Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (French: Ministre de l’immigration, des réfugiés et de la citoyenneté) is a member of the Canadian Cabinet. The Minister is responsible for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the federal department that handles immigration, refugee and citizenship matters in Canada.

The incumbent is Ms Lena Diab.

Find out more aboutImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Key facts

• Style: The Honourable
• Member of:House of Commons, Privy Council, Cabinet
• Reports to:Parliament, the Prime Minister
• Appointed by:The monarch (represented by the Governor General) on the advice of the Prime Minister
• Term:At His Majesty’s pleasure (currently Charles III)
• Constituting instrument:Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act
• Formation: 30 June 1994
• Deputy:Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• Salary:CAD 269,800 (2019)
• Website: https://ircc.canada.ca/

History

Throughout its history, Canada has had a number of bodies responsible for immigration.

From 1917 to 1936, the office responsible for citizenship and immigration in Canada was known as the Minister of Immigration and Colonization. The portfolio then passed to the Ministers of Mines and Resources and of Reconstruction and Supply until 1950, when the office of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration was created.

In 1966, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration was largely replaced by the Minister of Manpower and Immigration, who continued to hold the immigration portfolio until 1977. From then until 1996, immigration fell under the Minister of Employment and Immigration.

In January 1991, the post of Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship was created, taking over responsibility for citizenship. It existed until 1994, when the office was restored under the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act, substantially reorganising the immigration and citizenship portfolio. In 2008, the office was renamed Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, but in 2013 the multiculturalism portfolio was removed once again.

From 2 July 2013, the citizenship and immigration portfolio assumed primary responsibility forthe Canadian passportand for administering the Canadian Passport Order, transferred from the foreign affairs and international trade portfolio.

On 4 November 2015, the department’s name was changed from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Historically, several bodies have been responsible for immigration in Canada.

Before the present office, the bodies administering immigration in Canada were:

• 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 – 1936)

The office of Minister of Immigration and Colonization was a position in the Canadian Cabinet from 1917 to 1936.

STT	Minister	Term of office	Government
1	James Alexander Calder	12/10/1917 – 10/07/1920	Robert Borden
2	James Alexander Calder (continued)	10/07/1920 – 20/09/1921	Arthur Meighen
3	John Wesley Edwards	21/09/1921 – 29/12/1921	Arthur Meighen
4	Hewitt Bostock (acting)	03/01/1922 – 02/02/1922	William King
5	Charles Stewart (acting)	20/02/1922 – 16/08/1923	William King
6	James Alexander Robb	17/08/1923 – 04/09/1925	William King
7	George Newcombe Gordon	07/09/1925 – 12/11/1925	William King
8	Charles Stewart (acting)	13/11/1925 – 28/06/1926	William King
9	Robert James Manion (acting)	29/06/1926 – 12/07/1926	Arthur Meighen
10	Henry Lumley Drayton (acting)	13/07/1926 – 25/09/1926	Arthur Meighen
11	Robert Forke	26/09/1926 – 29/12/1929	William King
12	Charles Stewart (acting)	30/12/1929 – 26/06/1930	William King
13	Ian Alistair Mackenzie	27/06/1930 – 07/08/1930	William King
14	Wesley Ashton Gordon	07/08/1930 – 23/10/1935	Richard Bennett
15	Thomas Alexander Crerar	23/10/1935 – 30/11/1936	William King

Minister of Mines and Resources (1936 – 1950)

STT	Minister	Term of office	Government
1	Thomas Alexander Crerar	01/12/1936 – 17/04/1945	William King
2	James Allison Glen	18/04/1945 – 10/06/1948	William King
3	James Allison Glen	11/06/1948 – 15/11/1948	William King
	James Angus MacKinnon	15/11/1948 – 31/03/1949	Louis St. Laurent
4	Colin William George Gibson	01/04/1949 – 17/01/1950	Louis St. Laurent

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (1950 – 1966)

STT	Minister	Term of office	Government
1	Walter Harris	18/01/1950 – 30/06/1954	Louis St. Laurent
2	Jack Pickersgill	01/07/1954 – 21/06/1957	Louis St. Laurent
	Davie Fulton (acting)	21/06/1957 – 11/05/1958	John Diefenbaker
3	Ellen Fairclough	12/05/1958 – 08/08/1962	John Diefenbaker
4	Dick Bell	09/08/1962 – 22/04/1963	John Diefenbaker
5	Guy Favreau	22/04/1963 – 02/02/1964	Lester Pearson
6	René Tremblay	03/02/1964 – 14/02/1965	Lester Pearson
7	John Robert Nicholson	15/02/1965 – 17/12/1965	Lester Pearson
8	Jean Marchand	18/12/1965 – 30/09/1966	Lester Pearson

Minister of Manpower and Immigration (1966 – 1977)

STT	Name	Term of office	Government
1	Jean Marchand	01/10/1966 – 20/04/1968	Lester Pearson
	Jean Marchand	20/04/1968 – 05/07/1968	Pierre Trudeau
2	Allan MacEachen	05/07/1968 – 23/09/1970	Pierre Trudeau
3	Otto Lang	24/09/1970 – 27/01/1972	Pierre Trudeau
4	Bryce Mackasey	28/01/1972 – 26/11/1972	Pierre Trudeau
5	Bob Andras	27/11/1972 – 13/09/1976	Pierre Trudeau
6	Bud Cullen	14/09/1976 – 14/08/1977	Pierre Trudeau

Minister of Employment and Immigration (1977 – 1996)

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (1996 – 2015)

STT	Photo	Name	Term of office	Government
1		Sergio Marchi	30/06/1994 – 24/01/1996	Jean Chrétien
2		Lucienne Robillard	25/01/1996 – 02/08/1999	Jean Chrétien
3		Elinor Caplan	03/08/1999 – 14/01/2002	Jean Chrétien
4		Denis Coderre	15/01/2002 – 11/12/2003	Jean Chrétien
5		Judy Sgro	12/12/2003 – 13/01/2005	Paul Martin
6		Joe Volpe	14/01/2005 – 05/02/2006	Paul Martin
7		Monte Solberg	06/02/2006 – 03/01/2007	Stephen Harper
8		Diane Finley	04/01/2007 – 29/10/2008	Stephen Harper
9		Jason Kenney	30/10/2008 – 15/07/2013	Stephen Harper
10		Chris Alexander	15/07/2013 – 03/11/2015	Stephen Harper

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (2015 – present)

STT	Photo	Name	Term of office	Government
1		John McCallum	04/11/2015 – 10/01/2017	Justin Trudeau
2		Ahmed Hussen	10/01/2017 – 20/11/2019	Justin Trudeau
3		Marco Mendicino	20/11/2019 – 26/10/2021	Justin Trudeau
4		Sean Fraser	26/10/2021 – 26/07/2023	Justin Trudeau
5		Marc Miller	26/07/2023 – 14/03/2025	Justin Trudeau
6		Rachel Bendayan	14/03/2025 – 13/05/2025	Mark Carney
7		Lena Metlege Diab	13/05/2025 – incumbent	Mark Carney