Canada tightens Immigration rules.

Canada tightens immigration rules

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking additional steps to reduce immigration in response to the rapid population growth in the country. The Canadian government announced it will further cut the intake of foreign students and tighten rules for foreign workers starting next year.

The Canadian government is taking further steps to reduce the number of study permits issued to international students and is tightening the eligibility criteria for work permits. These measures aim to lower the number of temporary residents in the country, a move that comes amidst growing political pressure on Trudeau’s government. The government has placed immigration and temporary residency in the spotlight as key political issues in the upcoming presidential elections expected no later than October 2025.

“We’re granting 35% fewer international student permits this year. And next year, that number is going down by another 10%,” The Prime Minister said. “The government is also tightening work permit eligibility particularly for spouses of students and temporary foreign workers. These changes are part of a broader review of visa integrity measures aimed at detecting fraud and curbing non-genuine visitors”

Canada's strong immigration initially supported the country's post pandemic recovery and blustered economic growth. However, the recent population surge (adding over three million immigrants in the last three years) has put pressure on housing costs and public services thus massively affecting Trudeau's popularity just before the elections.