Citizenship and Immigration Committee on March 23rd, 2026

[Scott Harris]

We would have provided advice in terms of how it might operate from an immigration perspective, such as the tools that would be in place to support that program.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Is that a yes, and you did provide advice?

[Scott Harris]

It was advice in terms of how we would issue permits and what requirements would be needed from an immigration perspective.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Were you consulted by any of the Liberal ministers specifically?

[Scott Harris]

Well, we work with our colleagues. It was our colleagues in ISED who would have led this initiative.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

This policy is especially damning because the Liberal budget last year announced that they were restricting student grants for Canadians pursuing education at private institutions. We're essentially taking money away from Canadian students and giving it to foreign students. Does that seem fair to you?

[Scott Harris]

I can't speak to the changes that were made in either of those programs specifically, as they're not in our program mandate. I'm—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Your department would be issuing the international student permits. Is that right?

[Scott Harris]

We would issue the permits that are associated with those—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

It is still a policy that would fall under the purview of your department, partially. What kind of message do you think that sends to Canadian students?

[Scott Harris]

I can't speculate on what message it sends to students, but I would say that it's part of the suite of...continuing to grow the skills that Canada needs for the future, both domestically and internationally. I would encourage you to discuss some of these questions with those—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

A recent report from the federal department of employment admitted for the first time that an 18% jobless rate for Canadian students was due to “large numbers” of foreign students. As a senior immigration department official overseeing international students, do you agree with the statement from the department of employment and jobs?

[Scott Harris]

I haven't seen that report, but I do know that we have tightened up access to employment for students in response to some of the changing economic dynamics in Canada. As you know, we've reduced the number of hours that students can work while they're studying and we've reduced access to postgraduate work permits—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

You made those announcements. Was that because of the large number of foreign students who are perhaps taking those jobs away from Canadian students?

[Scott Harris]

I think it's to bring program clarity to ensure that people who come to study are here to study and not to work. That's the principal focus of our policy suite. It's to ensure that—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

You disagree with the report, then, because you're saying that most students are coming just to study and then they're going to leave, but the report quotes that part of the reason for the 18% jobless rate we see with Canadian students is the large number of foreign students.

[Scott Harris]

As I said earlier, we want to make sure that the program is fit for purpose. As you know, we've been reducing the number of students coming to Canada, in part because of the changing economic circumstances in Canada.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

The former Liberal immigration minister, Marc Miller, said in 2023, “I don't think [international] students are taking jobs away from other people, given the labour shortages that are happening [today].” Do you agree with that statement?

[Scott Harris]

I can't speak to Minister Miller's statements at the time. If it was the context of 2023—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

If it was said today, would you agree with that statement, yes or no?

[Scott Harris]

I think the context is different today. We have far fewer students in Canada than we did in 2023, by far. That said, I think—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

It's tied to jobs—

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Ho and Mr. Harris.

Now we have five minutes for Ms. Sodhi.

Your time starts now.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

In the last hour, the minister discussed Canada's asylum system. More broadly, can you tell the committee how the government works with the provinces and territories to ensure that supports for asylum claimants are managed in a way that is both responsible and aligned with capacity on the ground?

That's to whoever wishes to answer.

[Scott Harris]

We have very close working relationships with the provinces and territories. Most often they are positive, but obviously there are tensions between the systems. Supports for asylum seekers tend to fall between the federal and provincial governments in terms of coordinating.

The rise of asylum seekers in the last number of years—up until the current period, in which we're seeing declines—has strained the resources for some municipalities and some provinces. Through the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration, we continue to coordinate our efforts to try to align those resources.

As the minister spoke about earlier, we have provided funding to various municipalities and some provinces to support their infrastructure. We work to coordinate not just how we provide relief in the moment, but how we work together to reduce reliance on those systems as quickly as possible as people progress through the system. A lot of the resources we've invested have been directed at building capacity in recent years.