Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time.
I am pleased to rise today to discuss how IRCC's main estimates will drive our economy. The budget, the spring economic update and now the main estimates are guiding our country forward during a very challenging period. The rupture in global order brings us to a moment when we need to build our strengths at home, diversify our markets abroad, and build or renew international partnerships with like-minded countries. Immigration is an important part of that plan.
When it is thoughtfully managed, immigration strengthens our country, fills labour gaps, grows businesses and supports critical sectors like health care, construction and emerging technology. However, the immigration system needs to work smoothly. It needs to be aligned with both the needs of our employers and the capacities of our communities. It needs to provide fair opportunities for those who come to Canada and leave everything behind.
The government has been working hard to improve the immigration system by restoring control, strengthening program integrity and returning immigration targets to sustainable levels. In the 2026-28 immigration levels plan, we set a clear commitment to make immigration levels sustainable. The plan stabilizes targets for permanent residents and reduces arrival targets for new temporary residents. We remain focused on attracting the best talent in the world to build our economy and address the labour shortage, while making sure that communities are growing responsibly. As a result, Canadians are seeing a system that is balanced and reliable.
Our immigration plan prioritizes workers. In 2026, nearly two out of three PRs will fill essential positions across the country. We are inviting newcomers to fill jobs where there are skill gaps. We are attracting global talent to meet our country's unique emerging needs. We are prioritizing industries like artificial intelligence, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, health care and construction.
Canada's international talent attraction strategy is a whole-of-government effort to bring in skilled newcomers our industries and communities need: the best and the brightest. As we begin to attract this talent, we must have a system in place that encourages them to stay and to settle long-term. This is why we are prioritizing skilled temporary workers who are already here for permanent residence.
We recently announced more details about the one-time in-Canada workers initiative, which will accelerate the processing and approval of 33,000 temporary workers for permanent residence. They are already here, paying taxes and taking part in our communities. They deserve to feel like Canada is their home. Many of those workers are in smaller and rural communities that are facing persistent labour shortages, where local employers depend on them to stay in business.
The main estimates will support a more efficient system for attracting and retaining newcomers. In 2026, our government announced new measures to make it easier for physicians working in Canada to apply for permanent residence. We are also making it easier for graduate and postdoctoral students to bring their expertise to Canada. The department's digital modernization effort will allow newcomers to understand their applications better and have access to support when needed. New digital tools will help train officers proactively to identify issues and verify information. These tools will also help them process applications faster.
We need an immigration system that delivers results for newcomers and for all Canadians, and sometimes that means different results for different parts of our country. The system must be able to reflect what makes each of our regions unique and recognize that Burnaby's Metrotown and the east coast fisheries represent very different labour markets. We are partnering with provinces and territories and responding to their economic priorities through programs that respect regional diversity. This includes the provincial nominee program, the Atlantic immigration program, and pilot programs that support rural and francophone communities.
In a time of global disruption, Canada continues to be a beacon of opportunity, where skilled people from different parts of the world can find their place in welcoming communities, find work in emerging fields and watch their families thrive. We are pulling together strategies and resources to attract the best and the brightest, grow our economy and support our communities. Our government is ensuring that immigration continues to serve Canadians, now and for future generations.
Many people who came to Canada through the Hong Kong pathway are highly skilled, very well educated, hard-working and already contributing significantly to our economy. Many pay taxes, work in essential sectors and are building their lives here in Canada. At the same time, many families still face uncertainty because they do not yet have permanent status.
Can the minister provide an update on the effort to improve processing times and reduce delays for those families as they continue to contribute to Canada?