2024 Annual Report on Registration under the Indian Act, First Nations Membership and Status Cards

Overview of the application process

• Step 1: Application received
  • In person at a regional office, First Nations office or Trusted Source
  • By mail
• Step 2: Application assessed
  • Confirm an individual's identity
  • Assess application completeness
  • Send to the appropriate national processing unit, if necessary
• Step 3: Entitlement determined
  • Review all documents submitted and available information within departmental records
  • Seek more information from the applicant and/or provincial or territorial authorities, if necessary
  • Take into account multi-generational life events to apply the registration provisions of the Indian Act
  • Applicable quality assurance process to ensure accurate decision-making^{Footnote 3}
• Step 4: Registration decision communicated
  • Letter sent to communicate the decision to the applicant and affiliated band administrator
  • Secure Certificate of Indian Status (SCIS) is issued, if requested

In some cases

• Protest: Investigation conducted
  • Individual, band council or any member submits a protest in writing within 3 years of the initial registration entitlement decision
  • ISC conducts an investigation and the Registrar issues a decision
  • Letter is sent to communicate the decision to the protestor and/or protestee
• Appeals: Decision appealed to the courts
  • Individual, band council or any member submits an appeal to the courts within 6 months of the protest decision
  • Court issues a decision or refers the case back to the Registrar for reconsideration or further investigation

Settlements

In 2024, ISC continued to support the settlement process by making registration decisions and providing individual or collective data from the registration system.

There are several ongoing settlements to compensate Indigenous individuals and communities to address historical injustices, honor treaty rights and support reconciliation, which may also contribute to difficulties in predicting application volumes. Settlements often lead to increased demands for priority processing, as registration may impact a person's ability to participate in settlement related activities. As such, ISC must continue to adapt its processes to remain responsive to changing volumes and urgent registration requests driven by settlement-related timelines.

Some examples of recent settlements include the recent Ontario v. Restoule settlements, as well as agricultural benefits settlements, land-related settlements, drinking water settlements, and settlements related to child and family service administration.

Canada Post Strike

On November 15, 2024, a nationwide Canada Post strike began and ended when workers returned to work on December 17, 2024. During this time, the total volume of applications received during the strike was reduced.

ISC was able to use courier services to continue to deliver priority items to all regions in Canada. Priority items were considered on a case-by-case basis and included Temporary Confirmation of Registration Documents and any original documents held by ISC, such as proof of birth documents.

Applications received prior to the strike were processed as usual while new applications and other documents were still able to be submitted by courier service, or in-person at any regional office, or a First Nation or trusted source office, if they offered registration services and/or SCIS services.

Both during and after the strike, ISC made a deliberate effort to minimize the impact of the strike on application processing. ISC continued to process the inventory of applications it had on hand. Any updates about the strike were communicated publicly on ISC's website and social media pages. ISC also encouraged regional offices to communicate strike updates to First Nations and trusted sources.

Access to identification in emergency situations

ISC and First Nations offices regularly provide support in emergency situations through emergency management service agreements with provinces, territories and Trusted Sources. One of the key roles that ISC plays in emergency response situations is to support First Nations communities by issuing status cards and Temporary Confirmation of Registration Documents to individuals experiencing wildfires, floods or evacuations. In 2024, the frequency and severity of emergency situations increased the demand of these services.

Registered persons in Canada

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• Total registered persons in Canada as of December 31, 2024: 1,116,323
• Registered population by gender:
  • Male: 549,283
  • Female: 566,679
  • Another Gender: 361
• Registered population by province and territory (highest to lowest population):
  • Ontario: 242,985 or 22%
  • Saskatchewan: 181,504 or 16%
  • Manitoba: 178,595 or 16%
  • British Columbia: 161,241 or 14%
  • Alberta: 143,241 or 13%
  • Quebec: 106,259 or 10%
  • Atlantic: 71,760 or 6%
  • Northwest Territories: 20,660 or 2%
  • Yukon: 10,078 or 1%

Population statistics for each First Nation, based on the data in the Indian Register, are available on the First Nation Profiles.

