Ottawa- In a bid to address issues within Canada’s Study, Work Permit, Asylum, and LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) systems, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Employment Ministries have introduced a series of reforms.
One of the key measures includes reducing the intake of international student study permits to 437,000 this year and maintaining the same target through 2026. This marks a significant decrease from last year’s intake of 485,000 international students.
The new policies also restrict work permit eligibility for the spouses of international students. Only those pursuing a master’s degree program of at least 16 months in duration will qualify for work permits. Furthermore, work permit eligibility for spouses of foreign workers will be limited to those in management or professional occupations, or in industries facing labor shortages.
“The reality is that not everyone who wants to come to Canada will be able to—just like not everyone who wants to stay in Canada will be able to. We are taking action to strengthen our temporary residence programs and roll out a more comprehensive immigration plan to meet the demands of today’s changing landscape.”said The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
The government has been working on several measures to address integrity issues and strengthen the in-Canada asylum system, including, implementing a partial visa requirements for Mexican nationals
Additionally, the government will be reviewing visa decision-making processes to equip immigration officers with better tools to detect fraud and reduce the number of non-genuine visitors. The authorities are also exploring further measures to strengthen the integrity of the visa system.
These actions reflect Canada’s ongoing efforts to maintain a balanced and secure immigration framework while addressing labor market needs and ensuring visa authenticity.