Canada is set to implement significant changes to its immigration policies, including a reduction in temporary residents and the introduction of a cap on temporary immigration for the first time in its history. Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced these measures on Thursday, highlighting the government’s efforts to address housing shortages and strains on essential services.
Over the past few years, Canada has experienced a notable increase in international students, foreign workers, and other temporary residents arriving on time-limited visas. This trend was driven by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government’s reliance on immigration to fuel economic growth and fill labor gaps. However, these policies have faced criticism, particularly regarding their impact on housing availability and essential services’ capacity to accommodate population growth.
In response to these challenges, the government aims to reduce the proportion of temporary residents to 5% of the total population over the next three years, down from 6.5% in 2023. This would represent a 20% decrease from the 2.5 million temporary residents in Canada in 2023.
Minister Miller is scheduled to meet with provincial and territorial counterparts in May to finalize the plan. He emphasized the need for a sustainable level of temporary residents entering the country, indicating a shift in immigration priorities.
“Starting this fall, for the first time, we will expand the immigration levels plan to include both temporary resident arrivals and permanent resident arrivals,” Miller stated, referring to the federal government’s immigration targets.
In a related development, the Trudeau government announced in November its decision to halt the increase in immigration for permanent residents from 2026 onwards. Additionally, Canada recently introduced a two-year cap on foreign student intake and discontinued issuing work permits to some students post-graduation, aiming to manage the influx of newcomers more effectively.
These changes reflect Canada’s evolving immigration policies as it seeks to strike a balance between economic growth, resource management, and social integration. The government’s decision to reduce temporary residents and cap intake marks a significant shift in its approach to immigration, signaling a more measured and sustainable strategy for the future.
Sources By Agencies