Registration does not confirm whether a person is Indigenous, but rather, whether that person is entitled to be registered under the Indian Act. That means the identity of individuals, such as non-registered First Nations, Inuit and Métis, all of whom are Indigenous, cannot be confirmed by the Indian Act.

For a more fulsome overview of Indigenous populations in Canada, Statistics Canada provides Statistics on Indigenous Peoples regarding persons who self-identify as Indigenous on a range of topics.

Registration Service Standards and Processing Times

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This infographic depicts key information and statistics related to registration applications for the 2024 calendar year.

• Registration service standards
  • Usually 6 months
  • Up to two years, or more in some cases^{Footnote 4}
• Average registration processing time: less than 5 months^{Footnote 5}
• Percentage of registration applications processed within service standards
  • 63% of applications processed within 6 months^{Footnote 6}
  • 35% of applications processed within 6 months to 2 years
  • 2% of applications processed in over 2 years
• Registration application volumes
  • Registration applications received: 46,170
  • Persons registered: 35,250^{Footnote 7}
  • Persons denied: 5,061
  • Applications closed: 11,359^{Footnote 8}

Increased registration volumes

The annual number of applications received^{Footnote 9} has increased from 40,950 in 2023 to 46,170 in 2024, showing greater awareness of and access to registration.

While ISC is committed to lowering processing times, some applications may require extensive research to maintain the integrity of the Indian Register. As part of the registration process, ISC may require further information from applicants. In 2024, ISC sent 9,194 follow-up letters to applicants requesting more information to facilitate application processing. Although timely registration is critically important, ISC emphasizes that the accuracy of decision-making cannot be compromised for service standards and that both must be valued.

ISC will continue efforts year over year to process more applications than received as part of the Department's commitment to reducing the inventory of applications received in previous years and achieving shorter processing times for individuals. ISC's target is to render 70% of registration decisions delivered within the 6-month service standard.

Registration volumes: 2016-2024

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The chart shows the number of registration applications received and decisions rendered on those applications from 2016 to 2024.

Year	Registration applications received	Applicants registered	Applications denied	Applications closed
2016	26,507	21,704	5,274	6,142
2017	26,482	21,881	2,413	5,161
2018	26,249	15,906	9,647	2,847
2019	28,339	19,069	3,425	3,315
2020	19,236	17,581	1,786	3,899
2021	26,823	26,292	6,477	11,425
2022	33,405	30,136	5,470	5,269
2023	40,950	32,784	4,364	4,114
2024	46,170	35,250	5,755	11,359

Types of status card issued

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The graphic provides a sample of the SCIS which represented 124,574 or 69% of status cards issued in 2024 and the Certificate of Indian Status (CIS) (also known as the paper laminated status card) which represented 54,916 or 31%.

Active cardholders

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• 211,360 (18,94%) Certificate of Indian Status cardholders (CIS)
• 531,516 (47,61%) Secure Certificate of Indian Status cardholders (SCIS)
• 373,447 (33,45%) Registered persons without a status card

This chart shows the number of active SCIS and CIS cardholders, as well as the number of registered persons without a status card.

Increased Secure Certificate of Indian Status volumes

ISC has made a wide range of efforts over the past several years to make registration and the SCIS more accessible to individuals and to streamline the application process. Since the introduction of the SCIS in 2009, there has been a significant increase in applications received.

In 2024, ISC received the highest number of SCIS applications yet, representing more than 11% of the registered population in a single year. The Department issued 124,574 SCIS with more than a 96% application success rate. Because the SCIS is issued after a person is registered, delays in card issuance are oftentimes from individuals waiting to be registered, or from individuals who submitted an incomplete application. Since registration volumes have increased, the volume of SCIS issued have increased as well. ISC does not charge individuals for the issuance of the SCIS, which facilitates access to programs and services.

Secure Certificate of Indian Status volumes: 2010-2024

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This graph shows the total number of SCIS cards issued from 2010 to 2024.

