On March 21, Immigration Minister Mark Miller said that for the first time in Canada’s history, the number of temporary residents entering the country would be limited. According to statistics from the Government of Canada, a total of 2.5 million temporary residents (international students and temporary workers) lived in Canada in 2023, representing 6.2% of the country’s population. Minister Miller says that the goal of the new changes will be to reduce this number to 5% in the next 3 years, and that they will not affect people who come to Canada to work in construction, health professionals, or teachers of preschool children. Minister Miller also called on Canada’s provinces to increase the number of invitations for permanent residency through provincial nominations. He called on the provinces to open their doors and give more opportunities to people who are already living in Canada and who can contribute to the country’s economy. The Minister of Employment and Workforce Development, Randy Boissonnault, also announced three important changes that will support the initiative to reduce the number of temporary residents coming to Canada with a work permit obtained with an LMIA, effective May 1, 2024: All these measures are in addition to the previous changes announced by the Minister of Immigration, Mark Miller, regarding international students, who can apply for an open work permit for their spouses or common-law partners only if they are studying a master’s degree, a PhD, or some specific bachelor’s degrees related to health, law, education or engineering.
Visa Application for Mexican Citizens
Mexican citizens who wish to come and visit Canada must apply for a visitor visa starting February 29, 2024, at 11:30 PM. There are two exceptions to this new immigration measure imposed by the Canadian government. 1. If the person has a valid U.S. visa 2. If the person has had a Canadian visa in the last 10 years If the Mexican citizen meets one of these two exceptions and is coming by air to Canada, then they can continue to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (Eta) to enter Canada. If the Mexican citizen does not meet any of these exceptions, then they will need to apply for a visitor visa. It is important to note that Mexican citizens have always required a visa when they have decided to enter Canada by land or sea. In addition, all Etas that were active and did not meet any of the two exceptions mentioned above, were cancelled by the Canadian government. There are other Latin American countries that must meet the same requirements to obtain an Eta The migratory measure imposed on Mexican citizens is very similar to the migratory changes made to the citizens of Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Panama last June 2023. This measure says that citizens of these countries can apply for an Eta to enter Canada (they do not need a visa) if they have a valid U.S. visa or if they have traveled to Canada in the last 10 years. The only current Latin American country that can apply for an Eta without additional conditions is Chile. What requirements will a Mexican citizen need to demonstrate to qualify for a Visa from now on? The visa application is more extensive than an Eta, and requires more time and money to complete. The form and list of supporting documents are extensive, and the processing time is also longer than an Eta. In summary, these are the requirements that are needed to apply for a visitor visa: 1. The applicant must have a letter of invitation from a family member or friend in Canada, 2. The applicant must justify the purpose of his/her visit to Canada 3. The applicant must demonstrate that he/she has sufficient financial funds to cover his/her stay expenses while visiting Canada (lodging, food, transportation, etc.) 4. The applicant must prove that he/she has roots in his/her country of origin and therefore will not stay in Canada longer than the time authorized by the immigration officer. Among the arguments that are included to defend this point can be work, studies, property, investments, close relatives, or people who need you and are waiting for your return to your country of origin. 5. The applicant must mention his/her travel history for the last 10 years. The processing time for a visitor visa can be 45 days or more. The application can be done online, and has a value of $100 Canadian plus $85 for biometrics that must be paid to the Canadian government at the time of submitting the application. The visa will last for 10 years or until the passport expires, and it will be multiple-entry. The applicant will be able to stay in Canada for 6 months, and make extensions from within Canada if they wish to stay longer. All of this is always at the discretion of the immigration officer. Causes and consequences of this new migratory measure with respect to international relations between Mexico and Canada According to political representatives of the Canadian government, this measure is being taken due to the high number of refugee applications (28,000) made by Mexican citizens during 2023, which were abandoned or denied. According to government statistics, Mexico is the country with the highest number of refugee claims in Canada. The Canadian government emphasized that it appreciates its trade relations with Mexico and that it will continue with international treaties on this matter. On the other hand, the President of Mexico did express his disagreement with the imposition of visas for Mexican citizens, but also advocated for the continued development and commercial relationship between the two countries, stressing that if respect between the nations was maintained. The Electronic Travel Authorization (Eta) was available to Mexican citizens in Canada from 2016 to 2024 by decision of the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
New Immigration Changes for International Students
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship of Canada, the Honourable Marc Miller, stated on January 22, 2024 at a press conference that the process to come to Canada as an International Student will be modified from now on. Three fundamental aspects were mentioned: 1. For the first time in many decades, there will be a limit on the number of applications for study permits approved in Canada. By 2024, only 364,000 will be approved, which represents a 35% reduction compared to 2023. The number of Study Permit applications approved for 2025 will be evaluated by the end of 2024. This is a two-year temporary measure that is aimed solely at college and university students. Elementary, secondary, master’s and doctoral students will not be affected by this measure. The limited number of international students that may come per year will be distributed by provinces depending on the number of people living in that territory, as well as the number of Designated Educational Institutions that also exist in that territory. 2. International Students must include in their application for Study Permit in Canada a proof or testimony provided by the province where they wish to study. This document is currently being created by the provinces, and they have until March 31 to submit it to the federal government. Likewise, as part of the requirements to qualify for the Study Permit with the option of obtaining an open work permit upon graduation, students must apply only to public educational institutions as of September 1, 2024. In other words, international students who come to Canada to study at private institutions will not have access to a work permit after graduation, and therefore must return to their home country once their studies have concluded. 3. The open work permit will only be granted to spouses of international students registered in Masters and Ph.D. programs, as well as spouses of students of some professional programs such as medicine and law. The limit on the number of study permits approved over the next two years will not affect international students already in Canada, nor will it affect those who are applying for an extension of their study permit. These changes are in addition to the other recent changes implemented by the Honorable Marc Miller. Since January 2024, the amount of money that an international student must show in their study permit application to prove that they can cover their basic expenses in Canada has doubled. The amount went from $10,000 to $20,635. This amount only includes the main applicant, not partners or children, and also does not include the costs of the first year of school tuition, which must also be included in the application. As of December 1, 2023, Designated Educational Institutions need to confirm with Immigration Canada all acceptance letters sent to study permit applicants who are outside of Canada. The Honourable Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller, explained that maintaining a list of Designated Learning Institutions ensures the proper functioning of the systems in Canada because these institutions must provide housing for their students, which is one of the highest needs currently in the country. According to CIC News, Canada admitted around 800,000 international students in 2022, and according to the immigration plan declared by the Minister of Immigration before the Parliament of Canada last October 2023, Canada has a limit of 485,000 applications for permanent residency in 2024. These numbers indicate that the number of international students admitted to Canada is quite high, and therefore, a limit has been decided on it. The Minister of Immigration explained that the goal of these changes is to protect the integrity of Canadian systems and support sustainable demographic development in Canada while helping international students not fall victim to fraud and to receive the quality of education they deserve.