For the first time in history, Canada plans to limit the number of temporary residents it allows entry. bbc reported, as migration to Western nations grows.
The first limit will apply in September, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Thursday, and will be gradually reduced over the next three years.
Who will it apply to? Well, it will apply to international students, as well as foreign workers and asylum seekers.
The minister added that Canada would reduce its proportion of temporary residents from 6.2% to 5% of the population, due to affordability and the housing crisis.
Miller said the decision was made to ensure “sustainable” growth.
2.5 million temporary residents will reside in Canada in 2024, the minister said, up from just one million in 2021.
While Miller acknowledged that Canada needs foreign workers to fill the gap, he also said “changes are needed to make the system more efficient.”
“…there should be an honest conversation about what increased international migration means for Canada as we plan for the future,” the Immigration Minister said.
In recent years, Canada has seen a sharp increase in international students, foreign workers and other temporary residents arriving in the country on limited-time visas, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government relied on immigration to boost economic growth and close labor gaps.
But the Liberal government has also come under political pressure over its immigration policies, with critics arguing they have exacerbated the housing crisis. Some services provided by the provinces, such as education and health care, are also struggling to keep up with population growth.
