QUESTION PERIOD — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Skilled Worker Program
November 20, 2025
Honourable colleagues, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.
A recent report by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship reveals that most highly skilled immigrants — health care providers, scientists, engineers and senior executives — who receive their residency status here eventually leave Canada within five years. They are leaving at twice the rate compared to low-skilled labour.
Government leader, how can you tell this chamber that Canada is still a magnet for the high-skilled labour that we so desperately need in order to build our economy when we have such high numbers of high-skilled labour fleeing the country within five years of gaining residency here?
It’s a very important question, and that’s probably the reason why the government tabled an important budget for 2025 to increase the growth of our economy and to make the Canadian economy stronger. When we build a strong economy, we create opportunities for highly paid jobs that require those kinds of individuals whom you are referring to, Senator Housakos. I think that’s the intelligent thing to do. That’s what the government is committed to doing with this budget.
Thank you for acknowledging that over the last 10 years, the government has failed, and now in the recent budget, they are taking steps in order to address the problem. That in itself is a problem.
When you have high-skilled labour — scientists, engineers and health care providers — who are needed in all sectors, but they are seeing the options before them in a society where it’s hard to buy a house and sustain a family, then we understand why they are leaving. The only thing the government has given them is generational debt to deal with.
You like to raise the issue of the last 10 years, Senator Housakos. However, I like to think that over the last 10 years, some good things have been done by the government because six months ago, there was a general election and the judgment was made by Canadians to keep you on the same side of this room, which is the same side of the room for the opposition in the other place.
I guess over the last 10 years, that government made good decisions, and the government is still making good decisions.
