Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Sept. 25th, 2025

[Robert Asselin]

Again, I don't want to comment on one specific province. I want to speak on behalf of my institutions.

I think we have an excellent record of bringing the best and the brightest. We're very proud of the excellence that we provide to students. The programs that international students compete for to come into our institutions are of the highest standard.

I'll let others judge the Ontario situation as a whole.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Within your institutions across Canada, have you made no comparisons about the growth of the enrolment in different provinces?

[Robert Asselin]

Overall, we're among the most sought-after institutions in Canada. People want to come into our programs, at both the graduate and the undergraduate level. In some instances, it's very competitive to come and be accepted at places such as McGill, UBC or the University of Toronto.

It's not a quantitative argument. For us, it's a qualitative one. We're very proud of that, and we will maintain it.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Thank you.

Can you speak to the impact on the U15 universities, whose reputation depends on quality, when provinces such as Ontario allow the private colleges or the less regulated institutions to expand enrolment rapidly without sufficient oversight over those institutions?

[Robert Asselin]

Madam Chair, I hesitate to go outside my jurisdiction here. I'm here to represent the leading research universities of Canada and to say that the study permit cap has been very harmful to bringing the best and the brightest. That's my message today.

Thank you.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Looking at the international best practices, what role do you think the provinces should play in ensuring that the integrity of their designated learning institutions is protected?

[Robert Asselin]

Again, I think that the federal Parliament is concerned with federal jurisdiction. I want to emphasize that what we are able to change, hopefully through the recommendations of this committee, is to remove the cap on graduate student study permits, which has been very harmful to bringing the best and the brightest to this country. I hope that we will keep the emphasis on this, because it is the line in my testimony that I want to make sure everyone remembers.

Thank you.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

My next question is for Mr. Agnew from Seneca Polytechnic.

Mr. Agnew, housing has been one of the most pressing challenges facing international students in Ontario. I am a member of Parliament from the city of Toronto. From Seneca's perspective, how has that challenge evolved in recent years, and how have the government's recent reforms, such as introducing the caps and requiring stronger provincial oversight, affected the pressure of housing on the students at Seneca?

[David Agnew]

There are fewer students. Therefore, there is less demand for student housing, which is not single-family dwellings being built in the suburbs of Toronto or the GTA. It's usually apartments and shared accommodation within the city.

We have two residences on our campuses. We've never housed the majority of our students, by any stretch. Both international and domestic students have chosen to live in the community, as opposed to on our campus. To help, we have a housing office. Students can do home stays. We can match up people who have an empty room in their house with a student. We do everything we can to support our students in the search for housing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Ms. Zahid.

Thank you, Mr. Agnew.

Now we have six minutes for you, Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the witnesses for being here with us for this important study.

Mr. Blanchette, I'd like to talk about Enquête's investigative report into international crime rings that use the study permit system to get their people into Quebec. That episode caused quite a stir in Quebec. Viewership was record-setting. A lot of people watched it, including you and me.

I was shocked—or at least very surprised—at the IRCC spokesperson's response, which was to blame universities and the Government of Quebec.

What was your reaction to the IRCC's response to that report?

[Christian Blanchette]

As soon as we heard about the report, we made a point of watching it. I have to tell you I was surprised because universities have neither the means nor the power to conduct background checks. The federal government, that is, IRCC, has the power and the means to find out if applicants who want to come to Canada have a criminal record or other problems.

We are willing to co-operate with IRCC, and have been for four years, to help identify individuals that, according to the department, should not be in Canada and to find out if such people are actually here. We'll continue to do that as long as IRCC wants to work with us, but the department is the one with that power, not universities.

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

Thank you, Mr. Blanchette.

You also talked about processing delays, research and universities' international reputations.

Can you say more about those things?

[Christian Blanchette]

Universities haven't changed how they recruit people. Obviously it was very surprising to see such a sharp drop in the number of applications at all kinds of universities. We've seen statements made by our politicians in the press around the world, and we can see what kind of impact that has had.

The day after a department issues a statement, it appears in North African countries and all the countries in the francophonie, among others. Processing times are now extremely long. As a result, many high-quality candidates, talented people at all kinds of universities find themselves without a study permit come September because there is too much red tape. There are ways to simplify the process, and the government really needs to work on shortening processing times.

I have an example for you, Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

Doctoral studies in Canada take four years. Programs are designed to last four years. In general, candidates graduate after four and a half years of study. However, permits issued to international students for doctoral programs are valid for three years. That forces students to apply for a renewal, and that clogs up the system. That's not all. Applications for renewal are just like the initial IRCC permit application. Students are expected to produce documents and diplomas that are already in our universities' files. They've already produced all those documents. Moreover, it can sometimes be very difficult to get those documents in some countries.

Our system is cumbersome and unfit for its purpose. We should have an expedited process for applications for renewal. We need to look at the entire system and simplify it. Currently, its consequences are very negative, and talented people who were told they can come to Canada aren't coming. Canada's reputation is suffering as a result.

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

I've read a lot on the file. From what I understand, there is a difference between francophone and anglophone universities in terms of the consequences that certain decisions or statements have had recently.

Have you also noticed this difference, given what is happening in some anglophone educational institutions compared to our francophone educational institutions?

[Christian Blanchette]

Actually, the recruitment pools are different. Even the 2022 report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration pointed out the marked differences between the processing of files in English-language recruitment pools and the processing of files in French-language institutions. French-language recruitment pools were at a great disadvantage. I speak about this with first-hand knowledge, since 65% of our international students came from the African continent. We saw that as really unfavourable treatment.

Essentially, the francophonie reacts strongly to Canadian rhetoric. I think that's why we need to reflect and try to return to separating the issue of international students from the much more complex issue of immigration. Ideally, we should talk about international students separately from immigration, because that would send a clearer message to students.

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

Briefly, what is the impact on research?

I asked the other group of witnesses this question, but I'd also like to hear your comments.

[Christian Blanchette]

All universities have areas of research excellence, whether they are part of U15 Canada or other academic institutions. Approximately 80 universities in Canada have very large research programs. I am the chair of the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire, and I speak to all university rectors. Across Quebec, we see that everyone in every area of cutting-edge research is having trouble recruiting talent.

I would like to point out that we are filling our universities with Canadian students in cutting-edge disciplines. However, we aren't managing to produce enough talent in areas like artificial intelligence or hydrogen technology. These are truly cutting-edge areas, and there isn't enough talent in Canada to meet the needs of Canadian-funded research.

That's why international students are important for Canada. It is Canada's research program and Canada's economic transformation program that are affected by the scarcity of international students.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Blanchette and Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

Next, we have Mr. Menegakis, for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to our witnesses.

My questions are for Mr. Agnew this afternoon.

Mr. Agnew, I want to confirm what you said earlier, at least my understanding of it. Did the federal government ever ask you take into consideration the availability of student housing around Seneca college campuses in the greater Toronto area, where you primarily have campuses?

[David Agnew]

No. Did the federal government ever come to me and ask, “Do you having housing around?” No, the federal government did not come to me.

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

Did they ever ask you to take into consideration the labour market impacts, particularly among our youth, yes or no?

[David Agnew]

Can I just step back for a second? We're provincial organizations. Colleges in Ontario are Crown agencies, so I think the main connection—

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

I understand, Mr. Agnew. I just wanted to know if the federal government ever asked you to take that into consideration.

Did they ever ask you to take into consideration the impact to our health care system with respect to the number of international students Seneca is accepting? Give a yes or a no, please.

[David Agnew]

We run our own health care service for our international students—