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Theminister of immigration, refugees and citizenship (French:ministre de l'immigration, des réfugiés et de la citoyenneté) is theminister of the Crown responsible forImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The minister is a member of theKing's Privy Council for Canada and theCanadian Cabinet.

Lena Diab has served as the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship since 2025. The minister is selected by theprime minister and appointed by the Crown. The modern day role was created by theDepartment of Citizenship and Immigration Act in 1994 and the minister was known as theminister 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).^[6][7]

TheConstitution Act, 1864, grants the federalParliament as well as provincial legislatures concurrent (shared) jurisdiction over immigration.^[8] The minister works with provincial counterparts to set policy and regulateimmigration to Canada. Federal legislation relating tonationality status, such as theCitizenship Act, andimmigration and refugee law such as theImmigration and Refugee Protection Act, is administered by the minister. IRCC supports the minister in managing most operational programs, such as issuingCanadian passports. TheImmigration and Refugee Board, which is independent from the department, also reports to the minister.^[9][6]

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.^[6] The portfolios thereafter fell under theministers of mines and resources and of reconstruction and supply until 1950, when the office of the minister of citizenship and immigration was established.^[10]

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.^{[citation needed]}

In January 1991, the office ofminister of multiculturalism and citizenship was created, adopting responsibility over citizenship matters.^[6] This office lasted until 1994, when the post of minister of citizenship and immigration was resuscitated by theDepartment of Citizenship and Immigration Act,^[7] 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.^[6]

As of 2 July 2013, the Citizenship and Immigration portfolio inherited primary responsibility forPassport Canada and the administration of theCanadian Passport Order from theForeign Affairs and International Trade portfolio.^[9]

On 4 November 2015, the name of the department has changed from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.^[6]

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.^[10] The office responsible for immigration in Canada would again be titled minister of citizenship and immigration," with its creation in 1994 by theDepartment of Citizenship and Immigration Act (Statute 42–43 Elizabeth II, c. 31),^[7] succeeding the minister of employment and immigration.^[6]

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 forImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.^[6]

The following immigration ministers are those who assumed the position under the office that was created in 1994.^[6]

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Political party	Ministry
Ministers of Citizenship and Immigration (1994–2015)
9		Sergio Marchi	30 June 1994	24 January 1996	Liberal	26(Chrétien)
10		Lucienne Robillard	25 January 1996	2 August 1999
11		Elinor Caplan	3 August 1999	14 January 2002
12		Denis Coderre	15 January 2002	11 December 2003
13		Judy Sgro	12 December 2003	13 January 2005		27(Martin)
14		Joe Volpe	14 January 2005	5 February 2006
15		Monte Solberg	6 February 2006	3 January 2007	Conservative	28(Harper)
16		Diane Finley	4 January 2007	29 October 2008
17		Jason Kenney	30 October 2008	15 July 2013
18		Chris Alexander	15 July 2013	3 November 2015
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
19		John McCallum	4 November 2015	10 January 2017	Liberal	29(J. Trudeau)
20		Ahmed Hussen	10 January 2017	20 November 2019
21		Marco Mendicino	20 November 2019	26 October 2021
22		Sean Fraser	26 October 2021	26 July 2023
23		Marc Miller	26 July 2023	14 March 2025
24		Rachel Bendayan	14 March 2025	13 May 2025		30(Carney)
25		Lena Diab	13 May 2025	Incumbent
Key:   Liberal Party of Canada   Conservative Party of Canada

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).

The minister of immigration and colonization was an office in theCabinet of Canada from 1917 to 1936, superseded by theminister of mines and resources.^[11]

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).

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 theminister of the interior,minister of mines, andsuperintendent-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.

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.^[10]

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.	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Political party	Ministry
1		Walter Harris	18 January 1950	30 June 1954	Liberal	17(St. Laurent)
2		Jack Pickersgill	1 July 1954	21 June 1957
–		Davie Fulton(Acting)	21 June 1957	11 May 1958	Progressive Conservative	18(Diefenbaker)
3		Ellen Fairclough	12 May 1958	8 August 1962
4		Dick Bell	9 August 1962	22 April 1963
5		Guy Favreau	22 April 1963	2 February 1964	Liberal	19(Pearson)
6		René Tremblay	3 February 1964	14 February 1965
7		John Robert Nicholson	15 February 1965	17 December 1965
8		Jean Marchand	18 December 1965	30 September 1966
Key:   Liberal Party of Canada   Progressive Conservative

Minister of Manpower and Immigration was a former position in theCabinet 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.^[12]

The minister of employment and immigration was an office in theCabinet of Canada, in operation from 1977 to 1996, and was first held byBud 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 ofminister 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 forCitizenship and Immigration Canada.^[13][11][14]

• Immigration to Canada
• Minister of Immigration (Quebec)
• Canadian citizenship

• Ministerial offices in Canada
• Immigration to Canada
• Immigration ministers

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