Hon. Tony Loffreda: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. I would like to address the issue of Canada’s labour shortages and how immigration, and specifically international students, could help address this issue.

According to a recent economic report, international students are now a key talent pipeline for Canada, representing almost 40% of new economic-class immigrants. We also know that international students could help fill labour shortages in trades, services, health care and much more. In health care alone, the projected labour shortfall is nearly 111,000 by 2028.

I strongly believe Canada needs to do a better job at tapping into our diverse and highly qualified pool of international students to help fill labour shortages and contribute to our economic growth.

What new measures is the government taking to ensure international students can easily shift from the classroom to citizenship to the workplace in a timely and efficient manner?

Senator Loffreda: One statistic suggests that 50% of international students do not file a tax return post graduation, so that means we’re not retaining 50% of the students. What policies or targeted measures have the government implemented to recruit the best young talent from abroad, including international students?

I think we should monitor and keep track of the international students who are leaving Canada. We’re not doing that. I did make mention of that recently.

There are some concerns. Canada is struggling to keep this international pool of talent, and I think we should make a huge effort to try to retain this talent in Canada. Is there a specific strategy or strategies that you know of or have spoken to the government about or that you will speak to the government about to retain this talent?