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:
- Canadian employers mentioned in the 2022 Workforce Solution Road Map will have a 30% to 20% reduction in the number of temporary foreign workers they can have in Canada under the Low Wage Stream.
- The authorization given by the Canadian government to employers (LMIA) to bring workers from outside Canada will no longer be valid for 12 months but for 6 months.
- Canadian employers must offer the job offer to refugee applicants and members of minority groups (people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ community, etc.) and who have a valid work permit, before considering bringing a person from outside Canada to work in the country.
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.
