IRCC Field Operational Manual

[Suzi Jane]

Hello! I am looking for the “IRCC Field Operational Manual” in which page 30 is the chapter about non-computer based entries. Can anybody help me find it, please?

I’ve checked IRCC website, section about manuals, and it’s not there. Possibly, the one I’m looking for is outdated or canceled, but I need exactly that one.

 

[CanGoldDigger]

Operational manuals are being phased out and gradually replaced with program delivery instructions.

 

[CanGoldDigger]

Operational instructions and guidelines

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Canada Border Services Agency employees consult operational bulletins (OBs) and manuals for guidance in the exercise of their functions and in applying the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Citizenship Act and their Regulations.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals.html

 

[Suzi Jane]

Thank you for your reply. But I am looking for a specific document, not a general guidance. If you know the links to web-sites where it can be looked up, please share.

Operational instructions and guidelines

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Canada Border Services Agency employees consult operational bulletins (OBs) and manuals for guidance in the exercise of their functions and in applying the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Citizenship Act and their Regulations.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals.html

 

[Ponga]

Hello! I am looking for the “IRCC Field Operational Manual” in which page 30 is the chapter about non-computer based entries. Can anybody help me find it, please?

I’ve checked IRCC website, section about manuals, and it’s not there. Possibly, the one I’m looking for is outdated or canceled, but I need exactly that one.

May we ask what the issue is that you're seeking clarification/guidance on?

This may be helpful:
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/resources/manuals/enf/enf29-eng.pdf

See pages 8, 11, 12 and 13

 

[Suzi Jane]

Hello! Thank you for your suggestion. This one I have of course already found. The document I’m looking for, it starts with approximately this wording: “A list of the actions which can be entered as NBCs are listed below”. I have the citation, but do not have the whole document. It is not in the package. This is from the Court case of a person close to me, I kind of want to make sure the lawyers makes it all correct. The lawyer says that the information he requested also does not have the document. But if the Department of Justice refers to it, I would like to see it.

May we ask what the issue is that you're seeking clarification/guidance on?

This may be helpful:
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/resources/manuals/enf/enf29-eng.pdf

See pages 8, 11, 12 and 13

 

[Suzi Jane]

I did not find anything by keywords, that’s why I’m asking people who know everything about immigration.

May we ask what the issue is that you're seeking clarification/guidance on?

This may be helpful:
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/resources/manuals/enf/enf29-eng.pdf

See pages 8, 11, 12 and 13

 

[Ponga]

I did not find anything by keywords, that’s why I’m asking people who know everything about immigration.

You won't find such a person here, IMHO.

 

[Suzi Jane]

It's still worth a try. And comparing with the average Joe, you still know everything

You won't such a person here, IMHO.

 

[Bornlucky]

Hello! I am looking for the “IRCC Field Operational Manual” in which page 30 is the chapter about non-computer based entries. Can anybody help me find it, please?

I’ve checked IRCC website, section about manuals, and it’s not there. Possibly, the one I’m looking for is outdated or canceled, but I need exactly that one.

Hello and only from memory,

This looks to be something archival that would have to be sought through a request to whatever the IRCC library or archives for their departmental records of long lost instruction manuals. This is very old stuff and the odds are slim that it is retained anywhere.

Non-computer based entries = NCBs

In the pre-computer world when it was Citizenship and Immigration Canada their "intranet" (for the lack of a better term because I am old) was the cobalt-based Field Operations Support System (FOSS). A monitor and a keyboard and a document printer - all originating in the early 1970s.

I believe that they finally, and reluctantly put a bullet into FOSS about 15 years ago (2010ish). It was the system until early in the new millennium. Updating FOSS instructions probably ceased after the Global Case Management System (GCMS) was introduced.

Sorry, boring but it speaks to manual maintenance and retention. There was a National Case Management System (NCMS) wedged between FOSS and GCMS so lots of effort to forget FOSS was happening. If there is no legal requirement to archive instructional manuals then it went into their dumpster years ago.

FOSS captured a rudimentary Client History, producing and recording documents issued (they also did paper doc's that cold be manually entered afterwards if they remembered to do it), inadmissibility reports, removal orders.., and "FOSS notes", or "notes to FOSS," in lingo for the courts, and simply NCBs to the staff of CIC.

