- “We’ve allowed sure points of the market to get overheated, and for too lengthy” mentioned Immigration Minister – pointing to rising dimension of momentary resident inhabitants
- Additional discount of 10% this yr on cap allocation whereas subsequent yr, Masters and PhD college students can be included within the cap.
- Entry to Canada’s Publish-graduate Work Program to be managed by way of language competency exams
The Canadian authorities has introduced new worldwide scholar research permits can be decreased by 10% from the 2024 goal of 485,000. The consumption cap for 2026 can be stabilised, remaining the identical as in 2025.
For 2025, this implies lowering research permits issued to 437,000.
On September 18, throughout a joint press convention held in Ottawa, minister of immigration Marc Miller and minister of employment Randy Boissonnault introduced adjustments to the nation’s immigration system, many pertaining to the worldwide scholar program:
- Additional limits on quantity worldwide scholar permits, as outlined above
- 2025–2026 research allow consumption cap will embrace grasp’s and doctoral college students
- All PGWP candidates can be required to display a minimal language proficiency in French or English
- PGWP program can be up to date to align with immigration objectives and labour market wants
- Work allow eligibility to be restricted to spouses of grasp’s diploma college students to solely these whose program is no less than 16 months in period
- Work allow eligibility to be restricted to spouses of overseas staff in administration or skilled occupations or in sectors with labour shortages—below Canada’s work allow applications (TFWP and IMP)
The unique cap excluded college students enrolled in grasp’s and PhD applications. The 2025–2026 research allow consumption cap will embrace grasp’s and doctoral college students who will now should submit a provincial or territorial attestation letter.
The federal government mentioned it will likely be reserving roughly 12% of allocation areas for these college students in recognition of the advantages they create to the Canadian labour market.
As a part of adjustments to the PGWP program, all candidates can be required to display a minimal language proficiency in French or English, which the federal government mentioned will improve their “skill to transition to everlasting residence and adapt to altering financial situations”.
The fact is that not everybody who desires to return to Canada will be capable of
Immigration minister Marc Miller
“The fact is that not everybody who desires to return to Canada will be capable of—identical to not everybody who desires to remain in Canada will be capable of,” mentioned Miller.
“We’re taking motion to strengthen our momentary residence applications and roll out a extra complete immigration plan to fulfill the calls for of right this moment’s altering panorama. Our immigration system should protect its integrity, and be effectively managed and sustainable. And as we glance ahead, we’ll do all the pieces it takes to attain that objective and set newcomers up for achievement.”
The January 2024 cap was mentioned to be momentary, lasting initially for 2 years, with the intention of lowering worldwide scholar numbers again to 2022 ranges. There have been over 800,000 worldwide college students within the nation in 2022 – nearly a 3rd greater than the earlier yr.
“Merely put, the worldwide scholar cap is right here to remain.” mentioned Miller.
He started summarising the adjustments by noting the variety of momentary residents in Canada.
This quantity, he noticed, “has grown nearly exponentially over the previous couple of years from about 437,000 people in 2019 alone to about 1.2 million in 2023”. And he noticed, “That comes with penalties.”
Canadian immigration information for the primary half of 2024 confirmed a major decline in research allow functions and issuance in Q2, in an early signal that the federal government’s caps are assembly aims.
