What about right now?
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.
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.
5:05 p.m.
Director General, Temporary Foreign Worker Directorate, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
Currently the most restrictions are on those seeking workers in lower-wage positions. In 2014 a number of reforms were put in place over concerns that the program wasn't being used as intended. This included a $1,000 fee on all employers outside of agriculture. In the low-wage space, for the lower-skilled positions, there are limits on the percentage of foreign employees a workplace can have, which is 10% if you've been in the program since 2014, and if you have already been in the program, it's 20%. We limit the duration of the work permit to one year.
As well, we refuse to process certain occupations in the hospitality industry in high unemployment areas. There are 10 occupations in restaurants and hotels and the like for which, if the unemployment rate in the economic region, according to Statistics Canada is 6% or above, we don't even process an application. So there are more restrictions around the low-wage component of the program.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
What are you doing to encourage Canadians to pursue the most in-demand positions?
5:05 p.m.
Director General, Temporary Foreign Worker Directorate, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
I can say that inside the program, one of the principles is that we require employers to demonstrate efforts to recruit Canadians first.
At the beginning they must advertise positions to Canadians at the median wage. In the low-wage space in particular, we require employers to reach out to specific under-represented groups which are underemployed in the Canadian labour market. They must advertise to two groups in particular. They must advertise nationally for their jobs. We do require employers to demonstrate that they have made efforts.
The other element is through Canada's job bank. As I mentioned, every employer must be registered on the job bank, and if you're advertising for the purpose of recruiting a temporary foreign worker, you must sign up for the job match feature, which basically enables workers to identify their competencies and skills, and the employer to set up a profile for the type of job, and there's an algorithm within the program that will suggest potential matches to employers. Employers must contact or attempt to contact those workers in the system who have been identified, and be able to report back on the outcomes of any interviews and why they were done.
Those are the elements that focus first of all on ensuring that Canadians have access to those opportunities, and those are within the program.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
I owe him. Thank you very much.
CBC's The Fifth Estate just released an investigative report about the Canadian government blocking international adoptions from Muslim majority countries, focusing on Pakistan. Specifically, the Canadian government under Harper in 2013 implemented a ban on adoptions from Pakistan with no warning.
Internal documents obtained by CBC's The Fifth Estate revealed that officials said that it is impossible to adopt Pakistan children given Pakistan's prohibition on adoptions.
A follow-up call from CBC to the Pakistani High Commission was made and the press secretary said—
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, what's the relevance of this line of questioning to the temporary foreign workers study?
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
—however, the witnesses were invited to speak about the temporary foreign worker program.
The member may ask the question. I think it's allowed within the scope of the study. However, witnesses, you may be very clear also that this is not within your jurisdiction, and so you may decline to answer.
The question is within the broad scope of the study, just not necessarily within the expertise of our witnesses.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
A follow-up call was made from CBC to the Pakistani High Commission and their press secretary responded by saying that the Government of Pakistan has not banned adoption at all; they do not have any restrictions, and as such, adoption is allowed.
What we know is that the ban is tied to Canada's interpretation of sharia law. The minister said in question period today that Canada needs to harmonize adoption laws with the country in question and the laws of Canada.
Canada does not practise sharia law. Pakistan does not follow it. In fact, international adoptions from Pakistan continue now to other countries—just as they did before 2013.
My question, then, is this: Why did the Canadian government begin using an interpretation of sharia law to block international adoptions from Muslim majority countries like Pakistan in 2013? When was the current minister made aware of this policy? Why is the current government continuing to use this policy? As a result of this, how many applications have been affected? That is to say, how many vulnerable children have been left in need? How many families have been broken up? How many families have been rejected since November 2015?
Finally, the government says that they're now reviewing this policy. What is the timeline for the review, and when will it be finished?
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
With regret, Mr. Chair, this is not within my area of expertise or the area of my mandate. Perhaps it's something we can take away and provide a written response.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
I would request that we receive a written response. This is within the scope of the study that we have undertaken.
Can I get that commitment?
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
I would like to add to that question.
When can Canadians expect that this ban be lifted, so they can bring their adopted children home to Canada?
I know of one family who has been blocked from this adoption for six years. She received approval for the adoption in 2012. This law came into place without any warning from the Conservatives in 2013. Six years later, she is still waiting to unite with her adopted son. The orphanage has actually given her an ultimatum. They pretty well said, “Take your son home to Canada or you have to abandon your application.”
That is the choice Canadians are left with. That, to me, is absolutely outrageous.
I would love to get a response to my questions related to this issue.
On the question around temporary foreign workers, the caregivers program was talked about, with the deadline coming up in November 2019. The consultation has ended, so when can we expect a decision to be made?
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Thank you for the question, Mr. Chair.
As the minister stated repeatedly, he expects to be able to provide a new pathway for caregivers well before the pilot's end in November 2019.
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
That's the timeline I have.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Okay, so it's before November 2019.
All right. Iranians are another group of individuals who are trying to gain a pathway here to Canada whose processing time is delayed extensively. Many of them are far beyond the standard processing time. This issue has been brought up with the minister on a number of different occasions, both at committee as well as in the House of Commons.
We also learned that with the Paris office, for some reason, even when people have been processed and approved, the applicants themselves have not been notified. Why is that?
5:10 p.m.
Director, Temporary Resident Program Division, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I don't have the details on that, but I can certainly come back to you around processing time for Iranians, and in particular, for that office that you mentioned.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
I would love to know what's going on with the Paris office. It just doesn't make any sense. Applications have been processed and for some reason, the applicant has not been notified. In the meantime, people are waiting and waiting.
Frankly, as we were talking about with the temporary foreign workers stream, Canada actually needs these talents. We want them here. Our industry folks want them here. The government itself had talked ad nauseam about how we need these particular workers with these skills. They're here in this country. They've studied here. Many of them have Ph.D.s. Some have double Ph.D.s, and grad studies and so on, but still the application is extremely delayed for I don't know what reason.
5:15 p.m.
Director, Temporary Resident Program Division, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Are we referring to students or other categories?