Canada’s immigration minister Marc Miller recently announced additional tightening measures to the country's temporary resident program.

The latest measures were in response to the country’s economic needs and labor market conditions. 

Miller said the reduction of temporary residents in Canada will seek to uphold the integrity of the immigration system, mitigate fraud, and ensure strict program compliance, among others.

Canada will implement a 10% reduction in study permit issuance for the years 2024 and 2025. 

Beginning next year, this cap will include international students pursuing master’s, doctoral, and other designated programs.

Additionally, effective Nov. 1, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will require a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark score of 7 for university graduates and 5 for college graduates applying for post-graduation work permits.

Also taking effect in November is a rule that post-graduation work permit eligibility for prospective students will be contingent upon their level of study. 

Graduates from bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs will continue to be eligible for work permits of up to three years. 

However, graduates from public college programs will only be eligible for three-year work permits if their field of study aligns with Canada’s labor market shortages.

"We are extremely disappointed by the Canadian government’s decision to implement these," said Janice Virtudazo, an international student at NAIT. 

"Our family has invested heavily in Canada, both financially and emotionally, and these changes are a major blow to our hopes of building a permanent future here."

"Canada has become our home," she added, "and we are devastated by the uncertainty these changes have created."

IRCC also intends to restrict work permit eligibility for spouses of international students enrolled in doctoral programs, select master’s programs, designated professional programs, and specific pilot programs.

Work permit eligibility for spouses will be restricted to those whose spouses or partners are highly skilled, specialized workers.

That also includes those of C-suite executives, scientists, engineers, lawyers, and individuals employed in sectors with critical labor shortages, among others. 

Spouses of workers in critical sectors, such as healthcare and construction, will maintain their eligibility for work permits.

More foreign nationals may face hurdles regarding study or work permit eligibility, which may also reduce flexibility for employers seeking to hire foreign nationals.

Minister of Employment Randy Boissonnault reiterated the importance of the changes to the temporary foreign worker program. 

"I’ve always been clear that the temporary foreign worker program has always been a last resort measure," he said, "and should have been used to replace Canadian workers who want the jobs."

The implementation of a 10% employer cap on temporary foreign workers under the low-wage stream has begun this September, in including Quebec. 

An exception will be granted to employers seeking to address labor shortages in the healthcare, construction, and food processing sectors, who may retain a 20% cap. 

All LMIA-approved positions under the low-wage stream will be limited to one-year work durations, except for those in primary agriculture. 

Canada’s immigration minister Marc Miller recently announced additional tightening measures to the country's temporary resident program.

The latest measures were in response to the country’s economic needs and labor market conditions.