Evidence of meeting #129 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was study.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:55 p.m.
Director General, Temporary Foreign Worker Directorate, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Since the fee was waived.
4:55 p.m.
Director General, Temporary Foreign Worker Directorate, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
I'm sorry. I misunderstood the question.
I don't have that specific answer in terms of the impact of the fee change. That was fairly recently, in the last eight months, I believe. We can come back to the committee with a specific response to that.
4:55 p.m.
Scarborough Centre, Lib.
Yes, please.
The Minister of Immigration announced last year that the existing caregiver pilot programs would come to an end next year, in November 2019, and be replaced with a new, improved program. I understand some consultations are under way with the stakeholders on designing the new program.
Is there any direction and feedback you can share from those consultations?
This question would be for the IRCC staff.
4:55 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
To start off, and to be clear, the current pilots that are in place began in November 2014. Under IRPA there's a time limitation to pilots. It's a five-year pilot, so the natural end to that is November 2019.
Of course, we are turning our mind to what happens next. The minister has been clear that there will continue to be a pathway for caregivers in Canada.
You are correct that we launched consultations in the spring; I believe we heard from over 125 stakeholders. Most importantly, we heard directly from a number of caregivers themselves. We've also received a number of written submissions as part of that.
We've been taking that input and considering the very important stories we heard during those consultations from caregivers and others about some of the challenges they face in those occupations in that temporary stream, and we are developing options. As you said, I expect the minister will be looking to announce what will come afterwards before the current pilot's end in November.
4:55 p.m.
Scarborough Centre, Lib.
After a certain time, when the caregivers who are coming in have completed the requirements, they apply for permanent residency.
Could you share some numbers on how many caregivers have been coming into the country, and how many go on to apply for and receive PR status?
4:55 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
For sure. When the change was made in 2014, there was a grandfathering for the live-in caregiver program, which ended at the same time. We see a number of applications still coming through under that program, although it's winding down, and the minister has made a number of commitments in terms of our processing of that inventory. I can tell the committee that we are on track in terms of looking to eliminate that inventory very soon.
At the same time the pilots were launched, and the model that was put in place was that caregivers could come under the temporary foreign worker program. As they gained their work experience, they would then be able to apply for permanent residency under those pilots.
Because two years' work experience was required, the take-up under the program was slow going for the first few years while they applied, came in and gathered their work experience. However, I believe there were about 1,500 applications and admissions between 2014 and 2017. I don't have more recent numbers.
4:55 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
That's right, yes.
Helene can provide a few more numbers for you.
4:55 p.m.
Helene Panagakos Director, Temporary Resident Program Division, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I'm just going to give you a couple of numbers that are a little more specific.
In 2017, we had 22,247 caregivers and family members who were admitted to Canada; 20,985 were under the live-in caregiver program and 1,262 were from the two pilots. From January 2018 to August 2018, we had over 14,000 caregivers and family members; so there were 13,090 under the live-in caregiver program and 1,140 from the two pilots who were admitted to Canada. Those are the numbers to situate you a little bit.
4:55 p.m.
Scarborough Centre, Lib.
Thank you for the numbers.
My next question is on the international students. I know attracting more international students to Canada is a priority for this government. In addition to their contribution to the economy, international students who decide to stay in Canada after graduation often make the best permanent residents and future citizens as they are already well integrated into Canadian society. However, international students often don't come solo: They bring a partner and children who will want to work and attend school as well.
Could you discuss how we are designing our international student programs to support not just the students but their families, so they can succeed as a unit? Family reunification is very important.
5 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes, absolutely.
Under our current study, it's been estimated that international students bring about $15.5 billion to Canada's economy every year through their contributions to our educational institutions. It's definitely a priority in terms of our permanent residents' programming for the reasons you mentioned—language capacity, education and Canadian credentials. That's why we've made recent changes when it comes to the pathway for international students. Of course, we do have our post-graduate work permit, which allows students who have graduated to work on open work permits for up to three years. During that time they can gain that work experience. I mentioned that we'll give them extra points under the express entry system. There have also been changes to express entry where additional points are given for Canadian study, so recently we've seen that the number of international students included is fairly high. It's about 30% to 40% of those invited to apply.
5 p.m.
Scarborough Centre, Lib.
Are you doing any specific TRP processing for the partners or the children?
5 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes.
5 p.m.
Scarborough Centre, Lib.
Do they apply from abroad or do they apply from Canada for their work permits? In many situations that's not very clear.
5 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Absolutely.
Their spouses as well do get open work permits when they accompany them while they're doing their studies.
5 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
What are the current wait times for live-in caregivers with respect to gaining permanent residency?
5 p.m.
Director, Temporary Resident Program Division, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
If I look at the numbers for 2017 and 2018, I don't have the exact processing times, but what I can tell you is we are on track to meet our ministerial commitment to finalize 80% of the new complete applications submitted on or after October 1, 2017.
5 p.m.
Director, Temporary Resident Program Division, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
There was a commitment to process them within 12 months—
5 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
So the wait time is 12 months. Is that what you're saying?
5 p.m.
Director, Temporary Resident Program Division, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
—for those that were submitted on or after October 1, 2017.