Year	Total Number of SCIS Issued
2010	9,792
2011	6,089
2012	53,304
2013	44,231
2014	34,948
2015	33,623
2016	34,178
2017	35,213
2018	44,303
2019	54,316
2020	36,513
2021	44,833
2022	72,018
2023	102,014
2024	124,574

Part of the increase in volume in SCIS issuance to registered persons year over year can be attributed to the new Digital Application Services tool, available for in-person applications at regional offices, reduced processing times and more Trusted Source locations. The new digital tool represents a significant move beyond the traditional paper-based and mail-in application process allowing for an easier application process. The Digital Application Services is currently available at ISC's regional offices and we plan to make it available to Registration Administrators and Trusted Source partners in the near future.

Second-generation cut-off

Bill C-31 created two different registration categories under subsubsections 6(1) and 6(2) of the Indian Act. Persons entitled under 6(1) can pass down entitlement on their own, while persons entitled under 6(2) can only pass down entitlement to their descendants if they parent with another entitled person. In other words, entitlement is cut-off after the second-generation of parenting with a non-entitled person.

Registered persons by 6(1) and 6(2) category codes

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This chart shows the total registered population as of December 31, 2024: 1,116,323

• 327,370 Persons registered 6(2)
• 788,953 Persons registered 6(1)

During the 2018-2019 Collaborative Process on Indian Registration, Band Membership, and First Nation Citizenship, the Minister's Special Representative Claudette Dumont-Smith reported that a separate and more in-depth consultation is required to determine how best to address the second-generation cut-off. This ongoing collaborative process was not introduced to consider whether to address the second-generation cut-off, but rather how to remedy the issue.

Section 10 voting thresholds

Bill C-31 ensures First Nations have the ability to take control of their membership under section 10 of the Indian Act with the consent of their electors. The intent to take control must be approved by a majority of the majority (double majority) of the electors^{Footnote 20}. In other words, a majority of the eligible electors must vote, and a majority of those who vote must be in favor of the change. Since 1987, nearly 70 First Nations have initiated the process, but many have been unable to meet this threshold due to challenges reaching electors.

The Collaborative Process on the Second-Generation Cut-off and Section 10 Voting Thresholds consists of two key phases:

• Phase 1: Co-development and Information-sharing
  • Indigenous Advisory Process: ISC partnered with 17 Indigenous organizations to seek guidance and co-develop consultation materials. ISC received 12 final reports from the Indigenous Advisory Process that outlined their findings and recommendations.
  • Indigenous inspired artwork: Indigenous graphic recorder Tiaré Lani was commissioned by ISC to create artwork reflecting the feedback and insights from the Indigenous Advisory Process.
  • What We Heard Report: Published by ISC, this report highlights the feedback and insights collected from the 12 final reports following the Indigenous Advisory Process.
  • Rights-holders information kit: Published by ISC, this report provides a detailed explanation of the issues for consultation. Beginning in February 2024, the Kits were broadly distributed to First Nations, Tribal Councils, Treaty Organizations, and representative Indigenous organizations across Canada.
  • Community-specific data sheets: Distributed by ISC alongside the Rights-Holders Information Kit, and highlights how the second-generation cut-off impacts each First Nation community's registered population.
  • Information sessions: ISC offered both virtual and in-person sessions to First Nation individuals and communities, Tribal Councils, administrators, Indigenous Groups, organizations, and the general public, to describe the issues for consultation and ensure participants could pose questions about and receive insights into the Collaborative Process. In 2024, ISC held 44 sessions to approximately 900 participants with information sessions ongoing throughout the Collaborative Process.
• Phase 2: Consultation events and activities
  • Co-developed Consultation Plan with the Indigenous Advisory Process: Outlined the shared objectives, legal rationales for consultation, lessons learned from previous consultation processes, the consultation methods for the Collaborative Process, funding opportunities, and timelines.
  • Call for Proposals – First Nation-led Options for Solutions: Launched in December 2024 to provide funding opportunities for First Nations, Tribal Councils, and representative Indigenous organizations for engagement and research activities resulting in a report of proposed solutions. Over 90 First Nations and Representative Organizations submitted a funding application.

