Canada is implementing significant adjustments to its temporary residence programmes to better manage the influx of temporary residents and ensure system integrity.
The government says it is reducing the intake cap for international student study permits by 10 per cent for 2025 and introducing stricter eligibility requirements for work permits.
These changes, according to a Thursday news release, aim to align Canada’s immigration policies with evolving economic and humanitarian needs while maintaining a sustainable and effective system.
An X post from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on Thursday morning, read, “Today, we announced changes to Canada’s temporary residence programs to better manage the volume of temporary residents, uphold the integrity of our immigration system and protect vulnerable people.
“We’re taking these steps to strengthen our immigration system, address the changing needs of our country and continue to grow our population responsibly.”
In January 2022, the Canadian government stated it would impose a national cap to reduce the intake of international students into the country.
PUNCH Online gathered from a news release titled “Strengthening temporary residence programs for sustainable volumes,” from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website that the government added measures to address asylum system integrity, including partial visa requirements for Mexican nationals and enhanced fraud detection.
According to the release, the Canadian government is reducing the intake cap for international student study permits by 10 per cent for 2025, from 485,000 to 437,000, and will maintain this cap for 2026.
Additionally, we are updating the Post-Graduation Work Permit Programme to better match immigration and labour market needs.
Starting later this year, work permits will be limited to spouses of master’s degree students whose programmes are at least 16 months long, and to spouses of foreign workers in management or professional roles or sectors with labour shortages.
It read that: “We are:
announcing a further reduction in the intake cap on international student study permits for 2025 based on a 10% reduction from the 2024 target of 485,000 new study permits issued, and then stabilizing the intake cap for 2026 such that the number of study permits issued remains the same as 2025
For 2025, this means reducing study permits issued to 437,000
updating the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program this fall to better align with immigration goals and labour market needs
limiting work permit eligibility, later this year, to spouses of master’s degree students to only those whose program is at least 16 months in duration
limiting work permit eligibility later this year to spouses of foreign workers in management or professional occupations or in sectors with labour shortages—under Canada’s work permit programs (TFWP and IMP).”
Canada, for the first time, revealed the plan to reduce the number of temporary foreign workers it welcomes, officials announced in March 2024, after years of lofty immigration levels.
According to the latest release, Canada is reducing the proportion of temporary residents from 6.5 per cent to 5 per cent of the population by 2026, implementing reforms to the International Student Programme and tightening work permit eligibility to address evolving economic pressures and enhance system integrity.
It further read, “Canada has a long and proud history of welcoming newcomers from around the world who support our economy and enrich our country. In response to labour shortages and the aftershocks of the pandemic, the federal government took steps to meet the urgent needs of businesses and support our economic recovery. Since then, Canada’s economy has evolved, and we must continue to adapt our immigration system to respond to new pressures, including a softening labour market.
Punch
