Government relations is an important service to our members. CERC has built a strong and effective voice with the federal and provincial governments. We strive to provide constructive and practical solutions to the challenges of workforce mobility that will benefit our members and improve Canada’s economy.

Attracting internationally trained workers is central to the continued success of Canada’s economy. Even though unemployment remains high, skills gaps exist within the Canadian economy.  As the workforce ages, acute shortages are expected in key industries such as health care, education, skilled trades and the professions. Immigration is, and will continue to be, an important source of replacement human capital in the Canadian economy.
 

Below are highlights of recent activities to improve employee mobility.

February 19, 2024
Letter to the Honourable Marc Miller
RE: Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Please review the letter here.

February 7, 2024
Letter to the Honourable Chrystia Freeland 
RE: PROHIBITION ON THE PURCHASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BY NON-CANADIANS ACT 

Please review the letter here.

September 28, 2023 
RE: PROHIBITION ON THE PURCHASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BY NON-CANADIANS ACT 

Congratulations on your recent appointment to Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion. We wish you every success in this challenging portfolio.  You may recall that we met on several occasions during your term as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.  
I am writing in regard to the Regulations for The Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act. We had been working closely with Minister Hussen and his staff. The amendments to the regulations allowing temporary residents with valid work permits to purchase a residence were greatly appreciated by the employer community.

Please review full letter here.

July 24, 2023 
Canadian Employee Relocation Council (“CERC”) comments in response to the draft regulation entitled "Regulation amending the Quebec Immigration Regulations".

CERC has reviewed the draft regulation entitled Regulation to amend the "Regulation amending the Quebec Immigration Regulations", published in the Gazette officielle on June 7, 2023. Following consultations with its members, CERC would like to share with you some important comments regarding the potential impact of the proposed measures on their members' activities in Quebec. 

Please review full letter to Ms Claire Malbouires, Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (French) here.

Please review full letter to Ms Claire Malbouires, Director of Permanent Immigration Policy (English) here.

May 05, 2023 
RE: PROHIBITION ON THE PURCHASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BY NON-CANADIANS ACT 

The recent amendments to the Regulations for The Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act, were greatly appreciated by the employer community as businesses continue their efforts to attract international talent to fill ongoing gaps in the Canadian labour market. The changes were progressive and will remove a barrier when recruiting international talent. 

Please review full letter here.

November 10, 2022 CERC Member Bulletin:
PROHIBITION ON THE PURCHASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BY NON-CANADIANS ACT

The prohibition on the purchase of residential property by non-Canadians was part of the Federal Government’s 2022 budget. The Act was passed on June 23 and comes into force January 1, 2023.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has the delegated authority to draft the regulations to implement the Act.

Please read the CERC Member Bulletin for details, including:

• CERC's Recommendations;
• Next Steps; and
• How You Can Help.
  

CERC Submission in Response to the CMHC Consultation Paper: 
PROHIBITION ON THE PURCHASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BY NON-CANADIANS ACT

Please review the letter to Ministers Freeland and Hussen here.

Please review CERC's Submission in Response to the CMHC Consultation Paper here.

CERC 2022 The Impact of Processing Delays of Work Permits and Business Visas on Canadian Employers 

The Corona Virus (COVID-19) created significant challenges for the Government of Canada in the processing of work permits and business visas since 2020. Those delays have had significant implications for employers that access international talent. This CERC survey reports on the extent of the processing delays and summarizes recommendations to improve the situation. Access the full survey report here.

Read CERC's letter to The Honourable Sean Fraser PC MP here.

Permanent Resident Immigration Levels Plan: February 2022 

The CERC welcomes this opportunity to provide our views and recommendations as the government of Canada considers the Next Permanent Resident Immigration Levels Plan.  Continue reading here.

Business Advisory Council (BAC) on Economic Immigration and Mobility: July 5, 2021 

Canada’s future prosperity and labour force growth will rely heavily on the country’s ability to attract and retain the most highly skilled, globally mobile talent – particularly in academia, science, research, and technology. To assist the Canadian Government in achieving this goal a Business Advisory Council (BAC) on Economic Immigration and Mobility will be formed.  

