Canada Immigration Policy to Clamp Down on International Student Visas and Limit Foreign Worker Immigration: What You Should Know
Canada immigration policy is changing now to slow down the rate of inducting international students and tightening rules for foreign workers. Immigration minister unveiled this step as part of the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s overall plan to slowdown population growth. Find out everything you need to know about these updates and what they could mean for immigration.
Why is Canada cutting international student permits?
The country will cut the permits for international students by 10% of this year’s figures starting 2025 and sustain such a trend until 2026. This cuts down the number of international students by 36% of what was recorded in 2023 when Universities Canada reported receiving fewer applications from foreign students. The government is keen on containing increasing pressure from housing, public services, and the economy that have been engorged with the speedy growth in population as a result of the post-pandemic.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller suggested that the point of these measures is that Canada’s immigration system needs to be “well-managed and sustainable.” He acknowledged that not everyone who wishes to come to, or stay in, Canada will be able to, which places a high premium on the need to preserve the integrity of the system.
Impact on International Students
One factor in Canada’s move to slow down the growth rate of its temporary resident population, which includes foreign students, temporary workers, and asylum seekers, is the decline in the number of student permits. It added three million temporary residents over the past three years, and now Canada is close to achieving the 5% benchmark by 2026. International students will have to take some shocks from reaching that target.
There will be more competition in permits for those wanting to come study in Canada; thus, it will probably mean that the ones who are desperate might look elsewhere for somewhere to study. For those who do get permits, however, this system of immigration seems to be more stable and sustainable.
New Temporary Foreign Workers Rules
Along with the decline in overseas student visas, the government has also unveiled new restrictions on using temporary foreign labor. The restriction specifically applies to Quebec. According to this new policy, the government cannot recruit temporary workers if the unemployment rate exceeds 6%. This indicates that the government will turn away Canadian workers for every available job.
Boissonnault said the domestic workers were privileged, arguing that “there are more Canadians qualified to fill open positions.” The tightened rules on foreign workers would cut down the temporary immigrants in three years by 525,000.
Canadian Immigration Challenges
Where those efforts could alleviate the strains of rapid immigration, analysts note that it may take more years than hoped before the overall rate of immigration could be slowed down. The Bank of Canada believes that weakening in the number of temporary immigrants will lead to long-term economic growth since a strong immigration base supported the post-pandemic economic recovery of Canada.
The U.S. faces an immigration challenge that is usually characterised as illegal immigration, whereas Canada’s problem is too many people on temporary visas, such as foreign students and workers, who remain there permanently.
What's Next for Canada's Immigration Strategy?
The Canadian government plans to establish its first-ever temporary resident target for the period 2025 to 2027, which will give a more precise view toward the future of immigration policies by November 1. It is likely to continue maintaining its objective of lowering the population of temporary residents, thereby balancing the country’s economic needs with population growth pressures.
Conclusion
The decision by Canada to cap international student permits and tighten foreign worker rules marks a milestone change in its immigration policy. For most prospective international students and temporary workers, there will thus be more challenging issues and considerations. Taking the new direction toward sustainability, as immigration does in this country, those desirous of studying or working within its borders would do well to keep up with the evolving changes in regulations and requirements.
