Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 15th, 2026

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Menegakis.

Next, we have four minutes for Ms. Sodhi.

Go ahead, Ms. Sodhi.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to all of our witnesses for being here today.

Mr. Aldunate, I wanted to thank you for being here today.

As someone born and raised in Brampton, now proudly serving as the member of Parliament for Brampton Centre, I've seen the impact that immigration has had on our communities, from cultural diversity to multiculturalism, and the impact that it's had on our economy and its growth.

You mentioned this in your opening remarks as well, but I wanted to reiterate that Brampton is one of the most diverse cities, one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, and many newcomers have arrived in Brampton with credentials that they earned abroad.

From your work with employers on the ground, what difference would a faster, fairer credential recognition process make, both for the workers and for the companies that are trying to hire them?

[Paul Aldunate]

The immigration policies need to be more surgical in nature so that people can work with the businesses to identify the exact skill sets that are needed. As I said in my statement, we have a lot of businesses that might have 200 employees, but for about 15% of them, they took the time to teach them how to use specific machinery, equipment and innovations. To see them having to go because their work permits are expiring is detrimental, of course, to the family, but also to the employer, who put in all that money and investment. Immigration policy does need to be more surgical.

We learn by going to meet many of these businesses. I benefit so much when I go visit these businesses. I go as much as I can. You really start to learn about what exactly makes them tick, how they run and what they need. It's that kind of on-the-ground work that anyone who's developing these immigration policies really needs to get to know.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

The government also recently announced a $97-million foreign credential recognition fund, which will work with the provinces and territories to make that process a little faster and more transparent. How do you think that would impact Brampton's economy?

[Paul Aldunate]

I think it would be of enormous benefit to Brampton, given the huge number of immigrants who come to Brampton. Basically, our whole city is immigrants, and a lot of them have the talent and the expertise, which they've obtained from abroad. Many of them are willing to go to work as soon as possible. In the health industry, for instance, we hear a lot about doctors and people who have medical credentials from abroad who are unable to apply their skills here in town. That type of investment would benefit situations like that.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Your office works directly with investors and employers across different sectors in Brampton. What are you hearing from them about their ability to find the skilled workers they need? What is one recommendation you'd like to give to the committee today?

[Paul Aldunate]

The one recommendation I'd like to give today is to provide more allocation under the Ontario immigrant nominee program, given that the province has more visibility into these businesses. Immigration has a real regional component to it. In the plastics industry, for instance, there are very skilled people who are employed and they can't hire them anywhere else, so they need to keep on the people they do have.

I hear about it in the defence industry as well: One specific company is really looking to grow in defence, but they're hiring people who are 60 or 70 years old, who are retired, and bringing them back because they're the only ones who have the ability to carry on the technology they have.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Aldunate.

Thank you, Ms. Sodhi.

Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for four minutes.

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

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Good afternoon, Mr. Aldunate. We are seeing that the number of temporary foreign workers admitted to Canada is dropping significantly. In Brampton, are you seeing a lot of foreign workers leave since they can't renew their permits?

[Paul Aldunate]

I would say that in talking to our companies in the manufacturing business, plastics and defence, it's not the volume of employees. There are a lot of immigrants here, but it's the specialized skills that they have and that they've gained in their short time working here under the tutelage of these companies that are an issue. Their work permits are expiring. They're having trouble finding the right stream in order for them to stay and work for that company. Those companies are panicking a bit, because that's 15% to 20% of their workforce when you're talking about the skilled labour that they need. It's not the volume. It's not the total amount of employees or the number of immigrants that we need to pull from. It's that surgical, specific type of—

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

From what your businesses are telling you, are there a lot of departures in Brampton?

[Paul Aldunate]

I'd say yes. You're at around 15% to 20% in terms of numbers. That's what they're telling us. I don't want to go beyond that. Those are the numbers they're giving us, so those would be the numbers I would go with.

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

How does the departure of those foreign workers affect Brampton's economy?

[Paul Aldunate]

It's a pause in their work, not bidding on certain projects or being choosy about which projects they bid on. It hasn't resulted in the closing down of any businesses yet, but you definitely see a pause. Some of those employees are still there, but time is running out for them.

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

That's interesting. So there are foreign workers whose permits are not renewed, but who are staying in Brampton. Is that what you mean when you say they are still there?

[Paul Aldunate]

I'm saying that they have a few months left on their permit. They haven't expired. It's just that time is running out.

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

We have talked about asylum seekers recently, specifically because there are workers who have an open permit and who, of course, are able and willing to work.

Does the City of Brampton receive enough support from the federal government to ensure that asylum seekers can be integrated into the labour market?

[Paul Aldunate]

It would be hard for me to speak to that specifically, so I won't venture to answer that.

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

I am asking because I noted that, in your role, you also handle international development. So you don't work directly with asylum seekers.

[Paul Aldunate]

It's not me specifically. When it comes to international relations, we're dealing with all sorts of delegations who come from different countries to Brampton. As well, we go abroad to conferences, visit and meet with different site selectors and companies to try to attract them to Brampton. That's the international relations part of my job.

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

I think I have 30 seconds left.

Do you think that reducing the number of temporary foreign workers is a good policy?

[Paul Aldunate]

Overall, yes, but we need to be more surgical. I'd go back to that. I think we need to be more surgical in terms of who we let in and the types of skill sets they have.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Aldunate.

Thank you, Mr. Deschênes.

Thanks to both our witnesses today. Thank you for your testimony. Thank you for answering this round of questions.

Thank you to all my colleagues, and thank you to our clerk and analysts for helping us out today.

I hope everybody has a wonderful summer. I look forward to seeing everyone in September.

The meeting is now adjourned.