The minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship () is the minister of the Crown responsible for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The minister is a member of the King's Privy Council for Canada and the Canadian Cabinet.
Lena Diab has served as the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship since 2025. The minister is selected by the prime minister and appointed by the Crown. The modern day role was created by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act in 1994 and the minister was known as the minister of citizenship and immigration until the present name was adopted in 2015. Before the modern-day role was introduced, the portfolios responsible for immigration in Canada throughout history were titled: Immigration and Colonization (1917–36), Mines and Resources (1936–50), Citizenship and Immigration (1950–66), Manpower and Immigration (1966–77), and Employment and Immigration (1977–96).
The Constitution Act, 1867, grants the federal Parliament as well as provincial legislatures concurrent (shared) jurisdiction over immigration. The minister works with provincial counterparts to set policy and regulate immigration to Canada. Federal legislation relating to nationality status, such as the Citizenship Act, and immigration and refugee law such as the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, is administered by the minister. IRCC supports the minister in managing most operational programs, such as issuing Canadian passports. The Immigration and Refugee Board, which is independent from the department, also reports to the minister.
Historical overview There have been several offices throughout history responsible for immigration in Canada.
From 1917 to 1936, the office responsible for citizenship and immigration in Canada was the minister of immigration and colonization. The portfolios thereafter fell under the ministers of mines and resources and of reconstruction and supply until 1950, when the office of the minister of citizenship and immigration was established.
In 1966, the Citizenship and Immigration ministry was largely replaced by that of the minister of manpower and immigration, who would keep responsibility over immigration until 1977. From then on, the immigration portfolio would fall under the minister of employment and immigration until 1996.
In January 1991, the office of minister of multiculturalism and citizenship was created, adopting responsibility over citizenship matters. This office lasted until 1994, when the post of minister of citizenship and immigration was resuscitated by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act, substantially revamping the immigration and citizenship portfolios. In 2008, the office was renamed to the minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism, only to again drop the multiculturalism portfolio in 2013.
As of 2 July 2013, the Citizenship and Immigration portfolio inherited primary responsibility for Passport Canada and the administration of the Canadian Passport Order from the Foreign Affairs and International Trade portfolio.
On 4 November 2015, the name of the department has changed from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
List of ministers The office of minister of citizenship and immigration was created in 1950 by "Statute 13 George VI, c. 16". That office was abolished in 1966, and replaced by the minister of manpower and immigration."Citizenship and Immigration (1950-01-18 – 1966-09-30) ." ParlInfo. Ottawa: Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2020 October 30. The office responsible for immigration in Canada would again be titled minister of citizenship and immigration," with its creation in 1994 by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act (Statute 42–43 Elizabeth II, c. 31), succeeding the minister of employment and immigration."Citizenship and Immigration (1994-06-23 – ) ." ParlInfo. Ottawa: Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2020 October 30.
Though having its name changed in 2015 to minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, the office created in 1994 as the minister of citizenship and immigration" is still the one that is currently in effect and is responsible for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The following immigration ministers are those who assumed the position under the office that was created in 1994.
No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistryMinisters of Citizenship and Immigration (1994–2015) 9Sergio Marchi30 June 1994 24 January 1996Liberal26 (Chrétien) 10Lucienne Robillard25 January 1996 2 August 1999 11Elinor Caplan3 August 1999 14 January 2002 12Denis Coderre15 January 2002 11 December 2003 13Judy Sgro12 December 2003 13 January 200527 (Martin) 14Joe Volpe14 January 2005 5 February 2006 15Monte Solberg6 February 2006 3 January 2007Conservative28 (Harper) 16Diane Finley4 January 2007 29 October 2008 17Jason Kenney30 October 2008 15 July 2013 18Chris Alexander15 July 2013 3 November 2015Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship 19John McCallum4 November 2015 10 January 2017Liberal29 (J. Trudeau) 20Ahmed Hussen10 January 2017 20 November 2019 21 Marco Mendicino20 November 2019 26 October 2021 22Sean Fraser26 October 2021 26 July 2023 23 Marc Miller26 July 2023 14 March 2025 24 Rachel Bendayan14 March 2025 13 May 202530 (Carney) 25Lena Diab13 May 2025 IncumbentKey:
Preceding offices responsible for immigration There have been several offices throughout history responsible for immigration in Canada.
Prior to the current position, the offices responsible for immigration in Canada throughout history include the minister of immigration and colonization (1917–1936), minister of mines and resources (1936–1950), minister of citizenship and immigration (1950–1966), minister of manpower and immigration (1966–1977), minister of employment and immigration (1977–1996).
Minister of Immigration and Colonization (1917–36) The minister of immigration and colonization was an office in the Cabinet of Canada from 1917 to 1936, superseded by the minister of mines and resources."Order Transferring to the Department of Employment and Immigration...and Transferring to the Minister of Employment and Immigration...and Combining the Department of Employment and Immigration and the Department of Labour Under the Minister of Employment and Immigration ."
