Reassessing its long-term student visa program, Canada is signaling a change in direction toward slower immigration and population growth. The need for this policy shift stems from growing living expenses, a housing scarcity, and pressure on unemployment.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller reportedly told Bloomberg that in order to match immigration with labor market demands, the federal government is working with the provinces. Miller emphasized that although universities and colleges have historically been Canada’s main source of talented, working-age immigrants, study visas should not be used as a guarantee of permanent residence or citizenship.
He declared, “People should come here to educate themselves and maybe go back home to use those skills in their country.” “The recent case hasn’t always been like that.”
Canada put a ceiling on foreign student visas earlier this year; as a result, the country expects to issue less than 300,000 new permits this year, down from 437,000 last year. Right now, the emphasis is on choosing which students should be given residency after completing their coursework.
Miller underlined how crucial it is to make sure that employment opportunities for overseas students align with their qualifications. He also emphasized the necessity of properly allocating work licenses for postgraduate study in view of workforce shortages in certain provinces.
“There is no longer any justification for unrestricted or uncontrolled foreign drawbacks,” he declared.
In 2022, there were 132,000 new post-graduate work permits held by Canadians, a 78% increase over the previous four years.
The administration is also examining the program for temporary foreign workers, which has come under fire for being abused. Miller wants to see the percentage of temporary immigrants in the nation drop from about 7% to 5%.
Concerns about Canada being less hospitable to international students have been raised by these measures. Miller contends that this change will guarantee that study visas are perceived as a legitimate educational opportunity as opposed to a quick route to permanent residence.
Despite these initiatives, Miller acknowledged that Canada’s robust immigration consensus is eroding and voiced concern about the rise of racism in the country, particularly in areas with high immigrant populations.
