Canada Makes Major Changes for Temporary Workers and Foreign Students. As part of its border immigration reforms, Canada announces the implementation of new measures to regulate the flow of temporary residents, including workers and international students, on September 19, 2024. The government hopes that by implementing these adjustments, there will be a balance of the benefits of immigration and less pressure due to limited resources such as housing and work prospects. The following is a detailed summary of these modifications and their impact.
Reduction In International Students Permit
Canada is reducing the number of study permits it distributes to international students. This significant change is part of a bigger effort to limit the number of temporary immigrants who are permitted to enter the country. The government aims to issue approximately 430,000 study permits in 2025, compared to 500,000 permits in 2023. This change will have a minor impact on immigrants who are already studying in Canada, as well as students who are still in the process of applying for visas, as they will be forced to adapt to the new changes, unlike older students or immigrants, reducing the number of international students studying in Canada.
By limiting the number of student permits, Canada hopes to relieve pressure on its housing market, as popular cities such as Vancouver and Toronto, which have major universities and colleges, are already dealing with housing pressure for their students, resulting in a significant increase in cost of living and rental prices. This current approach intends to provide comfort and low-rent housing and accommodations for the fewer students who will be granted an international student permit.
Tightening Of Work Permit For Spouse
It was very straightforward to come to Canada as a spouse and any children who would act as dependants under the spouse at first, but the availability of work permits for spouses appears to be more difficult right now. Spouses of temporary foreign workers or international students have immediate access to work permits in the sense that if they claim to be partners to any of these two types of immigrants, they will be instantly granted the ability to work. However, the government has chosen to bring this into consideration by making it difficult to obtain the right to work visa, and if any spouse who comes as
dependents of an international student or temporary foreign worker who meet the stricter conditions can receive a work visa. This new step will have a significant influence on any spouse or family wanting to temporarily settle in Canada, where both partners intend to work. This restriction reflects the government's concern about the increasing number of temporary residents and their influence on Canadian citizens' employment and pay. Reducing spouses' eligibility for work permits may lead to fewer people competing for jobs in Canada.
Limited Transition To Permanent Residency
Because fraudulent applications have the potential to undermine public trust in Canada's immigration system, visa integrity is a critical concern. The government intends to reduce application delays and increase overall procedure efficiency by upgrading the visa decision-making process. This strategy ensures that persons who legitimately qualify for visas receive them quickly, while also preserving the system.
Changes to Temporary Foreign Worker Caps
As part of the overall immigration policy reform, the government reversed numerous 2022-2023 extensions to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The new guideline limits the percentage of low-wage temporary employees that a company can hire. This change affects specific industries, particularly those with persistently high unemployment rates and a large reliance on foreign labour. As a result, Canadian firms will need to change their hiring strategies and may prefer to focus more on locating local talent. Although the intention is to protect Canadian workers, businesses that rely significantly on local labour, including as manufacturing, hospitality, and agriculture, would likely experience additional operational challenges as a result.