Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Sept. 27th, 2022

[Claire Launay]

Well, that's good.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Were you aware of this?

[Claire Launay]

I am now.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Okay.

I'll go to Ms. Foster.

In budget 2022, the federal government committed $385 million to increase processing capacity for various immigration streams, including the worker stream. Could you comment on what changes you're expecting to see in your industry with regard to this commitment?

[Adrienne Foster]

Sure.

We were really happy to see some movement in the right direction in the last budget. Specifically, there was a commitment to increase the cap for TFWs for hotels from 10% to 30%, which was a fantastic thing to see. Again, additional resources for processing are always helpful.

At the end of the day, we're really looking at whatever we can do to amend this system to really allow some sectors that have really high growth potential to fill some of those high-demand occupations. Any additional funding and resources absolutely would be a step in the right direction.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you.

To address the wait times and processing delays, IRCC has also introduced various measures, such as exempting permanent and temporary residence applicants who are already in Canada from the immigration medical examination requirements, which will help about 180,000 people to save time and money. What's the impact for your industry with regard to this?

[Adrienne Foster]

Obviously, it's a positive impact. I would suggest that we could go a step further, especially in the tourism sector, by lifting requirements for things like LMIAs and job postings. Our sector has such a major shortage that the LMIA process and job posting process are—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I'm sorry for interrupting.

Your time is up, Ms. Kayabaga.

We will now proceed to Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe for 90 seconds, and then we will end with Ms. Kwan for 90 seconds.

Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

We don't have a lot of time, Ms. Launay.

You represent an association that, amongst other things, promotes the rights of immigrants and refugees. Currently, people have to use the Roxham Road entry point rather than going to the border crossing, as people did before the Safe Third Country Agreement came into effect. Traffickers are exploiting these people and are lining their pockets. I would like to know what you think about this.

Do you think that the Bloc Québécois' and the NDP's suggestion to suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement, which is within the government's power, should be applied in order to protect these people? Yes or no?

[Claire Launay]

Rather than talking about Roxham Road, we should actually be discussing the Safe Third Country Agreement. We have to review the agreement that forces people to go to unofficial crossing points in order to enter into Canada. We think that the agreement should be reviewed or cancelled.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Do you believe that this would also solve the problem of criminals who are lining their pockets by exploiting migrants?

[Claire Launay]

It would indeed be harder for them to do business if migrants could enter the country at official border crossings.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

I'm happy to hear you say that the Bloc Québécois and the NDP are right.

Thank you very much, Ms. Launay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

You have 15 seconds.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Do you have something to add, Ms. Launay?

[Claire Launay]

I did not get the chance to say it earlier, but I think that it would be possible to use part of the budget to eliminate the backlog as a one-time measure before making systemic changes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Your time is up.

We will now end our panel with Ms. Kwan, who has 90 seconds.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you.

Speaking of IRCC backlogs and exceptional situations, there are situations in which individuals send in their applications and have missed a signature or missed a document and IRCC sends the whole thing back. They then have to restart the whole process all over again. Does that make sense to you? Or should the government actually do a better job of reaching the applicants, fixing the missing document or that situation and then continue to process the application?

[Claire Launay]

I think that's a perfect example of the dysfunctional system that is IRCC. Maybe it worked when the volume of applications was lower, but now with the volume we have, that kind of back-and-forth takes so much time.

Yes, that does contribute to the backlog. That creates more time, more trouble and more precarity for people, who then, let's say, see their current status expire. That's why IRCC needs to take a look at its own practices and revise them. I don't think that's an impossible task.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Yes.

I have a situation where people have postgrad work permits actually hanging in the balance and, because of that situation, they have been waiting for over a year to get their permit renewed. In the meantime, they have zero income and are on the verge of homelessness. Of course, with having to make a new application, IRCC has to go through the entire process right from the beginning. I think none of that makes sense. Would you say to the government that they should stop with this nonsense and actually get on with doing an appropriate job?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I'm sorry for interrupting, Ms. Kwan. Your time is up.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Just a yes or a no....

[Claire Launay]

I would give it a bit more nuance, but generally, yes.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

You're more diplomatic than I am.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!