Evidence of meeting #13 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was programs.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
As the representative for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, may I ask you what the benefits are for British Columbia, in your opinion?
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I have not had the opportunity to spend enough time in Vancouver. It is clearly one of the provinces that benefited a great deal from the Provincial Nominee Program. Its program is one of the largest. They are going to have 3,500 certificates next year, which probably touches close to 10,000 people.
In addition, the Federal Skilled Worker Program is seeing an increase in British Columbia. The levels of immigration to British Columbia are increasing, especially given the dynamic evolution of the Asian economies. Every day in the streets of Vancouver and the region, we can see the social and economic benefits of that situation.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Thank you.
I have a couple of questions. Are the standards different in each province?
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The selection criteria provinces use differ in each province.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
My question is whether it is easier in one province than in another province. If I'm coming to this country, and it's easier in one province than in another province, guess which province I'm going to pick. I think it's important. You must be able to assess that. You must be able to assess that some provinces, or maybe one province, have standards that aren't quite as high.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
It is genuinely a complex question to answer, Mr. Chair, because provinces are looking for different things. For example, some provinces don't select low- and middle-skilled workers at all. Other provinces, keenly aware of labour shortages in those areas, are very open to selecting low- and semi-skilled workers because of their local labour shortages. From an objective point of view, that might be defined as a lower standard. The province might argue otherwise: those persons will make a dynamic contribution to their economy and will meet specific needs. Another province may have a program that is heavily reliant on community and employer engagement so that they can ensure retention. They might feel that the standards of the individuals they are bringing in is one element. The welcome they receive and the ability to integrate are other elements. They are focused on retention and community-building. Here I think particularly of the extremely successful program, from a retention and economic participation point of view, of Manitoba, which is the largest and earliest of the big provincial nominee programs.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
No. We are working on a large-scale project to catalogue, if you will, all the different program streams to identify areas of overlap. We are continuing discussions with the provinces on establishing clear criteria. Generally speaking, the federal government has not said to provinces that they can only pick people with this level of education or these language skills. The report will show very broad success of the provincial nominee programs from an economic outcomes point of view. It would be a significant change in philosophy behind the program if the federal government were to mandate certain selection criteria.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
I wasn't suggesting that.
I'm sorry, committee members. It's just a thought that's crossed my mind on this issue.
You've already said that the federal government has minimum standards for the provinces to follow. Beyond that, the provinces are free to have their own standards. Common sense tells me that in some provinces it's going to be tougher to get in than it is in other provinces. I'd like to know more about that. Maybe I will let you think about that.
Mrs. Groguhé, thank you, and welcome back. We've missed you.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning to all of you.
My question is about the province of Quebec. According to the February 5, 1991 agreement on immigration between Quebec and the federal government, Quebec selects its immigration candidates and does not account for the use of the transfers it receives. Generally, the province has to deal with the problem of finding resources to properly integrate the newcomers. Does the federal government adjust its transfers to Quebec according to the number of newcomers it receives, and of the province's specific linguistic needs, in particular?
Acting Director, Intergovernmental Relations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I think you are raising the topic of transfers.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Yes, I would like to know whether there is an adjustment for the number of newcomers, and also with regard to the province's specific needs, its linguistic needs in particular? Are there any adjustments made, and how is this done?
Acting Director, Intergovernmental Relations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Very well.
In fact the Canada-Quebec Accord does contain a formula for the calculation of these funds that are transferred on a yearly basis. The services must be comparable to those that are offered elsewhere in the country.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Very well.
When you say that the services must be comparable to those offered elsewhere, you mean as compared to other provinces. Is that right?
Acting Director, Intergovernmental Relations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I don't understand.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
No, the settlement allowances are specifically described in the Canada-Quebec Accord according to a formula that is adjusted for the number of newcomers.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
That formula is completely separate from the ones used to set the allowance levels for the other provinces. This was established in the 1991 Canada-Quebec Accord.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The transfers are adjusted yearly, according to a formula that is set out in the accord.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Very well. Thank you.
My second question concerns the recognition of credentials obtained outside of Quebec and Canada. This is a matter of real concern for most of the provinces. Indeed, the integration of workers into the labour market depends on them, and that integration seems quite difficult because of the problem of the recognition of credentials.
Does the federal government intend to participate in solving that problem? If that is the case, how does it intend to do so? We know that this is a matter of provincial jurisdiction, for the most part.
How can this matter of the non-recognition of credentials and of the experience acquired abroad be settled? Have discussions been held with the provinces to study this matter? If so, were proposals made by one side or the other?
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I can only answer you in a general way, because this is not the topic of the meeting and I do not have any experts with me.
There are important ongoing discussions, as well as a federal-provincial framework, for the purpose of improving the process of recognizing foreign credentials. One branch is focusing specifically on this project, together with the provinces. The provinces are indeed responsible for the recognition of credentials in regulated fields. In short, there is an ongoing important project for the purpose of improving that process.
NDP
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
I suppose that there are discussions and exchanges between the provinces so that things that work well in one province will be taken up by another.
Is that approach being applied to some extent?