Citizenship and Immigration Committee on April 22nd, 2026

[Fred Davies, Conservative, Niagara South, ON]

In your experience in the Maritimes region.... Over the last number of years, with the number of students who have been coming in, there have been pressures on our health care system and housing. Have you witnessed any of those socio-economic issues related to students who are coming in to the east coast?

[Tony Fang]

The increase in the percentage is dramatic, but the total number as a percentage of the population is still relatively small. Those kinds of issues, such as housing and health care, are not recent. They've been a problem for a long period of time.

To some extent, the demand from international students has increased, but there are also issues about eligibility, among other things. Some provinces may not give international students equal access to the health care system.

We need more convincing evidence to show the cause or impact, but my observations, both in Newfoundland and in Atlantic Canada, are that the impact international students have on the housing sector and health care is not significant.

[Fred Davies, Conservative, Niagara South, ON]

Thank you.

I'm going to switch gears for a second.

How many post-secondary institutions in the region are accepting international students? I want to get through to the issue of the new letter of acceptance, which has been plaguing many of the post-secondary institutions. Have you had issues with some learning institutions that have, perhaps, been bringing in a disproportionate number of students in relation to the effectiveness of the programs?

[Tony Fang]

It's a good question.

I think the issue you raised applies more to such provinces as Ontario, Quebec, B.C. and so on. They have a large number of private colleges and schools, which have accepted a lot of international students in recent years. In Atlantic Canada, we don't have very many private colleges and universities, so most colleges and universities are publicly funded. I don't think this is a big issue for Atlantic Canada in terms of the legitimate international students who pursue post-secondary education.

International students also create a lot of jobs through consumption and investment. Others pay high tuition to the universities. In many ways, we have shown that the positive effects of international students on the regional economy are much greater. They're 2:1 in terms of the costs we put into the system.

[Fred Davies, Conservative, Niagara South, ON]

I'm sorry. Can you expand on that 2:1? What do you mean by that?

[Tony Fang]

This is based on the examination...it was not done by me, but by my colleagues. Professor Wade Locke, Scott Lynch and others found out and published a report on the returns from post-secondary education for the regional economy.

There's also a study, if you're interested, by the association for colleges and universities in Atlantic Canada. It published similar research detailing all the socio-economic and cultural benefits of having international students in the region.

[Fred Davies, Conservative, Niagara South, ON]

Mr. Proulx, from a legal standpoint, you're familiar with the issues at IRCC with the number of non-follow-ups with students who were deemed to be fraudulent applicants.

Would you agree that, as soon as an application is flagged as potentially fraudulent, IRCC has the authority to refuse a student outright?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Unfortunately, we've run out of time, Mr. Davies. I know you got started, but he'll have to respond in your next round, if that's okay.

Next, we have Mr. Sameer Zuberi for five minutes. Please go ahead, Mr. Zuberi.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I want to give a shout-out to my youth council. They're joining us today, watching all of us, from all parties, engaging with the witnesses.

I would also like to thank all the witnesses for joining us today.

I'll start with Ms. Woolger.

I really appreciated your contribution.

First of all, I want to ask this: In the first weeks and months when asylum seekers come to Canada, what have you found are the critical supports those asylum seekers need in order to be fully on their feet and contribute to Canadian society in a meaningful way? What have you observed in your career thus far?

[Anne Woolger]

Thus far, I have observed that the first thing they need is safe shelter. By that, I mean a place in which they truly feel safe. Sometimes, there are places in which they don't feel safe. After safe shelter, it's support with all of their initial settlement needs. This includes going through all the processes to make a refugee claim or prepare for their refugee hearing.

Working through all those things, we often give them an orientation about the whole refugee process and the status determination system so that they understand them. There's then an orientation on life in Canada, connecting them with legal aid and local English classes, if English is what they need. They have to do their immigration medicals and such things. When they already know English, many of them are very keen to find employment, so we help them find employment.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I've engaged with a number of different refugees who have migrated to Canada and sought safety here. They are safe here after the very difficult conditions they fled from in other countries, be they conflict or the potential threat of being deported to great oppression.

I've noticed that there are two different stories. I've seen the one you just said, which is that supports are given by the federal government to people who land here, and within one year, they end up landing on their feet, getting jobs and contributing to society. I've also seen another story, in which supports aren't given. People are dazed and confused, unable to land on their feet. Oftentimes, they say, “I don't know how I can integrate here. I might need to go back to a place that is not as safe.”

Have you seen those two stories in your work experience?

