Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
How Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship spent its budget in fiscal year 2023-24, shown as net expenditures by standard object from Public Accounts Volume II.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the federal department responsible for managing immigration policy, issuing passports, processing visas and permanent residency applications, and supporting newcomers to Canada. It plays a central role in shaping Canada's immigration system, refugee protection policies, and pathways to citizenship.
Department Spending
In FY 2023-24,
$6.34B
was spent by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
In FY 2023-24,
1.2%
of federal spending was by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
On the consolidated accrual basis (Volume I), this portfolio’s expenses were $6.8B in FY 2023-24 — see the overview and methodology.
IRCC spent $6.34B in fiscal year (FY) 2024, or 1.2% of the $521.4 billion in overall federal spending. Its share of federal spending has roughly doubled over the past decade as immigration volumes and settlement programs expanded.
Spending by entity, FY 2023-24
Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Immigration and Refugee Board
$5.99B
$341.3M
Almost all of this spending runs through the core Department of Citizenship and Immigration ($6.0 billion), with the Immigration and Refugee Board accounting for most of the remainder. A significant portion supports newcomers through transfers, the largest being the Settlement Program ($1.1 billion), the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration ($0.8 billion), and resettlement assistance for refugees.
How did Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship spend its budget in 2023-24?
IRCC is led by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, who is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and sworn into office at Rideau Hall as a member of the King's Privy Council for Canada. The minister is one of the cabinet members who serve at the Prime Minister's discretion, remaining in the role until a successor is sworn in.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship’s share of federal spending
Percentage of federal spending, 2014–2025
Line items
Every transfer-payment (grant and contribution) program, in dollars. These are the named programs behind the transfer-payments object in the chart above. Search, sort, and download the full table.
| Category | Description | Amount ▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions | Settlement Program | $1,060,401,578 |
| Grants | Grant for the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration | $775,064,000 |
| Contributions | Resettlement Assistance | $427,642,672 |
| Grants | Grant for the Resettlement Assistance Program | $420,988,234 |
| Grants | Grant for the Interim Housing Assistance Program | $259,948,780 |
| Grants | Grant for International Migration Capacity Building Program | $26,449,996 |
| Grants | Grant for Settlement Program | $18,856,413 |
| Contributions | International Organization for Migration | $3,286,603 |
| Contributions | Global Assistance to Irregular Migrants | $1,000,000 |
Explore other federal departments
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship figures are net expenditures by standard object from Public Accounts Volume II, and will not match the Volume I consolidated headline totals. See the methodology for details.
