July 24, 2025
The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Diab,
On behalf of Western Community College, a dynamic institution committed to education, innovation, and inclusive community-building I thank Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the opportunity to provide input into the development of Canada’s 2025 Immigration Levels Plan. We recognize and commend IRCC’s expanded approach to include temporary resident targets, and your continued commitment to a whole-of-government, wholeof-society perspective on immigration.
Western Community College (WCC) is a leading outcomes-driven post-secondary institution that plays a critical role in training B.C.’s future workforce across priority sectors, such as health care, skilled trades, technology, early childhood education, and aviation. Western Community College is uniquely situated in the Surrey Health & Technology District, an innovation corridor adjacent to Surrey Memorial Hospital. This location, in addition to our eight other campuses in BC, focus on real-time collaboration across education, health care, and tech sectors, providing a future-forward model
for community-integrated learning.
Our student body reflects the incredible diversity of British Columbia, with a strong representation of international students and new Canadians who are integrating into Canadian society and the labour market through education. We are building an opportunity economy through private education to drive economic growth by tying industry needs to curriculum development. We support Canada’s immigration and integration objectives in the following ways:
- Supporting international students with affordable, career-focused education pathways;
- Enabling successful transitions into the workforce through employer-aligned programming;
- Collaborating with government and community partners to help newcomers thrive; and,
- Preparing to open Surrey’s first dedicated student housing tower, developed by a private post-secondary institution will provide accessible accommodations for domestic and international learners alike.
- Advancing digital learning and hybrid delivery models to support students across Canada and globally—an important element for future immigration flexibility.
As a growing private post-secondary institution located within one of British Columbia’s most diverse and fastest growing regions and more specifically in Surrey which is going to be our province’s largest city in 5-7 years, Western Community College plays an integral role in supporting Canada’s immigration, workforce, and economic priorities. International students are not only vital contributors to our local and national economies, but many also represent future permanent residents who are ready to fill critical labour shortages and contribute meaningfully to Canadian
society.
Key Considerations for the 2025 Immigration Levels Plan:
1. Support Pathways from Study to Permanent Residency:
We encourage the government to reinforce and streamline pathways for international students to transition into permanent residency through programs such as the Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Programs. Greater clarity, consistency, and communication around eligibility criteria will support both students and institutions in long-term planning.
2. Balanced Temporary Resident Targets:
While we support responsible growth, we urge IRCC to ensure that any limitations on temporary resident arrivals, including international students, are implemented in a way that distinguishes between high-quality, outcomes-focused institutions and others. Institutions like WCC that provide accredited, skills-based training aligned with labour market needs should be recognized as key partners in immigration and workforce development.
3. Investment in Settlement and Integration Supports:
We strongly support expanded federal investment in wraparound services—language training, housing, mental health supports, and job readiness—for international students and new permanent residents. These services are essential for equitable integration and economic participation, particularly in smaller urban centres like Surrey, where demand is rapidly increasing.
4. Collaboration on Labour Market Alignment:
IRCC should work in partnership with institutions like WCC to identify and promote immigration streams that align with regional labour gaps—particularly in healthcare, aviation, childcare, technology, and trades. Our institution is uniquely positioned to deliver career-ready talent in these areas and can assist with data and insights to inform policy development.
5. Support for Equity and Inclusion in Immigration Policy:
We applaud IRCC’s efforts to address systemic racism, sexism, and other barriers in the immigration system. Ongoing collaboration with educational institutions will be critical to ensuring equitable access to opportunity for students and prospective newcomers from all backgrounds.
6. Expand Post-Education Work Permit Access to Regulated Programs at Designated Private Institutions for regulated programs:
We strongly urge IRCC to consider eligibility for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) for international students graduating from regulated, high-demand programs offered by designated private colleges, particularly in sectors critical to Canada’s healthcare system. These include:
- Health Care Assistant
- Medical Laboratory Assistant
- Medical Device Reprocessing Technician
- Registered Massage Therapy (RMT)
- Pharmacy Technician
- Dental Assistant
- Early Childhood Education
These programs are:
- Regulated by provincial or national health authorities,
- Aligned with provincial health workforce needs, and
- Delivered under approved curriculum standards.
By allowing graduates of these programs to access PGWPs, Canada can address critical labor shortages in healthcare, promote equitable access to immigration opportunities, and strengthen the value proposition of Canadian education for international students.
7. Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility and the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) Program:
Currently, only public institutions offering Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) programs are eligible to provide Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP). As a result, private institutions are not offering AME programs despite the significant demand for skilled professionals in this field globally. In contrast, both public and private institutions offering Flight Training Programs are PGWP-eligible, ensuring equitable access to education and workforce integration in that sector. If private institutions offering AME programs were granted PGWP eligibility, we would be well-positioned to launch this program. AME is a high-demand profession regulated by Transport Canada, and both public and private institutions adhere to the same national standards and oversight. We are simply advocating for a level playing field. The current policy disadvantages private institutions offering high-quality, accredited programs that meet industry needs.
Expanding PGWP eligibility to include private AME and health care-related programs would align with broader national and provincial goals—particularly in British Columbia—related to addressing skilled labour shortages and improving access to training. Such a change would not only support institutional growth but would benefit Canada’s economy and workforce development as a whole.
8. Housing & Affordability Advocacy:
As housing affordability is a national concern, we encourage the federal government to explore additional incentives and supports for institutions creating purpose-built student accommodations.
9. Data Contribution:
We would welcome the opportunity to contribute data, insights, and labour market intelligence to assist in refining future immigration and education strategies.
10. Federal – Provincial Alignment:
As Canada plans future immigration targets, we recommend greater federal–provincial alignment around targeted post-secondary programs and degrees that support key industry sectors. A coordinated national approach would ensure that immigration policy is strategically connected to labour market demand and economic development priorities across the country. We suggest the development of a 5–10 year roadmap that identifies priority fields—such as healthcare, skilled trades, advanced manufacturing, and aviation—where talent pipelines must be strengthened. Regular consultation between IRCC and provincial governments, along with industry and private/public post-secondary stakeholders, will be essential to ensure alignment between immigration pathways, education offerings, and future workforce needs. This alignment would also help ensure that Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility reflects the real demand across provinces, supports regional growth, and maximizes the long-term contributions of international students to Canada’s economy.
At Western Community College, we believe immigration is an essential pillar of Canada’s future economic prosperity, and we are committed to working alongside the federal government to ensure that newcomers—particularly students—have the tools, pathways, and support to succeed and stay in Canada.
Thank you once again for engaging stakeholders in this vital national conversation. We welcome further dialogue and the opportunity to contribute to implementation strategies. Thank you for your continued leadership in strengthening Canada’s immigration system. We hope to welcome you to our campus in the near future.
Sincerely,
Anita Huberman
Board Chair, Western Community College