CIC was it - there was no CBSA (2004) yet. So - the border, inland - faciliation and enforcement - all of it was in one department.

NCBs were notes to other employees and they had no paper unless someone printed it and attached to their paper-loving files. It might alert the next person to something like a suspicion, or be a note from NHQ to advise them of anything new - yada yada - "call ---- at xxx-4567 if the subject appears at any POE," or "after issuing limited entry he was observed chasing a beaver down Moose Avenue." They had expiry dates (it comes to me out of the fog of time) because the old Cobalt machine needed routine purging).

If this doesn't help - so sorry. Getting modern manuals to remain current is a challenge for them, and what you are looking for isn't likely to be collected (or even undertood) by today's departmental staff because it's ancient history.

 

[Suzi Jane]

Wow! Thank you! This isn’t boring at all, and you have explained me a lot in such a plain language. Yes, this case has references to years 2002 and 2010, when FOSS was still in use. As much as I understand from the case, IRCC refuses that these FOSS records influence the records and decisions made in 2017. And the last year they produced a document with the reference to the manual I cite, but they don’t provide it. I have already written here, my relative is not an angel (to put it mildly), but it seems that IRCC is accusing him of stuff that is not something he might do, and at the same time they don’t accuse him directly to understand completely. Sorry, that I cannot share more detail, it might be sensitive information. I was hoping this Manual might shed a light on what does IRCC actually want from him.

Hello and only from memory,

This looks to be something archival that would have to be sought through a request to whatever the IRCC library or archives for their departmental records of long lost instruction manuals. This is very old stuff and the odds are slim that it is retained anywhere.

Non-computer based entries = NCBs

In the pre-computer world when it was Citizenship and Immigration Canada their "intranet" (for the lack of a better term because I am old) was the cobalt-based Field Operations Support System (FOSS). A monitor and a keyboard and a document printer - all originating in the early 1970s.

I believe that they finally, and reluctantly put a bullet into FOSS about 15 years ago (2010ish). It was the system until early in the new millennium. Updating FOSS instructions probably ceased after the Global Case Management System (GCMS) was introduced.

Sorry, boring but it speaks to manual maintenance and retention. There was a National Case Management System (NCMS) wedged between FOSS and GCMS so lots of effort to forget FOSS was happening. If there is no legal requirement to archive instructional manuals then it went into their dumpster years ago.

FOSS captured a rudimentary Client History, producing and recording documents issued (they also did paper doc's that cold be manually entered afterwards if they remembered to do it), inadmissibility reports, removal orders.., and "FOSS notes", or "notes to FOSS," in lingo for the courts, and simply NCBs to the staff of CIC.

CIC was it - there was no CBSA (2004) yet. So - the border, inland - faciliation and enforcement - all of it was in one department.

NCBs were notes to other employees and they had no paper unless someone printed it and attached to their paper-loving files. It might alert the next person to something like a suspicion, or be a note from NHQ to advise them of anything new - yada yada - "call ---- at xxx-4567 if the subject appears at any POE," or "after issuing limited entry he was observed chasing a beaver down Moose Avenue." They had expiry dates (it comes to me out of the fog of time) because the old Cobalt machine needed routine purging).

If this doesn't help - so sorry. Getting modern manuals to remain current is a challenge for them, and what you are looking for isn't likely to be collected (or even undertood) by today's departmental staff because it's ancient history.

 

[Suzi Jane]

Can I ask you one more question, please? I’m starting to understand, I probably have no chances to find this document. Maybe you have some knowledge and would be so kind to share it, what are the grounds they might have to create these NBCs, which actions do you have to do to have these NBCs in your files? Seems it’s not something simple like driving over speed limit or shoplifting

Hello and only from memory,

This looks to be something archival that would have to be sought through a request to whatever the IRCC library or archives for their departmental records of long lost instruction manuals. This is very old stuff and the odds are slim that it is retained anywhere.

Non-computer based entries = NCBs

In the pre-computer world when it was Citizenship and Immigration Canada their "intranet" (for the lack of a better term because I am old) was the cobalt-based Field Operations Support System (FOSS). A monitor and a keyboard and a document printer - all originating in the early 1970s.

I believe that they finally, and reluctantly put a bullet into FOSS about 15 years ago (2010ish). It was the system until early in the new millennium. Updating FOSS instructions probably ceased after the Global Case Management System (GCMS) was introduced.