After 1950, the position has been succeeded by minister of citizenship and immigration (1950–1966), minister of manpower and immigration (1966–1977), and minister of employment and immigration (1977–1996). Ministers of Immigration and ColonizationNo.NameTerm of officeMinistry1.James Alexander Calder12 October 1917 10 July 1920under BordenJames Alexander Calder (cont’d)10 July 1920 20 September 1921under Meighen3.John Wesley Edwards21 September 1921 29 December 1921*Hewitt Bostock (acting)3 January 19222 February 1922under King*Charles Stewart (acting)20 February 192216 August 19234.James Alexander Robb17 August 19234 September 19255.George Newcombe Gordon7 September 192512 November 1925*Charles Stewart (acting)13 November 192528 June 1926*Robert James Manion (acting)29 June 192612 July 1926under Meighen*Henry Lumley Drayton (acting)13 July 192625 September 19266.Robert Forke26 September 1926 29 December 1929under King*Charles Stewart (acting)30 December 192926 June 19307.Ian Alistair Mackenzie27 June 19307 August 19308.Wesley Ashton Gordon7 August 193023 October 1935under Bennett9.Thomas Alexander Crerar23 October 193530 November 1936under King
Minister of Mines and Resources (1936–50)
The minister of mines and resources was a cabinet portfolio from 1936 to 1950 that had absorbed the responsibilities belonging to the offices of minister of immigration and colonization, as well as of the minister of the interior, minister of mines, and superintendent-general of Indian affairs. The last minister of immigration and colonization, Thomas Alexander Crerar, remained in office under the new title of minister of mines and resources.
Citizenship and Immigration (1950–66) The office of minister of citizenship and immigration came in force on 18 January 1950, and would be abolished and replaced by the minister of manpower and immigration as of 1 October 1966.
Following the minister of manpower and immigration (1966–1977) and the minister of employment and immigration (1977–1996), the office responsible for immigration in Canada would again be titled minister of citizenship and immigration, which was created in 1994 and is currently in effect (though changing its name to the minister immigration, refugees and citizenship as of 2015). Ministers of Citizenship and Immigration (1950–1966)No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistry 1Walter Harris18 January 1950 30 June 1954Liberal17 (St. Laurent) 2Jack Pickersgill1 July 1954 21 June 1957 –Davie Fulton (Acting)21 June 1957 11 May 1958Progressive Conservative18 (Diefenbaker) 3Ellen Fairclough12 May 1958 8 August 1962 4Dick Bell9 August 1962 22 April 1963 5Guy Favreau22 April 1963 2 February 1964Liberal19 (Pearson) 6René Tremblay3 February 1964 14 February 1965 7John Robert Nicholson15 February 1965 17 December 1965 8Jean Marchand18 December 1965 30 September 1966Key:
Minister of Manpower and Immigration (1966–77) Minister of Manpower and Immigration was a former position in the Cabinet of Canada from 1966 to 1977. The position was created after the minister of citizenship and immigration was dissolved in 1966. It was abolished and replaced with the minister of employment and immigration in 1977."Manpower and Immigration (1966-10-01 – 1977-08-14) ." ParlInfo. Ottawa: Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2020 October 30. Ministers of Manpower and ImmigrationNo.NameTerm of officeMinistry1.Jean Marchand1 October 196620 April 1968under Lester Pearson20 April 19685 July 1968under Pierre Trudeau2.Allan MacEachen5 July 196823 September 19703.Otto Lang24 September 197027 January 19724.Bryce Mackasey28 January 197226 November 19725.Bob Andras27 November 197213 September 19766.Bud Cullen14 September 197614 August 1977
Minister of Employment and Immigration (1977–96) The minister of employment and immigration was an office in the Cabinet of Canada, in operation from 1977 to 1996, and was first held by Bud Cullen, who continued from his preceding role as the minister of manpower and immigration.
On 12 July 1996, the office of the minister of employment and immigration was abolished and replaced with the office of minister of human resources development. The portfolio for immigration was transferred to the office of minister of citizenship and immigration following the reorganization of the government and formation of the department for Citizenship and Immigration Canada."Employment and Immigration (1977-08-15 – 1996-07-11) ." ParlInfo. Ottawa: Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2020 October 30."Canada. Employment and Immigration Canada (Department) ." Library of Congress. Ministers of Employment and ImmigrationNo.NameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistry1Bud Cullen15 August 19773 June 1979Liberal20 (P. E. Trudeau)2Ron Atkey4 June 19792 March 1980Progressive Conservative21 (Clark)3Lloyd Axworthy3 March 198011 August 1983Liberal22 (P. E. Trudeau)4John Roberts12 August 198329 June 198430 June 198416 September 198423 (Turner)5Flora MacDonald17 September 198429 June 1986Progressive Conservative24 (Mulroney)6Benoît Bouchard30 June 198630 March 19887Barbara McDougall31 March 198820 April 19918Bernard Valcourt21 April 199124 June 199325 June 19933 November 199325 (Campbell)–Lloyd Axworthy (second time)4 November 199324 January 1996Liberal26 (Chrétien)9Douglas Young25 January 199611 July 1996Key:
See also
Immigration to Canada Minister of Immigration (Quebec) Canadian citizenship
References