenship Act, Canadian Passport Order and the Criminal Code of Canada.

Strategic objective
The strategic objective of the program is to combat and disrupt organized migrant smuggling and the trafficking of persons.

Mandate
The program mandate is to work in concert with domestic and foreign agencies, as well as the community at large, to protect and enhance Canadians’ quality of life through education, prevention and enforcement.

Priorities
The national program priorities are:
• to develop an integrated national intelligence framework to champion the timely acquisition, sharing and use of intelligence;
• to ensure the highest priority is given to citizenship, immigration and passport related investigations, hearings and removals involving national security concerns;

• to combat and disrupt criminal and terrorist individuals or organizations who pose a threat to the public safety of Canada including those involved in people smuggling and those who aid and abet the illegal entry of migrants into Canada;
• to arrest persons who are subject to a deportation order or warrant.

Other Agencies
Partnerships with both domestic and international agencies are constantly being established, nurtured and utilized with the view of developing proactive initiatives that address the strategic objectives and mandate of the Program.

These partnerships include both governmental and non-governmental departments/organizations and exist at local, regional, national and international levels.

Established partnerships include: Interpol, international airlines, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Revenue Canada, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the Department of National Defense and the Canada Border Services Agency.

Organized immigration crime is comprised of people smuggling (where the migrants are essentially willing participants, and where the organized criminals profit mainly from facilitating their migration), and human trafficking (where the intention behind the facilitation is to exploit the migrants when they reach their destination).

The global community, including Canada, has identified the smuggling and the trafficking of persons as a very serious problem that exploits the most vulnerable people in all of society.

The Immigration and Passport Program is ready to take the lead and initiate the planned and organized international effort that is required to successfully investigate the crimes.

National Security
Public Security, Anti-Terrorism (PSAT) funding has allowed the Immigration and Passport Branch to develop Integrated Immigration Enforcement Teams (IIETs). These teams mitigate the national security threat to Canada by prioritizing outstanding immigration warrants, apprehending wanted persons and identifying national security threats.

The mandate of these teams also includes investigation of the illegal use of Canadian passports, citizenship fraud, fraudulent documents and their subsequent distribution.

Based on appropriate statistical information, the IIETs are located in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

Immigration and Passport Enforcement
The Immigration and Passport Enforcement Branch is responsible for overseeing policy and legislative development and program administration and evaluation. In cooperation with other internal RCMP partners, the branch also helps develop and oversee the training of Immigration and Passport members, Border Integrity members as well as both national and international partners.

The goal of the branch is to provide a high quality, proactive service, to detect and deter criminal enterprise in global migration affecting or involving Canada.