Further cuts announced to Canada’s temporary immigration programs

The number of people who can immigrate through Canada’s temporary immigration programs is to be reduced further, following previous cuts announced by the country’s federal government. As part of the cuts, 437,000 study permits will be issued to international students (including students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees), a 10 percent decrease from last year’s target of 485,000. In 2026, Canada will issue the same number of study permits as issued in 2025.
As part of changes to Canada’s temporary immigration programs, there is also a plan to update the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program in the fall to better align with immigration goals and labour market needs.
“By November 1, I will table the annual immigration levels plan for 2025 to 2027 that will reflect the needs of our economy and communities,” said Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. “To those who would complain about worker shortages, here’s my message: there’s no better time to hire and invest in Canadian workers.”
Changes to spousal work permits
Canada has also announced that spouses of master’s degree students who accompany them to Canada will receive a work permit, only if the course being pursued by the student in question is either 16 months or above, in duration.
What’s more, is that work permits for spouses of foreign workers will only allow them to work in management or professional occupations, or sectors facing labour shortages under Canada’s work permit programs.
It is expected that these changes will, over the next three years, lead to a decrease in some 300,000 fewer study permit holders, 175,000 fewer post-grad work permits, and 150,000 fewer work permits for the spouses of students.
Also read: Study permit capping among measures taken to protect international students in Canada
Updates to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program
A further change to Canada’s temporary immigration programs includes expanding the 10 percent employer cap to all professions across Canada, including the Traitement Simplifié – Quebec’s temporary foreign worker program.
All LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) applications will only be valid for a year, including those processed for Quebec, except for roles under the Primary Agriculture Occupation Stream.
To encourage more people to settle and thrive in Canada’s smaller communities, work permit requests made by companies that operate in areas that have unemployment rates of over six percent will not be processed. The unemployment information will be reviewed every financial quarter. The only exceptions to the Refusal to Process (RTP) policy will apply to address labour shortages in the healthcare, construction, and food processing sectors.
The changes come as Canada’s unemployment rate continues to rise: the overall unemployment rate currently stands at 6.6 percent, with 1.5 million people reportedly unemployed in August 2024, an increase of 60,000 people from the previous month.
What does the future hold for Canada’s temporary immigration programs?
Canada will continue to monitor labour market conditions and introduce further adjustments to its programs as needed in the coming months, to ensure that only employers who actually need to hire temporary workers will have access to them.
“The Temporary Foreign Worker program was designed to address labour market shortages when qualified Canadians were not able to fill those roles,” said Randy Boissonault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages. “Right now, we know that there are more Canadians qualified to fill open positions. The changes we are making today will prioritize Canadian workers, and ensure Canadians can trust the program is meeting the needs of our economy.”
More changes are expected in the next 90 days, targeting the following:
- The High-Wage Stream under the TFW program
- Existing LMIA applications for positions that have not been filled
- Exceptions to certain sectors under the program
- Refusal to process LMIA applications, including those concerning rural areas
Also read: Canada to cut 65,000 people from Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Changes to asylum claimant pathways
To make sure bad actors do not abuse Canada’s temporary immigration programs, several measures are being taken to ensure the country’s humanitarian pathways maintain their integrity.
A partial visa system has been introduced for asylum claimants from Mexican nationals because the majority of them were rejected, withdrawn, or abandoned by the applicant.
Canada will also improve claims processing, reviewing visa decision-making and providing immigration officials with the right tools, and exploring more measures to strengthen visa integrity.
“We have listened to Canadians, including our provincial, territorial, and municipal partners and community leaders, and we will continue to protect the integrity of our system and grow our population responsibly,” said Minister Miller.
“Immigration is vital for Canada, and we have a long-standing tradition of welcoming those who work hard to make Canada their home,” he added. “With these changes, we are making immigration work for our country, so everyone has access to the quality jobs, homes and supports they need to thrive.”
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