Debates of May 28th, 2026

Department of Citizenship and Immigration—Main Estimates, 2026-27

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, our measures are working. We have tightened regulations. Employers in the workforce have already tightened them.

It is correct that there have been 74% fewer new worker arrivals. That is down 103,160 people in the first three months of 2026, compared to 2024.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, let us compare 2026 to 2025. There were 33,500 TFW permits in the first two months of 2026, and there were 24,000 in the same period last year.

Does she know that 33,000 is more than 24,000, and why on earth is she accelerating the TFW program?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, we are reducing the share of non-permanent residents, including workers, to less than 5% of Canada's population by the end of 2027. That was the mandate and commitment we made in the election. Canadians elected this government. The Prime Minister has made that a mandate that he provided to all ministers. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed we are—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister is failing to answer the question. She is failing to acknowledge that she has actually let in more temporary foreign workers.

The TFW permits have gone from 72,000 in 2015 to 190,000 in 2024. That is a 163% increase, all while youth unemployment is at 15%. The Prime Minister himself called this a failure of execution. Does she agree with that statement, at least?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, I am going to point to a track record in my first year as a minister of managing migration. The first is that asylum claims have gone down 60% in early 2026 compared to 2024. The second is that new student visas were down 80% in early 2026 compared to 2024. Temporary foreign workers are down—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, temporary foreign workers are up. Let the record show it. The minister cannot mislead the House by saying otherwise.

However, let us talk about study permits for a second. The minister's department can investigate 2,000 fraud cases a year. The Auditor General flagged that there are 153,000 cases. At that pace, it is going to take 76 years. That is probably longer than I am going to be here and probably longer than she is going to be here. Is that acceptable to her?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, in fact, the Auditor General found clear evidence of improvements in that there are fewer student visas being issued. I have already talked about the arrivals of these students. It is a significant decrease.

Perhaps the member does not want any to come to the country. Perhaps she should be speaking to the universities, provinces, territories, municipalities and people—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

There is time for a short question.

The hon. member.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister cannot cast aspersions on any members of the House and what they want.

I am talking about the fraud in her department. Of those flagged applicants, 21,000 filed asylum claims at the taxpayer's expense. The minister's department confirmed 800 fraud cases. Why are there so few prosecutions?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, there are two things. The first is that the department has investigated each and every case flagged. The second is that we brought in Bill C-12, which would eliminate all the irregularities of those who filed but should not have filed.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Chair, in 2018, the Liberal government removed mandatory union consultations from the LMIA process. It was a safeguard to prevent skilled trades workers from being unemployed.

Does the minister think that was a good thing to do, or does she regret that decision?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, the member mentioned 2018, which is fabulous. I was a provincial minister and, in fact, acted as the minister of labour and advanced education in 2020. I worked very closely with the unions in my province and can speak to some of that.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Chair, I can only take that as a “no”, she does not think removing the safeguard was a mistake, because she did not say it was a mistake.

How many skilled trades workers were unemployed in Canada in 2025?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, I love to hear about skilled trades. That is something this budget is offering: lots and lots of positions for skilled trades for young people and people of all ages in terms of compensation, but we also want to attract people—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Chair, she obviously does not know the answer to that question, which is shocking, but it is 127,000. That is the answer to the question.

Could the minister tell the House how many TFW permits were issued for TEER 0 to 3 skilled occupations, including skilled trades, in 2025?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, I was provincial minister for eight years before now and have been a federal minister for 12 months. I understand the TEER levels, the skilled trades and construction, having come from that world. The important thing is that the measures that have been implemented are working.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Chair, since she does not know the answer to the question of how many TFW permits she gave in the skilled trades category, it is 126,000, which is almost identical to the 127,000 skilled trades workers who were unemployed in 2025.

Does the minister now want to take the opportunity to apologize for removing the union's safeguard on LMIAs and apologize to the 127,000 skilled trades workers who lost their jobs because of the 126,000 TFW permits she issued in skilled trades?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, actually, I met with union leaders when I went to Sudbury a few months ago. I also meet with union leaders all the time. It is part of what I do. I think we all do that.

The important thing here is that these jobs are to fill labour gaps. They are for work in rural communities, in communities where these jobs are needed. There are extreme measures that the Minister of Employment and Workforce has taken to tighten those measures.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister's lack of remorse for a bad decision that has had real consequences for skilled trade workers in this country is really shocking.

Ironworkers Union Local 97 warned the government of the effect of this. The head of that union said that the TFW program was being misused and abused, was driving down wages and undercutting hard-working Canadians, which the numbers I just gave the minister prove. Does she now want to admit that it was a mistake and apologize for that mistake?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, under my express entry category, we continue to prioritize tradespeople such as carpenters, plumbers and machinists. We have been told that these are gaps and that the workers are needed today here in Canada, particularly as we build the country.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

You talk about building the country. Here is what building trades unions have said about your temporary foreign worker program. They warned your government that excessive reliance on temporary labour would weaken apprenticeship pathways and discourage employers from hiring Canadian employees. The numbers I just gave you bear that out exactly.

I give you another opportunity: Do you want to apologize to the 127,000 unemployed skilled trade workers whose jobs went to 126,000 TFWs that you granted in the skilled trades?

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Before I recognize the minister, I will point out that the member used “you” quite a bit. I am neither apologizing for anything nor responding, but I will let the minister respond the way she sees fit.