Passport Canada Projects 25% Decrease in Staffing Due to Less Demand

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The agency responsible for issuing passports to Canadians has recently projected to reduce its workforce by a quarter in accordance to the launch of its new chip-embedded, 10-year travel documents. Passport Canada anticipates to keep a workforce equivalent to 2,512 full time staff this year. However plans and priorities report of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade asserted that the number is projected to reduce down to 1,874 by fiscal 2015-16.

The agency claims that it has anticipated that fewer people will apply for the new, more secure travel documents by then. In an official email to The Canadian Press, the agency mentioned that “Passport Canada constantly adjusts staffing levels to respond to passport demand,” so “as such, given an anticipated drop in forecast volumes, Passport Canada expects to require fewer staff in 2015-2016.” However, it also plainly stated that in case the demand remains high, than the planned number of staff cuts will be reduced. The agency alleged that “these numbers will be adjusted as needed based on actual circumstances and within the constraints of our cost recovery business model.”

In the current fiscal year, Passport Canada is fighting off a $70-million shortfall, and it has strategized to balance its books within the next three years, regardless of lower revenues projections. The agency explains that these weak projections don’t currently reflect fee increases that will be put into effect on July 1. The plans and priorities report also indicated that Passport Canada has planned to spend $355.7 million in 2013-14, while it anticipates to collect only $285.3 million from fees, leaving the agency short $70.4 million.

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