Canada is re-evaluating its long-term visa program for foreign students, indicating a shift towards slower immigration and population growth. This decision comes amid increasing pressure on the government due to rising living costs, housing shortages, and unemployment.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated, as reported by Bloomberg, that the government is collaborating with provinces to align immigration with labor market needs. Although Canada has historically depended on universities and colleges to attract skilled, working-age immigrants, Miller emphasized that study visas should not be viewed as guarantees of future residency or citizenship.
“People should be coming here to educate themselves and perhaps go home and bring those skills back to their country,” he remarked. “That hasn’t always been the recent case.”
Earlier this year, Canada introduced a cap on international student visas, predicting fewer than 300,000 new permits this year compared to 437,000 last year. Now, the focus is on determining which students should be granted residency after completing their studies.
Miller stressed the importance of ensuring that the jobs available to international students match their qualifications. He also highlighted the need to carefully allocate post-graduate work permits, considering labor shortages in specific provinces.
“The logic for having uncapped or uncontrolled draws from abroad is no longer there,” he stated.
The number of Canadians holding post-graduate work permits has increased significantly in recent years, reaching 132,000 new holders in 2022, a 78% rise from four years earlier.
The government is also reviewing the temporary foreign worker program, which has faced criticism for being misused. Miller aims to reduce the proportion of temporary residents in the country from nearly 7% to 5%.
These changes have raised concerns about Canada becoming less welcoming to international students. However, Miller argues that this shift will ensure study visas are viewed as genuine educational opportunities rather than shortcuts to permanent residency.
Despite these efforts, Miller expressed concern about rising racism in Canada, particularly in regions with large immigrant populations. He acknowledged that Canada’s strong consensus on immigration is being eroded.