Engagement and outreach

In an effort to ensure that information-sharing reached First Nations, Indigenous Rights-Holders and organizations and impacted individuals across Canada, Indigenous Services Canada:

• Shared approximately 30 social media posts across Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter) about the Collaborative Process on the Second-Generation Cut-off and Section 10 Voting Thresholds.
• Partnered with Indigenous Link, a third-party Indigenous organization. During the first two weeks of the launch, they had over 1,000 visitors on their landing page and emails were distributed to over 21,000 subscribers, including First Nation rights-holders, communities and leaders, with information on the Collaborative Process on the Second-Generation Cut-off and Section 10 Voting Thresholds.
• Indigenous Services Canada's webpages related to the ongoing Collaborative Process on the Second-Generation Cut-off and Section 10 Voting Thresholds had a total of 34,338 website views (monthly average of 2,862) throughout 2024.

Rightsholder kit and distribution

A Rights-Holders Information Kit was created to support First Nations involvement in a consultation process on the Collaborative Process on the Second-Generation Cut-off and Section 10 Voting Thresholds. It provided background information on the two issues being consulted on and a historical and present overview of registration under the Indian Act. It was distributed to every First Nation in Canada.

Trusted Sources

A Trusted Source can help individuals complete an application for registration and a status card.

A Trusted Source is a Registration Administrator from a First Nation office or from an Indigenous organization, who serve as additional points of service across the country to expand access to registration and status card services beyond ISC regional offices, including for persons residing off-reserve, and support wider efforts to transfer service delivery to Indigenous peoples in a culturally-sensitive manner.

Trusted Sources for registration and status card applications

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This graphic provides a map of Trusted Source locations. Additionally, 544 First Nation and Tribal Council offices offer registration and/or status card services across Canada, which are not indicated on the map. For a list of trusted sources organizations, visit Designated Trusted sources for registration and secure status card applications.

There are Trusted Sources across Canada offering registration and/or status card services, including:

• Registration Administrators (RAs): over 660 RAs across 540 First Nation and Tribal Council offices
  • P.E.I.: 2 RAs at 2 locations
  • New Brunswick: 16 RAs at 15 locations
  • Nova Scotia: 9 RAs at 8 locations
  • Newfoundland: 4 RAs at 4 locations
  • Quebec: 54 RAs at 40 locations
  • Ontario: 117 RAs at 111 locations
  • Manitoba: 65 RAs at 63 locations
  • Saskatchewan: 71 RAs at 70 locations
  • Alberta: 38 RAs at 36 locations
  • British Columbia: 273 RAs at 176 locations
  • Yukon: 12 RAs at 9 locations
  • Northwest Territories: 6 RAs at 6 locations
• Designated organizations (DOs): 34
  • P.E.I.: 1 DO at 1 location
  • New Brunswick: 1 DO at 1 location
  • Nova Scotia: 1 DO at 1 location
  • Newfoundland: 2 DOs at 2 locations
  • Quebec: 2 DOs at 8 locations
  • Ontario: 7 DOs at 17 locations
  • Manitoba: 7 DOs at 10 locations
  • Saskatchewan: 4 DOs at 4 locations
  • Alberta: 5 DOs at 10 locations
  • British Columbia: 4 DOs at 4 locations
  • Yukon: 0 DOs at 0 locations
  • Northwest Territories: 0 DOs at 0 locations

Registration administrators

Registration Administrators in First Nations communities, also known as membership clerks, are people selected by First Nations to assist with registration, membership and status cards in a culturally-informed manner specific to their community.

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In 2024, registration administrators facilitated 7,953 registration, 22,085 SCIS and 44,831 CIS applications.

Registration Administrators are compensated by ISC through contribution funding. The formula provides $7.07 per capita, and $15.00 per transaction with a minimum of $5,000 per year per First Nation. In 2024, First Nations received $11.6M in grants and contributions funding. More information is available in Annex A: Financial and human resource statements Funding Table.

