In a recent interview with Reuters, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller discussed upcoming “suite of measures” aimed at further reducing the number of non-permanent residents in Canada, including those on study or work permits.
Miller indicated that the new measures might involve changes to Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) and stricter enforcement.
“The era of uncapped programs to come into this country is quickly coming to an end. This is a big shift….” said Miller in the interview.
What changes to the PGWP are being planned?
In June, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) distributed surveys to key stakeholders in post-secondary education, seeking feedback on potential changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
According to the survey and the Deputy Minister Transition Binder 2024, the department is considering aligning the issuance of PGWPs with labor market needs. Specifically, they aim to manage “access to work permits for students entering occupations in shortage, while reducing access for graduates from other programs.”
The survey also indicated that IRCC and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) have collaborated to link educational programs (as detailed in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)) with job titles (as categorized by the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system). For example, the survey uses the relevant NOCs for “carpenters” connected to “three programs of study: construction trades, carpentry, and woodworking/general.”
A segment of a comprehensive approach
Earlier this year, IRCC set its first-ever target for non-permanent resident (NPR) levels, including it in this year’s immigration levels plan. IRCC aims to reduce NPR numbers and stabilize their proportion in the Canadian population to five percent over the next three years. As of April, NPRs made up nearly seven percent of the total population.
To support this goal, IRCC has already implemented a two-year cap on international students, limiting the number of new post-secondary students to 292,000 for this year. They will review this cap in 2025 and may adjust international student levels for that year.
Additionally, Minister Miller plans to increase “domestic draws” for both federal and provincial permanent residence (PR) pathways. This strategy will reduce the number of temporary residents by prioritizing them for PR draws and avoiding the recruitment of new PRs from abroad, which could exacerbate housing and affordability issues.
These measures come as Canadians intensify their scrutiny of immigration. “Immigration will be a top issue, if not the top issue, in the next election,” Miller said in the Reuters interview.
