Hon. Amina Gerba: I will pursue this same line of thought. The Prime Minister’s announcement has received extensive coverage. The decision to reduce new permanent resident numbers by 100,000 in 2025 and to continue to decrease those numbers for two years is attracting a lot of attention.

Following this announcement, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, or CFIB, the largest network of SMEs in the country, expressed its serious concerns regarding the government’s decision to drastically reduce permanent immigration levels. The CFIB said that it has been getting panicked calls from a lot of small business owners who are distraught over losing foreign workers whose visas will soon expire. How does the government intend to reassure them?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. It is my understanding that the government plans to adjust economic immigration flows to give priority to workers already in Canada to ensure their transition to permanent resident status and to respond to labour market needs. I’ve been informed that over 40% of permanent resident admissions in 2025 will come from people already in Canada as temporary residents. These skilled and educated newcomers can continue to support the workforce and our economy without placing an additional burden on social services.

Senator Gerba: According to the CFIB, there are still 379,000 vacancies in the private sector. In such a context, the organization has explained that it’s very difficult to maintain a strong workforce without robust immigration. Does the government have a plan to avoid serious labour problems for Canadian businesses?

Senator Gold: The government recognizes that immigration is essential to grow our economy and strengthen our communities. That’s why, when developing its plan, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, or IRCC, takes into account economic and regional needs. In addition, IRCC works with a wide range of stakeholders and partners, including the provinces and territories, throughout the year to gather their input while developing the plan.