Sorry, boring but it speaks to manual maintenance and retention. There was a National Case Management System (NCMS) wedged between FOSS and GCMS so lots of effort to forget FOSS was happening. If there is no legal requirement to archive instructional manuals then it went into their dumpster years ago.

FOSS captured a rudimentary Client History, producing and recording documents issued (they also did paper doc's that cold be manually entered afterwards if they remembered to do it), inadmissibility reports, removal orders.., and "FOSS notes", or "notes to FOSS," in lingo for the courts, and simply NCBs to the staff of CIC.

CIC was it - there was no CBSA (2004) yet. So - the border, inland - faciliation and enforcement - all of it was in one department.

NCBs were notes to other employees and they had no paper unless someone printed it and attached to their paper-loving files. It might alert the next person to something like a suspicion, or be a note from NHQ to advise them of anything new - yada yada - "call ---- at xxx-4567 if the subject appears at any POE," or "after issuing limited entry he was observed chasing a beaver down Moose Avenue." They had expiry dates (it comes to me out of the fog of time) because the old Cobalt machine needed routine purging).

If this doesn't help - so sorry. Getting modern manuals to remain current is a challenge for them, and what you are looking for isn't likely to be collected (or even undertood) by today's departmental staff because it's ancient history.

 

[Bornlucky]

Can I ask you one more question, please? I’m starting to understand, I probably have no chances to find this document. Maybe you have some knowledge and would be so kind to share it, what are the grounds they might have to create these NBCs, which actions do you have to do to have these NBCs in your files? Seems it’s not something simple like driving over speed limit or shoplifting

I don't mind, but it's a very long time ago.

NCBs didn't have a specific set rules for making an entry, but I recollect that some were purpose driven with a 2 digit code that might be for some medical purpose and not of interest to any other department.

It didn't have to be a negative, but might just be information that's good to know. It could be simpler than a driving infraction - "subject needs interpreter" - "stamped entry for 48 hours, do not extend."

Anything - and there would be very foolish NCBs that were just nonsense.

NCBs were rarely any part of a paper file and not substantial for considering points of law, or as weighted evidence. If someone recorded something on an NCB and that interaction meant something, there would need to be a statutory declaration of the incident without any thought or reference to the NCB except to chase down the author.

It's a fringe-legal thought bubble in my metaphoric bureaucratic way of thinking, predating all of the access to information and privacy developments, and dying as those things bloomed.

 

[Suzi Jane]

Thank you, you cannot imagine how heavy a burden did you lift out of my shoulders. Because everything I could find about NCB records on IRCC web-site had always to deal with some monstrous things, such as subversion activities, espionage, terrorism, crimes against humanity etc. Let me repeat, my relative is far from perfect, but these types of records are not even from the planet he lives on. Once again - thank you!

I don't mind, but it's a very long time ago.

NCBs didn't have a specific set rules for making an entry, but I recollect that some were purpose driven with a 2 digit code that might be for some medical purpose and not of interest to any other department.

It didn't have to be a negative, but might just be information that's good to know. It could be simpler than a driving infraction - "subject needs interpreter" - "stamped entry for 48 hours, do not extend."

Anything - and there would be very foolish NCBs that were just nonsense.

NCBs were rarely any part of a paper file and not substantial for considering points of law, or as weighted evidence. If someone recorded something on an NCB and that interaction meant something, there would need to be a statutory declaration of the incident without any thought or reference to the NCB except to chase down the author.

It's a fringe-legal thought bubble in my metaphoric bureaucratic way of thinking, predating all of the access to information and privacy developments, and dying as those things bloomed.

 

[Bornlucky]

Thank you, you cannot imagine how heavy a burden did you lift out of my shoulders. Because everything I could find about NCB records on IRCC web-site had always to deal with some monstrous things, such as subversion activities, espionage, terrorism, crimes against humanity etc. Let me repeat, my relative is far from perfect, but these types of records are not even from the planet he lives on. Once again - thank you!

I am glad to shed some light, but an NCB was a note and it could be a serious note that would need other actions to take place for some very serious people who no one would ever wish to meet.

The NCB in itself was a puff of informative air in a computerless world. Now the system has a defined section for "remarks" that serve the same function and are subject to release to the public, and that's relatively new to this litigious immigration environment.