Thursday, December 05, 2024 - Nearly five million temporary permits in Canada are set to expire by the end of 2025, raising significant concerns about the future of visa holders in the country.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller addressed these concerns
earlier this week during his testimony before the Commons immigration
committee. The permits in question include those for temporary foreign workers,
students, and asylum claimants engaged in employment.
Conservative MP Tom Kmiec raised concerns about the
government’s preparedness to manage the expiring permits, questioning how
Canada would ensure that the 4.9 million visa holders leave the country if
required.
In response, Minister Miller emphasized that the Canadian
Border Services Agency (CBSA) is actively enforcing immigration laws and that
most individuals are expected to leave voluntarily. He also addressed the issue
of 766,000 study permits expiring by December 2025, stating that many students
would either renew their permits or apply for post-graduate work permits to
extend their stay.
Key statistics from Statistics Canada reveal that work
permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International
Mobility Program (IMP) are significant components of the temporary foreign
workforce. In 2021, 87% of TFWP permit holders and 69% of IMP permit holders
for work purposes were employed. Temporary residents, particularly
international students, make up a considerable portion of the workforce in
Canada, but their growing numbers have raised concerns about the strain on infrastructure
and social services.
The Canadian government, responding to mounting criticism of
strained resources, has announced changes to immigration policies aimed at
reducing the intake of both permanent and temporary residents. By 2025, the
target for permanent residents will drop from 500,000 to 395,000, a 21%
reduction. The number of temporary foreign workers is expected to decrease by
over 40% by 2026, and the number of international students will also reduce by
10%.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the economic
pressures caused by rapid immigration growth, particularly following the
pandemic. While temporary foreign workers are vital to Canada’s economy, the
pace of immigration has overwhelmed housing, healthcare, and social services.
The new immigration caps are designed to balance the need for workers with the
country’s infrastructure capacity.
Immigration analyst Darshan Maharaja noted that the growing
influx of temporary residents, which now make up 7.3% of the population, is
exacerbating the housing crisis, with high rental costs and overcrowded living
conditions becoming more common. He also highlighted the strain on Canada’s
healthcare system and the rising cost of living. Maharaja suggested that Indian
workers, who make up a significant portion of Canada’s immigration landscape,
may want to consider opportunities in other countries due to these growing
challenges.
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