Their support has been improved through online training to expand and strengthen community-level and community-led service provisions:

• Training is provided on an ongoing basis to account for new Registration Administrators or to improve existing knowledge
• The number of training participants decreased from 311 in 2023 to 253 in 2024 because of the retention of qualified Registration Administrators in First Nation offices
• A total of 195 Registration Administrators have been certified to examine original proof of birth documents for registration applications to ensure authenticity and better assist applicants who no longer need to mail in their original document

Designated organizations

Additional Trusted Source partners can be designated Indigenous organizations, who also support individuals in the application process. These organizations help to fill service gaps and expand points of service in urban and other areas across Canada at various Indigenous-run organizations, such as a Friendship Centre. A list of designated organizations and their locations are available on Find a trusted source to help you register under the Indian Act or apply for a secure status card.

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Designated organizations	Locations	Staff trained	SCIS applications facilitated	Registration applications facilitated
34Footnote 21	58	271Footnote 22	16,271	1,989Footnote 23

In 2024, Trusted Sources across Canada continued to expand their services beyond SCIS applications with 22 out of 34 organizations offering registration services. Additionally, they provided registration and SCIS training to 118 staff members from 15 designated organizations and SCIS training to 153 staff members from 13 designated organizations.

Additionally, 35 individuals were certified with document examiner training in 2024, a training required by the department to examine and authenticate original proof of birth documents for registration applications. The course allows Trusted Sources to provide on the spot assistance to applicants, who no longer need to mail in their original document for verification.

ISC designates new organizations to help bring services closer to individuals, and encourages new and existing Trusted Sources to find out how they can support the application process by emailing sourcesfiables-trustedsources@sac-isc.gc.ca.

Government partners

ISC works alongside other federal government departments and provincial and territorial governments to support individuals with the application process or to validate the registration of individuals seeking rights and benefits.

Some of these partnerships also help ISC provide targeted support to vulnerable populations. For example, in 2024 Correctional Services Canada assisted with 542 SCIS applications across 84 locations.

Digital application services

Digital Application Services (DAS), a new digital platform to modernize the application process and promote Indigenous languages, was launched at regional offices in December 2022 in response to the increased number of applications for both registration and the SCIS. The goal is to simplify the process for applicants by offering services digitally and shortening processing times.

Since its launch, DAS has reduced intake error rates for the SCIS from 17% to 1.85% by asking easy-to-follow, step-by-step questions to make sure complete applications are submitted. Additionally, DAS has reduced the time it takes for applicants to complete an in-person application from up to 45 minutes to 8 minutes, which has allowed ISC to offer more in-person appointments to service First Nation individuals. Regional offices also use DAS to intake mail-in applications more efficiently.

DAS is committed to ensuring high-quality services for First Nations communities by integrating more culturally-informed options. Recently, ISC integrated the Blackfoot language into the DAS, allowing ISC staff and First Nations applicants to communicate in an Indigenous language. ISC will work towards integrating more Indigenous languages into DAS and allowing persons to apply online from the comfort of their own home in the future.

DAS volumes

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This chart shows the total number of SCIS applications submitted through regional offices that used DAS intake processes as of December 31, 2024:

• In-person SCIS applications: 36,741
• Mail-in SCIS applications: 15,048
• Total SCIS applications supported by DAS: 51,789

SCIS auto-print

Since its gradual rollout in June 2024, DAS has enhanced an auto-print feature that allows status card applications that meet specific criteria to skip the processing queue and be automatically sent for card printing.

By sending straightforward and low-risk status card applications directly to print, staff can spend more time on challenging applications or serve more individuals, improving overall service delivery.

This new feature has enabled eligible applicants to receive their status card in as little as two weeks.

In 2024, a total of 3,338 applications were auto-printed, representing approximately 6.4% of total DAS applications. As DAS continues to process a higher volume of applications in years to come, the auto-print feature is expected to have an increasingly positive long-term impact.

