Canada has been grappling with a housing crisis in specific regions and has made significant efforts to address the issue, but the problem persists. In recent years, the country has experienced a notable increase in international students, foreign workers, and other temporary residents who enter on time-limited visas. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has prioritised immigration to promote economic growth and address labour shortages.
Canada plans to reduce temporary immigration and set a cap for the first time to address housing shortage and stretched services, says the Immigration Minister.
Canada’s Liberal government has faced criticism for its immigration policies, with some pundits suggesting that these policies have worsened the housing crisis in the country. It is important to note that as the population grows, there is a need to improve certain provincial services like education and healthcare.
The Immigration Ministry recently disclosed that the Canadian government intends to decrease the number of temporary residents to 5% of the total population in the coming three years. This is a reduction from the current percentage of 6.5% in 2023 and will decrease roughly 20% of Canada’s 2.5 million temporary residents in 2023.
According to Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, “it is necessary to maintain a sustainable level of temporary residents entering the country. As of this fall, the immigration levels plan will be expanded for the first time to include both temporary and permanent resident arrivals.”
At the beginning of 2024, the Canadian government announced that it would implement a two-year cap on the intake of international students. To control the increasing number of newcomers, the government also stated that it would no longer provide work permits to some students after graduation.
Canadian officials have announced a new policy that will be implemented soon, requiring certain Canadian businesses to reduce their reliance on temporary foreign workers by 1 May. In addition, these businesses will have a shorter timeframe to demonstrate that a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen could not fill the job vacancy.
According to Statistics Canada, most temporary residents - around 54% - in 2021 had a work permit. International students with a license solely to study in Canada represented 22% of temporary residents, and asylum claimants accounted for 15%.
Things are getting more challenging in the future for individuals seeking Canadian residency.