Immigration to several countries has taken a hit in recent times and Canada is one of the countries trying to take steps to manage the influx of temporary residents.

“In response to labor shortages and the impacts of the pandemic, the federal government has taken action to meet the urgent needs of businesses and support our economic recovery. Since then, the Canadian economy has evolved and we must continue to adapt our immigration system to respond to new pressures, notably the slowdown in the labor market,” mentions the official website.

In line with recent changes, Canada has made changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PTDP) program to better align with immigration goals and labor market needs. The proposed changes will be imposed from November 1, 2024.

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For individuals seeking a PTPD on or after November 1, 2024, they must be fluent in one of Canada’s official languages, i.e. English or French. “As part of the changes to the PTPD program, all applicants will be required to demonstrate minimum linguistic proficiency in French or English. This will increase their ability to transition to permanent residency and adapt to changing economic conditions. A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of Level 7 for university graduates and Level 5 for college graduates will be required for anyone applying for a post-graduation work permit starting November 1, 2024,” says an article on the official website.

The official website also mentions that graduates of public college programs will remain eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PTPD) for up to three years if they graduate in a field of study related to professions in long-term shortage.

The Canadian government has announced a decrease in the number of temporary residents, from 6.5% of Canada’s total population to 5% by 2026.

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“The reality is that not everyone who wants to come to Canada will be able to, just as not everyone who wants to stay in Canada will be able to. We are taking steps to strengthen our temporary residency programs and roll out a more comprehensive immigration plan to meet the demands of today’s changing landscape. Our immigration system must preserve its integrity and be well managed and sustainable. And as we look to the future, we will do whatever it takes to achieve this goal and prepare newcomers to succeed,” said Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Other immigration changes made by the Canadian government include:

• Reduction of the admission cap for study permits for international students for 2025 based on a 10% reduction from the 2024 target of 485,000 new study permits issued, then stabilization of the cap admission for 2026 such that the number of study permits issued remains the same as in 2025. For 2025, this means reducing the number of study permits issued to 437,000.
• Limit work permit eligibility to spouses of master’s students, those whose program lasts at least 16 months.
• Limit work permit eligibility to spouses of foreign workers in managerial or professional positions or in sectors with labor shortages – under Canada’s work permit programs (TFWP and IMP)

Changes in asylum applications, according to the official website.

• Implementation of partial visa requirements for Mexican nationals
• Improve claims processing
• Review of visa decision-making

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