The primary focus of the BAC is on economic immigration and mobility, including temporary foreign worker programs, with emphasis on the highly skilled occupations (Occupational codes in 0, A, and selected B levels). The BAC’s main purpose is to provide recommendations to government that will ensure Canada’s economic immigration and mobility programs remain competitive with other nations that are competing with Canada for international talent.  Continue reading here.

Labour Market Impact Assessment Under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program: May 3, 2021

The Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC) has requested to appear before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration as it conducts hearings into the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program. In the event that we are unable to appear before the Committee, we have prepared the following brief for the Committee’s consideration. 

The Impact of Processing Delays of Work Permits and Immigration Visas on Canadian Employers: January 5, 2021 

The Corona Virus (COVID-19) created significant challenges for the Government of
Canada in the processing of work permits and business visas throughout 2020. Visa
offices were closed, staff within the department of Immigration Refugees Citizenship
Canada (IRCC) were redeployed, lockdowns required work from home without advance
planning – all which have resulted in extensive delays for employers in accessing and
on-boarding highly skilled international talent.

This report, based on recent survey findings, outlines how those delays have impacted
the operations of Canadian employers. The online survey was conducted during the
months of November and December 2020. A total of 26 organizations that regularly
access international mobility programs participated in the survey.

The key findings and recommendations are summarized in this report.

Permanent Resident Immigration Levels  Plan: October 30, 2020 

Please review CERC's letter to Minister Mendicino here, as well as CERC's views and recommendations as the government of Canada considers the Next Permanent Resident Immigration Levels Plan.

CERC Submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade Re Bill C-4 – CUSMA Implementation

The Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC) welcomes this opportunity to share our comments with respect to the pre-study of Bill C-4, An Act to implement the Agreement between Canada, the United States of America and the United Mexican States. 
 
As a Canadian based association of employers, representing the interests of many of Canada’s largest employers with operations in Canada the United States and Mexico, we submit our comments in respect to the Canada US Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) provisions on Temporary Entry for Business Persons (Chapter 16) a matter central to the trade in services between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. 

Read more here.

     Global Forum for Migration and Development

CERC is pleased to participate in the The Global Forum for Migration and Development (GFMD). The GFMD’s objectives are to improve the level of cooperation between governments and business to improve the orderly flows of international migration and improve regulatory frameworks governing international mobility.

In October 2019 CERC was appointed to the steering committee of the Business Advisory Group on Migration as the private sector network that provides input to the global migration debate taking place across a range of platforms, including at the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). Read more about the work of the advisory group here.

     Beyond The Border Action Plan

In 2011, the Canadian and U.S. governments agreed to strengthen trade relations between our two countries, under the Beyond The Border Action Plan.  The Action Plan includes commitments to improve cross border mobility.

CERC, in collaboration with several leading business organizations in both Canada and the U.S. has developed a series of constructive recommendations that will address many of the challenges employees encounter at ports of entry.  We are pleased that several of these proposals have been

implemented.

     Canadian Immigration

CERC has been working to improve processes for economic immigration, temporary foreign workers and intra-company transfers for several years. Since 2012 CERC has been playing a lead role with several industry groups and business associations in raising concerns about changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and proposed changes to the rules for intra-company transfers. CERC meets regularly with the Minister of Immigration and government officials who are responsible for these programs to discuss our concerns and offer constructive suggestions for improvement.

     Inter-Provincial Mobility 

In addition to improving processes for the recruitment of international talent through Canada’s immigration system, CERC has urged the federal government to take steps to improve inter-provincial mobility within Canada.

     Taxation Policy

Taxation policy has a direct impact on the cost and success of employee relocation. Over the past several years we have been providing input to government on changes to the treatment of moving expenses and relocation benefits. In 2008 CERC was successful in pressing the Canada Revenue Agency to revise its Employers Guide which included regressive changes to current practices in the tax treatment of relocation allowances.

     International Trade

Canada is engaged in several free trade agreement negotiations with its trading partners. Those agreements include provisions for labour mobility. CERC has been offering support and input to Canadian negotiators to ensure we have mobility provisions that are of benefit to the Canadian economy.

      Trans-Pacific Partnership

In September 2013 CERC led a coalition of business groups in Canada and the U.S. in writing to trade Minister Ed Fast and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Michael Froman, calling for a contemporary framework for developing the labour mobility provisions of the TPP between Canada and the U.S.