Citizenship and Immigration

This House of Commons committee meeting on Citizenship and Immigration continued its study of attracting and empowering global talent to strengthen Canada's economy. The first panel featured David Pierce, Vice-President of Government Relations for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and Anne Patterson, Chief Research and Communications Officer for the Information and Communications Technology Council. The second panel featured Paul Aldunate, Senior Manager of Economic Development and International Relations for the City of Brampton, and Nathan Bergstrand, Business Manager for the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, LU67.

David Pierce argued that Canada's competitiveness as a destination for global talent is eroding, citing a "brain drain" to the U.S. where top performers leave for higher compensation and upward mobility. He stated that immigration policy is economic policy and that reducing temporary foreign workers has been a net negative for Canadian businesses, particularly in manufacturing, food processing, and rural areas, leading to operational disruptions and closures. He recommended an immigration system anchored in economic needs, with dedicated streams free from backlogs, and urged the committee to consider the demographic challenge of population decline.

Anne Patterson emphasized that the digital economy, which employs 13% of Canada's workforce, requires a skills-based immigration selection methodology that looks forward rather than relying on static occupational classifications. She noted that 37% of the digital economy workforce are immigrants, but many are underutilized due to barriers in skills recognition. She recommended making greater use of labour market forecasts in selection, modernizing how experience and skills are assessed to prioritize recency and relevance, and strengthening employer readiness to recruit and retain international talent.

Paul Aldunate reported that Brampton employers face a potential 22% loss of staff within 18 months due to expiring work permits and natural turnover, which he described as avoidable disruption akin to the COVID era. He highlighted that specialized international technicians are increasingly unable to enter Canada for short-term work, leaving expensive machinery idle. He recommended increasing Ontario's provincial nominee program allocation, creating streamlined pathways for specialized experts, and developing a modernized entrepreneurial immigration pathway that leverages local innovation ecosystems like Brampton's BHive.

Nathan Bergstrand explained that his union, representing plumbers, steamfitters, and welders, does not employ temporary foreign workers because they cannot enrol them in government training programs. He stated that his local is currently busy with major projects in Hamilton and Niagara, but noted that the steel industry, typically the backbone of the trade, has no work due to market forces and tariffs. He described the union's travel card system, which allows skilled members to move between locals to fill workforce demands for critical infrastructure projects.

The committee briefly debated scheduling around a vote, with members agreeing to proceed with one round of questions each before pausing. No motions or procedural decisions were recorded beyond this scheduling arrangement.