CIMM – Opening Statement – October 21, 2025
Good afternoon.
I’d like to acknowledge that we’re meeting on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People.
Thank you for undertaking this study on Canada’s immigration system.
My colleagues and I truly welcome this conversation.
We share the same goal: a system Canadians can trust, newcomers can navigate with clarity, and that continues to strengthen our country.
Over the last decade, the department has undergone a major transformation.
We’ve modernized our systems and processes to make them more efficient, transparent and client-focused.
As a result, straightforward applications move faster, errors are reduced, and officers can dedicate more time to complex cases.
Applicants also get clearer information on where their case stands online.
While we are proud of this progress, we know the system remains under pressure.
We saw significant increases in asylum claims and rapid growth in international students and temporary workers.
That has placed additional demands on housing, health care and social services, and challenged public sentiment on immigration.
To restore balance and trust, we are adjusting our programs and policies.
We set caps and targets for temporary residents—and are strengthening eligibility and integrity measures—so that this population’s share returns to a sustainable level.
Changes made to our work permit and International Student programs have already resulted in fewer new arrivals—over 235,000 fewer between January and July compared to the same period last year.
We’re also striking a balance on protecting vulnerable people while ensuring our asylum system is strong and fair.
In 2023, the Safe Third Country Agreement was expanded to cover our entire shared land border, resulting in a significant drop in irregular crossings.
Asylum claims are down by more than 30% year-to-date, with notable decreases at airports and inland.
We’re working on additional ways to strengthen the asylum system.
New rules in Bill C-12 would make a claim ineligible to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board if it is filed more than a year after a person first arrives in Canada, or if they cross between ports of entry and file after the two-week period covered by the Safe Third Country Agreement.
These reforms would discourage misuse of the system and protect it from potential surges of claims.
More broadly, IRCC places the highest priority on safety and integrity across all programs.
Everyone applying to come to Canada is carefully screened. We work with the CBSA, CSIS and the RCMP to manage immigration screening, security and enforcement.
We continue to update risk indicators, expand information sharing with allies, and improve tools to make our officers’ decisions robust.
The government will soon table its Annual Report on Immigration. It will outline our immigration levels targets for 2026 and projections for 2027 and 2028, for both permanent and temporary residents.
Our department’s focus remains on keeping the numbers of newcomers sustainable while attracting people with the skills needed to grow Canada’s economy.
Finally, I want to touch on Francophone immigration.
We have a variety of strategies to grow the number of Frenchspeaking newcomers across Canada.
This is crucial to maintain linguistic duality and support vibrant communities from Moncton to Whitehorse.
Madam Chair and members: our department continues to adapt and modernize to meet Canada’s needs while keeping fairness and public confidence at the heart of everything we do.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.