[Anne Woolger]

Yes. Rarely have I seen them thinking of literally returning, but in fact, this is one of the reasons I founded Matthew House. I saw a huge shortage of decent and appropriate shelters and services geared specifically toward the needs of refugee claimants and asylum seekers. Because of this, the long-term success rate....

Refugee claimants are incredibly resourceful, and they will ultimately thrive, but it's a lot longer before that might happen. Landing in a place that assists is helpful.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I'll share that I've seen these two stories. The latter story is about Gazan refugees. Canada has welcomed a number who have family here and have gone through intense security checks, but they are here. They say it's so hard that they are thinking about going back to Egypt, to very different circumstances from Canada's, despite the fact that we provided them refuge here from the war in Gaza.

I want to use the remaining 45 or 50 seconds to ask Ms. Biron and Mr. Proulx a few questions about the retention of international talent in small communities.

Can you tell us a bit about this?

[Philippe Proulx]

The challenge lies in retaining the immigrants who choose to settle in our region. On that note, one of the main issues stems from the fact that, since IRCC introduced measures in early 2025, it has become increasingly difficult for the spouses accompanying temporary foreign workers to renew their open work permits. As a result, we're losing people who integrated, who speak French, who work in skilled occupations affected by labour shortages and who chose to settle in our region. We're losing them simply because their spouses can't renew their open work permits. It's a major retention problem.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Proulx.

Thank you, Mr. Zuberi.

Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Bloc Québécois seeks a balanced approach to temporary immigration. We know that there was no cap in recent years. In 2025, 673,000 temporary residents were admitted. Now, the government wants to lower that number to 370,000 by 2027.

We advocate for an approach that takes regional realities into account. However, when we listen to you, we realize that Drummond is lumped together with Saguenay, Trois-Rivières and Sherbrooke, but also with Montreal and Toronto. A posting rule was enforced at the last minute: You must post job openings for eight weeks before you can proceed with a renewal. We're also learning that the unemployment rate used in your region appears to be unreliable.

Ms. Biron, what is the impact on the ground for the businesses you represent?

[Julie Biron]

All the companies are telling us the same thing: They have a skilled worker who has been here for quite some time, is trained, speaks French, is happy, the companies are happy, everything is going well but, unfortunately, due to certain restrictions imposed on them, they have to terminate this worker's employment. This is a major issue.

From an economic standpoint, we're hearing that these companies are considering relocating, cutting shifts and cancelling projects. That's really what's happening, and we'll certainly feel the effects in the coming years.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Are those effects beginning to be felt?

[Julie Biron]

Yes, absolutely. We know of companies that reluctantly have to cut shifts. That leads to a drop in productivity. They're even considering investing in sister plants located elsewhere, even outside the country. We really need to support our manufacturing companies. The manufacturing sector is the heart of the economy. Here in particular, there are twice as many industrial jobs compared to the provincial average. So it's pretty obvious.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Why shouldn't a region like Drummond be lumped in with Montreal or Toronto?

[Philippe Proulx]

Mainly because the demographic and economic realities aren't the same at all. The pressure on housing and public services isn't the same, and neither are the needs. We are facing severe labour shortages because we have difficulty attracting local workers to the regions. People are moving from one region to another to come here. We also have issues related to certain professions that are largely the same elsewhere in the province and in parts of the country. We lack welders, machinists and electrical mechanics.

So, in our view, it makes no sense for us to be subject to the same measures as those applied to CMAs with several million people, since these are completely different contexts.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Proulx.

Thank you, Mr. Deschênes.

We have only six minutes left. I'm going to give three minutes to the Conservatives and three minutes to the Liberals.

Mr. Ho, you have three minutes.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Professor Fang, I'm going to be really quick.

Your research has found that when access to low-skilled temporary foreign workers was restricted, wages in those occupations that are intensive for temporary foreign workers rose by about 3% to 5%. Does this not suggest that, at least in some sectors, this program has been suppressing wage growth for domestic workers?

[Tony Fang]

As I said earlier, yes. This is based on 2014. We don't have the data yet for the recent changes since last year. There is some moderate positive effect on wages on otherwise low-wage workers in Canada already. Yes, to answer your question based on the evidence.

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

There is some wage suppression, then.

We have seen the number of temporary foreign worker permits issued explode over the last few years under the Liberal government. Would it be fair to say that if an employer can rely on a stream of temporary labour, especially in lower-wage sectors, the pressures to raise wages, improve work schedules or invest in training are disincentivized for employers?