Secure Certificate of Indian Status Photo App

In 2019, ISC launched a cost-free, easy to use SCIS Photo App to enable applicants to submit a photo for their SCIS application with their smartphone. The app provides easy, step-by-step instructions to guide applicants through the photo capture process and securely encrypts the photos to protect their privacy. The app eliminates the cost of getting professional passport-style photos and makes the application process more accessible and convenient to individuals and First Nations communities across the country.

In 2024, 54,792 photos were taken using the SCIS Photo App, saving applicants approximately $822,000, based on the average cost of a passport photo available through a retailer^{Footnote 24}.

Online Booking Tool (WaitWell)

In 2024, the Online Booking Tool (WaitWell) was introduced at ISC service kiosks in Edmonton, the National Capital Region, and Amherst to modernize the way applicants book in-person appointments at regional offices for registration and status card services.

Applicants can access WaitWell on the Department's website, allowing them to book appointments directly from their devices without needing to call the regional office.

It also generates various messages such as, appointment reminders, instructions and examples of what documents to bring. These messages result in more complete application submissions as people come prepared for their appointment and allow for easier communication to reduce appointment no-shows. WaitWell also allows regional offices to create virtual line-ups for outreach events, enabling applicants to join directly from their devices.

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Total WaitWell appointments in 2024: 10,215

• 2,353 appointments booked by applicants
• 7,862 appointments managed by regional offices

Discretionary decisions by the Registrar

The Registrar is responsible for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the Indian Register and making decisions related to entitlement to registration under the Indian Act.

To improve efficiency and service delivery, the Registrar uses Devolved Administrative Authority, which allows designated officers to make decisions on behalf of the Registrar, including:

• processing applications for registration;
• updating registration records; and
• completing First Nation transfers.

Before receiving delegation authority, officers undergo extensive training to ensure they understand the Indian Act and related policies and procedures to make fair and consistent decisions. The delegation of authority helps foster a more responsive, accessible, and efficient registration system for First Nations individuals and communities, which reduces wait times for individuals and communities.

Delegated entitlement officers are able to render most registration decisions as administrative decisions. However, in some situations where an applicant is unable to meet the documentation requirements outlined in the policy, where there is minimal or conflicting evidence or when the applicant is protesting a decision, the Registrar will conduct a review of the file and make a discretionary decision.

In 2023, the Registrar made a total of 77 discretionary decisions. While in 2024, the Registrar launched a new streamlined process to make discretionary decisions more quickly and accurately, resulting in a total of 285 discretionary decisions^{Footnote 25}.

End-to-end processing for Registration and Secure Certificate of Indian Status Applications

End-to-end processing is an internal system improvement that automates SCIS issuance for some applicants who applied for registration and their SCIS at the same time. In 2024, end-to-end processing enhanced operational efficiency for over 13,297 applications.

National training for regional staff

Starting in April 2024, regional staff were retrained on registration based on a new and enhanced curriculum.

This initiative supported the implementation of a nation-wide service benchmark, ensuring that applicants across Canada receive the same level of expertise across all regional offices. Additionally, it helped strengthen the integrity of the Indian Register by standardizing procedures and reducing inconsistencies, resulting in a more reliable and unified registration system across Canada.

• 110 ISC employees certified through the new curriculum
  • 95 employees providing in-person services
  • 15 employees at headquarters supporting regional offices

Web communications

In 2024, our work focused on making the content clearer for applicants. In response to feedback we have gathered from a number of sources, the webpages were updated to more clearly explain registration entitlement under the Indian Act.

Additional updates included:

• Clearer language outlining the service standard for registration, including expected processing times and potential delays
• Updated visuals to help individuals determine their entitlement to registration under the Indian Act

This work supports a broader commitment to clear, accessible information and improved trust in registration services.

Website traffic to registration-related content

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The month over month web traffic has remained stable with 1,228,471 visits to the website in 2024, and a total of 2,742,847 page views.

Social media

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In 2024, ISC published 125 posts through ISC social media channels, 56 on information related to registration and 69 on status cards^{Footnote 26}.